Andrea Marcel Case, entrepreneur, business owner, fashion designer, and teacher, has died at 78

Andrea Marcel Case, 78, formerly of Philadelphia, an entrepreneur, business owner, fashion designer, teacher, and social justice advocate, died Friday, April 28, of a heart attack at her home in Cape Coral, Fla.

Creative and energetic throughout her life, Miss Case earned a bachelor’s degree in art, design, and education in 1965 at Howard University and fashioned a career in Philadelphia that spanned three decades. From the 1970s through the 1990s, she owned and operated high-fashion and bridal shops, Ruby’s Showcase and Andrea Marcel’s Boutique, at several locations in Philadelphia and later at malls in Montgomery County.

She designed dresses, organized weddings and other formal affairs, and hosted fashion shows and public events at her stores and elsewhere. She specialized in wedding gowns and hats, and loved to show off her own extensive hat collection.

Her mother, Ruby, founded Ruby’s Showcase in Germantown, and Miss Case assumed its operation after her mother retired. Later, she opened her own boutiques.

Miss Case closed her last store in the Cheltenham Square Mall about 2000, when her father became ill. Earlier, she honed her design skills in college by joining the Howard Players and creating costumes for the prestigious theatrical troupe.

In the late 1960s, she taught art, math, and other subjects for a few years in the School District of Philadelphia. “She valued both art and education,” said her brother Arthur. “She enjoyed developing young people’s talents.”

Inspired by her mother and aunt, both of whom were active with the civil rights movement in the 1960s, Miss Case attended rallies, meetings, and conferences regarding social justice and personal responsibility. She appreciated her employees, customers, and students, and sought ways to improve the lives of everyone she encountered.

“She was civic-minded, always wanting to help the people in the community to a better life,” her family said in a tribute.

She was on the board of directors of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Foundation and a member of the NAACP, Order of the Eastern Star, Howard University alumni group, and other organizations. “She was friendly and compassionate,” her brother said. “She was down-to-earth and always looking for ways to help other people.”

Andrea Marcel Case was born Sept. 2, 1944, in Philadelphia. She grew up in West Mount Airy and graduated from Germantown High School in 1961. She moved to Wyncote later and then to Florida in 2002.

Neighborhood friends called her Casey, and a junior high school classmate said in an online tribute: “She was petite, soft-spoken, and one of the kindest, most unassuming girls I ever knew.”

She studied art and design after high school, was active with the High Street Church of God, and sang in the James Cleveland mass choir in Philadelphia. She liked boating and enjoyed journeys to Bermuda and the Bahamas.

She doted on her dog, Carlton, and cared selflessly for both her parents for months as their health declined.

As the family organizer, she researched its lineage, arranged reunions, and ministered to others when relatives died. “She was a beautiful person in stature and character,” her family said. “She radiated class and compassion.”

In addition to her brother, Miss Case is survived by other relatives.

A viewing is to be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, May 23, at Summit Presbyterian Church, 6757 Greene St., Philadelphia, Pa. 19119. A service is to follow at 11 a.m.

Donations in her name may be made to Christ Center Church of God, 1615 W. Chelten Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19126.