Edward J. Andrews | Army veteran, 87

Edward James Andrews, 87, an Army veteran and paper company worker, died in his sleep Wednesday, April 18, at his home in Voorhees.

Mr. Andrews was born in Manayunk and graduated from Roxborough High School in 1942. After graduation, he served in the Army from 1943 to 1946. A year later, he married Annie Louise Benton.

He worked at Weyerhaeuser Paper for 40 years.

Mr. Andrews was a generous man who donated to various charities, his son James said. He had a great sense of humor and loved word puzzles, board games, and his computer.

One of his great joys was being ordained a deacon of the Catholic Church by Archbishop Anthony J. Bevilacqua on June 4, 1989. Mr. Andrews served at Most Precious Blood and, after parish consolidation, St. Martin de Porres Churches in North Philadelphia.

In addition to serving at Mass every Sunday, he drove the parish van to Doylestown to pick up frozen dinners for people of the parish. He brought Communion to the homebound and undertook many other parish duties.

"He was the very embodiment of service and charity," his son said.

Besides his wife and son, Mr. Andrews is survived by a daughter, Marjorie; a son, Edward Jerome; two daughters-in-law; and five grandsons.

A viewing will be Sunday, April 29, from 9 to 11 a.m., immediately followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Martin de Porres Church, 2340 W. Lehigh Ave. Interment will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.