Albert B. Andre

On October 23, 1923 Mr. & Mrs. Louis Andre had a blonde haired, blue eyed baby boy, Albert Andre, known by all as Al. But Al had tragedy strike early losing his Mother at his child birth. Louis soon remarried in 1923 to Anna Haag (Scheuer) who had just lost her husband Jacob in 1922. Al and his sister Dorothy, eight years his senior, were raised by Louis and their step mother Anna.

Al attended Lakewood, Ohio public schools and graduated from Lakewood High School in 1942. While at Lakewood High School, Al was both a varsity wrestler and varsity football team manager. Al was given the nickname “Whitey” for his very blonde head of hair. Al had a deep love for his dog Beauty who waited for him to return from the war. Al had much more going on in high school, he also set bowling pins at Mahall’s Lanes, delivered Liberty magazine and worked at Madison Pharmacy doing deliveries and operating the soda fountain, all in Lakewood, Ohio.

After high school, Al worked at Parson’s Engineering with his Dad, Louis, as a machine operator.  In May 1943, Al was drafted into the US Army and did his basic training in Hattiesburg, Mississippi at Camp Shelby. 3 ½ months later he departed for Africa to engage the Axis, the Germans, in Italy, a part of the European Theatre. Al rarely spoke of the war but did mention that the Durbin Castle, the troop carrier from Africa to the southern tip of Italy, was so infested with bed bugs he stayed on deck for the entire trip. Al was assigned to Company I, 363^rd  Infantry, 91^st Division. Al was a machine gunner in a six man scout squad. Their mission was to scout ahead of the company for traps and snipers the enemy had in place. On October 20, 1944, in the Po Valley, Al and the other five members of his scout squad were eating breakfast when the Axis fired a mortar wounding all of them. The percussion was so intense the can of ham and eggs Al was eating was thrown from his hands. Al immediately went to his machine gun to engage the enemy but lost sight due to the blood hemorrhaging and blinding him from his head wounds. All six members of the scout squad were transported to a hospital in Florence, Italy. Al spent his 21^st Birthday wrapped head to toe in bandages. Al’s wounds were extensive and required hospitalization until after Christmas 1944. Al’s squad of six had such severe wounds they could have easily been discharged but their company commander requested they return due to their effectiveness on the front. Al returned to the front only to find his unit had lost substantial ground and it was not until April 1945 that they regained Po Valley some 6 months later.  Al once again brought his “can do” attitude to the unit helping make effective gains once again with his squad. A notable event archived when Al was interviewed by the Cleveland Press when he returned home from combat, “Al and his sergeant were ordered to search for snipers in an abandoned Italian village. As they left a house a cavalcade of German staff cars drew up, and the Americans returned with a bag of 19 prisoners”.   At some point in 1945 Al and his spotter Schaeffer were hidden in a chicken coup engaging the enemy when a German sniper targeted Schaeffer with a lethal shot to the heart. Al said he lost comrades on every hill as they headed into the enemy territory. Al was also present when Mussolini was hung. Al, during his 26 months of combat in Italy, covered over 900 miles on foot from the southern tip of Italy to Trieste, Italy. Al was honorably discharged on November 3, 1945 and was awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Hearts, Presidential Unit Citation, 3 battle stars for major conflicts in Po Valley, Rome-Arno and North Apennines mountains, good conduct ribbon and infantry combat badge among other commendations.

Al returned to civilian life, but to many friends he concealed the fact he was a veteran while privately suffering deeply from the scars of battle. As late as 2015 at church, a friend of 50 years saw Al getting in his car and asked who’s car he was driving with the Purple Heart license plates. Al struggled with PTSD for the remainder of his life with night terrors and the constant reliving of the battlefield.

Al married Marie Morari on October 12, 1946 at Our Lady of the Angels Church (OLA). Al had a strong faith and solid moral values that he passed on to all the lives he touched. Al and Marie (Mickey) began their life together in Cleveland, Ohio, he as a meat cutter and she as a bond clerk at the Federal Reserve. Al started working at Palack’s Square Deal in Lakewood, Ohio and then worked for Crile Hospital, part of the VA and then A & P and other grocery chains. Al, with his can do style, became union steward. Al was one of the charter members in the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 108 formed in 1949.

Al also attended electronics school and started a radio & TV repair business. At the same time Al became an active member in the Boy Scouts of America Troop 82 & the Holy Name Society, both at OLA, the Knights of Columbus Council 2790 and the American Legion Post 421. He was an active member in Boy Scout Troop 82 and the Thunderbird District of the Greater Cleveland Council. Al was Scoutmaster to thousands of young men from the mid 50’s until 2001. Phil Donahue was perhaps the most nationally known scout he had in his troop. Al also instructed the Ad Altare Dei Catholic youth program through the Scouts conveying his strong faith to others. Al’s strong Catholic faith led him to partner with the Catholic Committee on Scouting as well. Al had another tragic event with the loss of his step mother in 1955.

