Harry Ralph Andy

Harry (Ralph) Andy, (60), of Largo, Florida, passed away, at home surrounded by his adored wife, Jacqueline Suzanne (Burke) Andy, family, friends and Hospice workers on November 7, 2023, following an extended illness that he fought hard to overcome for the past 6 years.

Ralph is survived by his wife of 32 years, Jacqueline Suzanne Andy, his biological children, Zora, Forest and Skyla Andy, step daughter, Brandy (Josh) Sexton, his grandson, Braxton Andy and his bonus children; Ashley, Shain & Shawn, Fabiny, Nicholas O’Connors, Brandon Tyre & Sabbath Skaggs. He is also survived by his brother Thomas (Valerie) Andy, Gregory (Deana) Andy, Denise (Lavie) Foster, many nieces, nephews & great nieces and nephews. Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Wilma Virginia Todd and Ralph Eugene Andy, sisters Wilma Jean Andy, Justina Courts and Nephew Lester Lee Hopkins.

Ralph led a life that was honorable, respectable and full of joy. He was a man that was able to smile and joke through difficult times and most importantly, made others smile. Ralph made a difference in the lives of so many. He held many titles and was the best at all of them; Husband, son, dad, (bonus) dad, Papaw and Pops, uncle, cousin, friend, co-worker and neighbor. As a (bonus) dad, he came into the lives of his children as teenagers with a promise to remain there for life. There was unconditional amounts of love and respect between them and he took this role very seriously making a substantial impact on their lives as they did his.

Ralph had a passion for fishing although we always joke about the fact that he never caught any fish. He had the tools to fix everything but couldn’t fix anything. He was a long-time resident of the west side of Columbus and worked as a trash collector for the City of Columbus, Ohio for about 23 years. He was proud of his job, had a wonderful work ethic and met many life-long friends during his time as a city employee. Christmas was Ralph’s favorite time of the year. For those non-believers out there, you should know that Santa does exist. He loved bringing out the magical joy of Christmas in others by playing Santa and passing out gifts and hugs.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Sooth Our Souls (SOS) nonprofit organization that offers a, one time a month, complimentary sailing on Boca Ciega Bay for critically ill patients and their families. Their goal is to offer a serene setting that fosters well-being and a respite in nature for a few hours of normalcy and peace. Donations can be made on their website at www.SootheOurSouls.org.

Family and friends will be invited to join us in a celebration of life event that will be planned for some time in the Spring of 2024. The event will take place in Florida with the SOS organization. Advance notice and details will be given at a later time.