Edith Louise Andrew-Akita

To all who were fortunate enough to know her and love her, Edie was simply an inspiration. Edie’s 96 years of life provides us with much more than a powerful and resplendent legacy – it also serves as the quintessential lesson for how to capture meaning, purpose and joy in our own lives. She possessed an innate curiosity that led her to great adventures; a lifelong commitment to health and wellbeing; an eternal spark of spontaneity; and an abiding and unmistakable love for her family and friends.

Edith Louise Andrew was born on March 23, 1928, in Detroit, Michigan, to her parents Helen Cline Andrew and William Thomas Andrew. She attended Mackenzie High School and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1950 with an A.B. in Education. She was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She began a long career as a schoolteacher, specializing in elementary school grades. For many years, she served on the Board of Directors of the W. T. Andrew Company in Highland Park, Michigan, a wholesale plumbing supply business founded by her father.

Teaching afforded Edie the opportunity to travel during summers off and sabbaticals. Travel was her first love, and in her long life she visited every continent and almost every country in the world, from Antarctica to Nepal, Africa and the Far East. Upon her retirement, she formed her own travel company focusing on guiding educational travel adventures for active seniors and specialized in travel to Africa.

Edie was an active participant in many activities and groups in her San Diego community, including Walk About, Get off Your Rockers, African Arts Council, San Diego Foodbank, Explorers Club, Promises to Kids, Malashock Dance, Cygnet Theatre and many educator groups.

Edie was married three times, first to Donald Edward Schweger in Detroit in 1952, second to Philip H. Roach in Los Angeles in 1965, and lastly to Isaac Shoso Akita in Bainbridge Island, Washington, in 2002.

She was predeceased by her brother Gordon James Andrew, her parents, her three husbands, her stepson John Herbert Roach, and her granddaughter Kristin Leigh Roach. She is survived by her loving stepsons Geoffrey Earle Roach (Kay) of Bainbridge Island, WA, Michael Phillip Roach (Veronica) of Rimrock, AZ, and Phillip George Roach (Suzanne) of Sequim, WA; her grandchildren Sean Roach (Hanne), and Kevin Roach, Nicole Roach (Joe); six great grandchildren and her nieces Kathleen Andrew Kalt (Richard) of Alpharetta, GA, Judith Loren Andrew of Emerson, GA, and Robin Andrew Godwin of Smyrna, GA,

A Celebration of Life will be held on July 15, 2024 at 2:30 PM at the Point Loma/Hervey Branch Library in San Diego. In lieu of flowers, the family requests any donations be sent to Promises to Kids, Malaschock Dance, San Diego Public Library, San Diego Food Bank or Cygnet Theatre.