Al and Marie were now ready to start a family but were unable to have children, a major component missing from their otherwise full life. In February of 1962 they adopted Ken, a 7 month old boy, known at the adoption home as “little Andre”. Mickey lost both her parents in 1962 and 1963. They then adopted Jackie, a 6 week old baby girl in 1964. Al lost his Father in 1966. Despite the tragic losses, their family was now complete and ready to grow. Al’s family enjoyed many years of quality time together whether at home in Cleveland or vacationing to adjoining states.

Throughout the years, Al remained active in many organizations such as, the Boy Scouts, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Knights of Columbus and Holy Name Society (a fifty year pin recipient around 2005) in many cases, post war through 2016. Al was a very active member of Our Lady of Angels Parish (OLA), not only through the Scouts & Holy Name at OLA, but also as an usher at the 9 AM Sunday Mass from the mid 1970’s through nearly 2013. Al was also a volunteer at the Our Lady of Angels Fall Festival from inception through 2012. Many remember Al wearing his inaugural, blue & white, OLA Fall Festival hat year after year at his post in the beer tent.

In 1985, Al lost his sister Dorothy but stayed in contact with his niece Nancy and two nephews Harry and Bobby. His brother-in-law Bob was lost in 1995 and nephew Bobby in 2005.

As the kids grew, so did the family, but they remained close. In 1988 their daughter Jackie married Mike. Al  retired as a meat cutter that same year. Al & Mickey now were free to pursue other things in life. They went to Hawaii, the Bahamas, where Mickey’s Uncle Joe made it extra special by an evening at the Prince’s palace, Joe knew him from his time with US customs. They visited Branson Missouri with Uncle Joe and his wife Char. They also went on several bus tours with friends. Al still kept active with his many organizations and the TV repair business, eventually helping out part time at another electronics shop.

In 1995 Jackie and Mike had a baby boy; Bradley, Al & Marie now have their first grandchild. Al and Mickey remained very active with friends, family and organizations. Al was named Man of the Year by the Holy Name Society at OLA.

In 2008 Mickey had a heart attack and in 2009 Al had a heart attack with congestive heart failure. The routine was now different, Al fully retired and their son, Ken, and daughter, Jackie, were closer than ever. Al & Mickey had a third wheel along on many of their outings now, but the changes in routine were minimal.

On September 28, 2011, Al made his Honor Flight trip from Cleveland to Washington DC with other World War II veterans. They received a standing ovation as they proceeded down the concourse to their gate. Also that same year Al was enrolled in the Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, NY.

In January of 2014, Al’s wife, Mickey, of 67 years passed away unexpectedly at home with Al at her side. Ken immediately did his best to care for Al and to fill Mickey’s shoes. Al had a year and a half fight with multiple bouts of pneumonia, congestive heart failure and other health issues. In August of 2015, Al and Ken went to Conway, SC to stay with Ken’s fiancée, Aundra, for the winter. The move to Conway was like a reset for Al with the added bonus of Aundra, his second daughter. Al regained interest in all of his passions to include the Knights of Columbus, Disabled American Veterans, St. Andrews Church, The American Legion, weekly trips to Costco for free food samples and making new friends, especially Aundra’s Dad Jimmy and Uncle Koot. Al especially enjoyed time on the porch enjoying South Carolina nature and weather. Al experienced the 1000 year rain in October of 2015 and his first Hurricane, Matthew, in October 2016. He volunteered to help the DAV with donations at the Golden Corral in October & November twice a week before Veterans Day in 2016. The DAV gave him a surprise 93^rd Birthday party at their November 2016 meeting.

At the Veterans Day Memorial Al’s was told about the Military Order of Purple Hearts, where he is now a life member. He also was told he would be receiving a Quilt of Valor for his military service. Sadly he left us before the presentation. His Quilt of Valor was presented on December 29, 2016.

Al began having some health issues again in November 2016 and was sadly lost on Christmas Eve 2016 surrounded by Ken and Aundra right at his side. We are comforted that he saw Jesus for the first time, is now reunited with Mickey and has met his birth mother, who can finally hold her baby boy in her arms.

Other close members of the family suffering the loss of Al include; Joe Demshok, Jill & Craig Waldron, Wally & Jim Loder, Monica Lynn Loder Scheer, Vi, Jeff & Russ Todia.

Al was a man of few words, but many words have been spoken by all who knew him. Al was a Christian with a strong faith, a man of strong morals, a man with the can do attitude, a man you could go to for help with anything and knew you would get it, a man that always put you first and himself last, a man that gave you the strength and guidance down the right path and a man loved and respected by all who knew him.

To me, Al was my mentor, my hero, my role model, the man I hope to be like, my source of wisdom, my best friend, the man that gave me a life in 1962. Most importantly, he was my Dad which I will be forever indebted to. I was truly honored to care for him for the years that I did until his untimely passing Christmas Eve 2016. I did my best to ensure he had everything he wanted.

I love you Dad and will miss you for the rest of my life. I will never be whole again until we meet once again in heaven.

Your proud son and best friend forever

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