Joan Marie Andrews

Joan Marie Andrews, 88 years old of Jacksonville, Florida, passed away on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. Joan was born in Gallitzin, PA, on April 20, 1936, the eldest daughter of Nelson and Rose Marie Cox.

Joan married Edward Paul Andrews (Ed) on April 14, 1956. She was a telephone operator in Philadelphia after graduating from Gallitzin HIgh School. When she married Ed she began working at Sylvania Blue DOT in Altoona, PA. She was a customer service representative, telephone operator and receptionist at the Florida Times Union, winning multiple service awards over the years, being honored several times and published in the Florida Times Union. She also achieved a certificate in interior design and data processing from Ebensburg Community Education Program. She continued her career in telephone operating with doctors' services. She also trained to become a home health care aide as well as a personal healthcare assistant for a special needs child of older parents.

She loved to look for antique furniture, and then she would refurbish it by reupholstering as well as sanding, staining, and antiquing the wood. Joan loved to work in the garden, planting flowers and unique shrubs and potting plants of all kinds. She also took years of painting lessons, from Inez Haviner, a local and now famous artist. She enjoyed oil painting and china painting the most. Joan was a phenomenal cook and she passed her talents down to her daughters. She loved to make kapusta soup, desserts, pierogies and Halupki (stuffed cabbage), haluski, beef goulash, and at Easter she made pickled eggs with beets and onions. At Christmas, she loved making Polish cookies with apricot and nut fillings. She always made Christmas’s special by sending a Danbury Mint Annual ornament to every one of her children and grandchildren for over 25 years. We plan to carry on her tradition for our own children in her honor.

Joan was a life-long church attender, as a Catholic and then she later attended her home church, Fathom Church, attending services since opening their doors in Mandarin.

Joan was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Edward (Ed) in 2010, her oldest son Eddie in 2011, her infant son Joseph Paul in 1962 and her infant granddaughter Christie Jeanne Crozier in 1978. Survived by daughters Brenda Baker of Waverly Hall, GA, Lori Andrews of Jacksonville, Maria Bannon of Waverly Hall, GA and son Brian of Jacksonville. Grandchildren Quinn, Apryl, Candace, Neil, Leila, Erica, Zachary, Michael, Taylor, Hunter, Joey, and Conner; great grandchildren, Mila, Lizzie, Maeve, Gavin, Kavika, Gavin, Riley, Eli, Marley, Kayton, Trevor, Logan, Everly, River, Isaiah, Karter and Tate.

A visitation will be held at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, 11801 San Jose Blvd., Jacksonville, on Monday 8/26 from 6-8 pm. A longtime member of Fathom Church, 12700 Old St Augustine Rd Jacksonville, her service will be held on Tuesday, 8/27 at 10:30 AM followed by burial, in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, 4214 Loretta Rd, Jacksonville, FL, followed by a celebration of life luncheon at the American Italian Club, 2838 Westberry Rd, Jacksonville, FL, 32223 beginning at 1:30 PM.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to an organization of your choice, such as The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Autism Speaks, or Fathom Church. Their contact information is provided below.