William “Bill” Nelson Andrews, Jr. age 85, passed away at his home in Sarasota, FL on June 28, 2021.
Bill was born on March 2, 1936, in Cincinnati, Ohio to William Nelson Andrews, Sr. and Helen Pogue Andrews. He attended Cincinnati Country Day School and the Hill School in Pottstown, PA. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and continued his education by receiving a master’s degree from Northwestern University. During his life Bill resided in Cincinnati, Ohio, St. Louis, MO, Lake Forest, IL, New Orleans, LA and Sarasota, FL.
Bill is survived by his loving sister Helen Templeton Andrews of Cincinnati, Ohio. He is also survived by his son William Stuart Andrews and his wife Dianne Andrews of Sarasota, FL, his daughter Laura Pogue Andrews of Holden, MA and his daughter Elizabeth Andrews Churchill and her husband Robert Churchill of Arlington Heights, ILL. Bill has six amazing grandchildren surviving him, Adrian, Matthew, Connor, Caity, Jack and Spenser.
Bill started his teaching career at the Taylor School in St. Louis and then went on to teach at the St. Louis Country Day School in Ladue, MO. Bill was not only a teacher but a coach, advisor, administrator, and a mentor to many who passed through the halls of St. Louis Country Day. After almost 20 years at CODASCO, Bill continued his teaching excellence at Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, Illinois. His final high school teaching job was at The Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, LA. Throughout all his years teaching, Bill was committed to his students and to supporting, guiding, teaching, and coaching them to success. His greatest passion was teaching his students. He was recognized by his students with dedications of the yearbook made to him in 1979 at St. Louis Country Day, 1987 at Lake Forest Academy and 1994 at Newman School.
After Bill retired to Sarasota, Florida he was actively involved with continuing his second passion of writing by serving on the Board at the Lifelong Learning Academy and teaching creative writing to seniors at the Writer’s Workshop Classes (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute).
Bill was an avid sports fan both on and off the field. He was captain of the Hill School soccer team and the Hill School Track Team. At Yale he played soccer and ran track. He coached soccer, track and even football during his teaching career. Off the field he was a lifetime fan of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team.
He was a published author (Mikey and Me, Dorrance Publishing, 2015) and spent many hours working on the next great American novel or penning short stories for his writing classes. In addition to his published work of fiction other publications included “Boys (and Girls) will be Boys,” an essay in The Nassau Review; “Intrusion,” a short story in The RiverSedge; and “The Origin of Fairy Tales,” a satirical piece in The MacGuffin.
Bill’s favorite places to gain inspiration for his writing and to enjoy his family and friends included his family cottage in Wequetonsing, MI, the sandy shores of Pentwater, MI, and the quiet serenity of Lake Winnipesaukee, NH.
Bill touched many lives throughout his life and career and will be remembered fondly by so many friends, family, students, teachers, and colleagues.