Naugatuck Loses One of Its Oldest, Finest Gentlemen

He never drank water or milk because he couldn't stand the taste. He preferred, instead, to drink coffee or root beer to wash down whatever meal he felt like eating, regardless of whether it was considered "healthy."

Frank Andrew always thought that it was better to stay in shape by burning calories from hard work than worrying about his diet. It was a mindset that lasted him 102 years. 

Andrew, who was known to do things his own unique way, died Thursday, a day after his 102nd birthday. 

His son, Tim Andrew, shared this history of his father with Patch when Frank Andrew turned 100. 

He comes from the oldest, or one of the oldest families in town. He was born just 100 feet from where he lives now. The history of the family is interesting.

One of the six men who founded Yale and Harvard was a decedent, Samuel Andrew.

The family owned Hunters Mountain State park, then sold it to the Whittemores, who donated it to the State. Andrew Ave School and Andrew Mountain, Andrew Mountain Road was named after the family. Frank’s father, George, gave Linden Park, in Naugatuck, its name. He named George Street after himself.

The Andrew’s donated the land to the YMCA for that purpose, and donated the land Risdon use to be on. George once owned all the buildings on one side of Church Street, including a coal and lumber yard where the Naugatuck Savings bank is.  Frank’s brother Sidney was a Colonel in the Army, graduating from West Point, and buried 75 feet near JFK.

Our relative, Robert Paine, was one of the men who signed the Declarations of Independence.

The family came to the U.S. in 1621. William Andrew was the first, helping the Pilgrims with supplies. The ships name was: Rose of Yarmouth. Frank is the last of 13 children.

Frank was 18 when Wyatt Earl died. His heart has beat in 100 years, at 80 beats per minute, to a figure of: 4,204,800,000, or 4.2 billion. Frank retired from Lewis Engineering, Naugatuck, 40 years ago.

Read Frank Andrew's obituary here.