Laura S. (Schneider) Andres

LAURA FRANCES SCHNEIDER ANDRES (Age 94)

Died on September 23, 2017. Dear wife of the late John E. (Jack) Andres; mother of Kathleen A. Fisher (Paul), George T. Andres (Patricia), Mary-Therese Hewins (Daniel), Charles J. Andres (Julia Chapman), and Karen A. Warnick (Skip); grandmother of seven; and sister of Therese Mullaney. Visitation at Borgwardt Funeral Home Monday 10/2/17 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.; Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday 10/3/17 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Bernadette Church, 70 University Blvd E Silver Spring, MD 20901; Internment at Gate of Heaven cemetery. Memorial contributions to Elizabeth Seton HS Library Fund, 5715 Emerson St, Bladensburg, MD 20710. www.borgwardtfuneralhome.com.

Born on 08/17/1923 in St. Marys, PA, she was the 6th of 8 children of Frank X. and Theresia “Daisy” Schneider. Her grandfather was a PA volunteer in the Army of the Potomac and marched down Pennsylvania Avenue in May of 1865. Her father and oldest sister Dorothy (Sister Callista, OSB) raised the children after their Mom died in 1931. A graduate of St. Vincent’s Hospital Nursing School in Erie, she was a proud RN such that when asked was she a nurse, Mom always said, “I am a nurse.”

She met and started dating John E. (Jack) Andres when he came back home for the summer of 1950. He graduated from Latrobe’s St. Vincent College and obtained a MS in Library Science from Catholic U. She married the love of her life on a snowy day on February 3, 1951 in St. Marys with Jack’s brother, Fr. Alvin, OSB as the officiant. They settled in Northeast D.C. where Mom worked at Garfield Hospital until the birth of their second child.  Dad was always a ‘librarian with the Navy’ even after his transfer to Naval Intelligence. They moved into a W. Hyattsville duplex, had two more kids, joined St. Jerome and made lifelong friendships. In 1959, they purchased a 1913 Craftsman in historic Hyattsville and were blessed with one more ‘cute’ kid in 1963. Within walking distance to church, schools and Magruder Park, it was a great place to raise a family except for no air conditioning and too many leaves. Going ‘home’ to St. Marys was our vacation coupled later with annual trips to OC or the mountains.

A strong advocate of education (college or beyond) and marriage (62 ‘good ones’ according to her), Mom had no problem telling us what was right. While not always welcomed, you always knew where she stood. The consummate stay-at-home mom, a great cook, baker and caretaker. She loved her coffee, crosswords, letters, quilts and her dog(s). Her true passion was bargain shopping.

Our home, being the center of family activity, attracted successive waves of relatives, neighbors, classmates and club members. Remembering names was hard for Dad but not Mom - just called everyone “honey or darling.” We hosted July 4th, Labor Day, Xmas parties and weekly games of poker, beanbags, 31, pinochle or bridge. There was Sodality, K of C, Bridge Club, and DeMatha Booster’s Club (Dad was Treasurer and helped with crab feasts) and Ladies Boutique, a.k.a. the Sew Sew Girls.

In 2004, they moved into Riderwood Village in Silver Spring and enjoyed many good years until Dad died in 2013 at age 90. We then moved Mom into Brightview in Catonsville to be near her daughter, Mary-Therese (who deserves so much thanks as her best caretaker). Mom enjoyed sing-a-longs (Charlie B. her favorite), bingo, crossword, and always, visits from family.

Laura S. Andres was committed to her faith, her family, and the Catholic Church. She showed her fidelity in daily mass and in all her social circles which were centered around her faith. Mom will be fondly remembered and forever missed.  May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.