April 16, 1937 – January 13, 2024
James Andrews died on January 13, 2024, in Casseatt, South Carolina, of natural causes. Jim was the second son of John and Agnes Andrews. He was raised in Garden City, on Long Island in New York. He graduated from Garden City High School, then graduated from Yale in the Class of1960. At Yale he resided in Branford College and was a member of The Fence Club. He latergraduated from Harvard Business School.
An Army ROTC cadet at Yale, he was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant after graduation. He served as a Counterintelligence Agent in Army
Intelligence. Also, he successfully completed parachute training, earning his paratrooper wingsupon graduation from the 82nd Airborne Division’s Jump School at Fort Bragg, N. C. His activeservice included assignments in Special Weapons at XVIII Airborne Corps, and the then newSpecial Warfare Center on Smoke Bomb Hill. After Honorable separation from active duty, heserved in the Active Reserves with 11th Special Forces Group (Green Berets), which trained at Camp Kilmer, NJ, serving as S-2 of a B Team, and Executive Officer of an A-Team. He also jumped with 11th Special Forces during summer training at Ft Bragg. In total he made 26 parachute jumps from both fixed wing and rotor aircraft.
Jim began his civilian career in the New York advertising agency firms of Benton & Bowles, andYoung & Rubicam, two leading agencies of that day. After 10 years in the agency business, he was recruited to join Polaroid Corporation in Cambridge, MA, directing its advertising and marketingcommunications for 10 years. During this time, he felt privileged to work directly with Dr. Edwin Land, Polaroid’s legendary founder, and inventor of instant photography.
After Polaroid he spent the next 20 years as a consultant to corporate
clients, non-profit foundations and private schools, while residing in New Canaan, CT. There hewas active in St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, serving as a Lay Eucharistic Minister, a Lector, co-chairman of Stewardship, and co chairman of May Fair. He was elected to the St. Mark’s Vestry.
In 2005 he retired to Beaufort, SC and became active on various boards,
including Beaufort County YMCA, a USO volunteer, and a caseworker volunteer for Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society on Parris Island. He joined the Curriculum Committee of theUniversity of South Carolina, where he wrote and taught a 1-semester course for several years, entitled “Historic Perspectives on Church-State Relations”. He helped to found and was a chartermember of a new chapter of the 82nd Airborne Division Association, working to support deployed soldiers in the war zones, and wounded warriors. He was twice elected Chairman of thechapter and served for many years on its Board. He was also an active member of The Parish Church of St. Helena (Anglican) in Beaufort, where he was a Docent, chairman of a DiscernmentCommittee, Coordinator for Men’s Summer Book & Breakfast, and sang in the ResurrectionChoir.
Jim Andrews was pre-deceased by both his younger sisters, Mary Andrews Williams, and Kathleen Andrews Klein, each of Ridgefield, CT, and his older brother, John Andrews, of Lady’sIsland, SC. He is survived by four nephews, Palmer Williams III of Huntsville, AL, McRaeWilliams of Glastonbury, CT, Christopher Klein and Casey Klein, of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, and by two nieces, Wendy Andrews Franklin of Chapin, SC, and Kelly Andrews Hunter of Elgin, SC.
The internment service will be at The Beaufort National Cemetery on February 15, 2024, at 10:00 am with full military honors. A memorial service will follow to celebrate Jim at The Parish Chruch of Saint Helena at 11:00 am with reception to follow.
