Andrew J. Hermanowski

ANDREW J. HERMANOWSKI, AGE 63, OF FELTS MILLS, NY PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY AT HIS HOME ON NOVEMBER 19, 2022 SURROUNDED BY HIS LOVING FAMILY.

ANDY WAS BORN ON MARCH 10, 1959, IN HEMPSTEAD, LONG ISLAND, NY, THE SON OF THE LATE JOHN AND CAROLYN (COYLE) HERMANOWSKI.  AFTER HIS FAMILY RELOCATED TO THE NORTH COUNTRY IN 1974, ANDY ATTENDED CARTHAGE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL WHERE HE GRADUATED IN AUGUST OF 1977.

HE MARRIED THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, CATHY J FARRELL ON NOVEMBER 8, 1980, AT BLACK RIVER METHODIST CHURCH.  THE COUPLE RESIDED IN FELTS MILLS WHERE THEY MADE A MILLION WONDERFUL MEMORIES WITH THEIR SON, ANDREW JR. AKA “LITTLE ANDY”.

ANDY BEGAN HIS CAREER WORKING AT AMERICAN WOODSPLITTERS IN BLACK RIVER NY IN 1977.  HE SAID IT WAS THE BEST JOB HE’D EVER HAD BECAUSE IT WAS HARD WORK AND THEY LEFT HIM ALONE TO DO IT.  HE BEGAN WORKING AT THE NEW YORK AIR BRAKE LATER THAT YEAR AND CONTINUED THERE UNTIL AUGUST OF 1987 WHEN HE BEGAN HIS CAREER AS A NYS CORRECTION OFFICER.  HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO CAPE VINCENT CORRECTIONAL FACILITY WHEN IT OPENED IN 1988 AND CONTINUED TO WORK THERE WITH HIS CAPE VINCENT FAMILY WHO FONDLY REFERRED TO HIM AS “HERM” OR “BIG HERM” UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN FEBRUARY OF 2021.

ANDY HAD MANY HOBBIES, CAMPING WITH HIS FAMILY, HUNTING, KAYAK FISHING, BUT ICE FISHING WAS HIS PASSION, MOSTLY BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE TO SHARE THE EXPERIENCE WITH HIS SON.  ANDY WOULD OFTEN BE SEEN SHOVELING SNOW WITH BARE HANDS AND CLAIMED HE WAS “IN TRAINING” FOR ICE FISHING SEASON AND WHEN OTHERS WOULD COMPLAIN ABOUT THE COLD WINTERS, ANDY’S COMMENT WOULD ALWAYS BE “MAKING ICE!” BUT HIS GREATEST LOVE WAS SPENDING TIME WITH HIS FAMILY, ESPECIALLY HIS PRECIOUS GRANDDAUGHTERS.  HE ALWAYS SAID THEY WERE THE LIGHT OF HIS LIFE.  NOTHING MADE HIM HAPPIER THAN HEARING THEM LAUGH AND HE WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TOOK TO ACHIEVE THAT.

ANDY WILL ALWAYS BE REMEMBERED FOR HIS STRENGTH IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.  KNOWN AS “BIG ANDY” TO HIS FAMILY, HE WAS A GENTLE GIANT WHO’S QUICK WIT AND SENSE OF HUMOR WERE SECOND TO NONE.  HE WAS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR A QUIET WAY TO PLAY A HARMLESS JOKE ON AN UNSUSPECTING COWORKER OR FAMILY MEMBER.  NO ONE WAS IMMUNE.  FORTUNATELY, HIS LEGACY WILL LIVE ON AS HE HAS TAUGHT HIS SON AND GRANDDAUGHTERS WELL!

ANDY IS SURVIVED BY HIS BELOVED WIFE OF 42 YEARS, CATHY J HERMANOWSKI, FELTS MILLS, NY.  A SON (AND BEST FRIEND), ANDREW HERMANOWSKI, JR AND DAUGHTER IN LAW MELISSA, FELTS MILLS, NY.  THREE GRANDDAUGHTERS, ABIGAIL, EMMA AND MADELINE HERMANOWSKI, ALL OF FELTS MILLS.   FOUR SISTERS, SUSAN (RICK) HAMLIN, HARRISVILLE, NY, CHRISTINE (RICK) CASA, EASTPORT, NY, THERESA (MATT) BEIRMAN, WATERTOWN AND PATRICIA (TOM) TOUSANT, PULASKI, NY.  FATHER-IN-LAW, LEON FARRELL, MOTHER-IN-LAW, ROSEMARY FARRELL, BROTHERS IN LAW, DAVID FARRELL, BLACK RIVER, LEON (LAURA) FARRELL, LITTLE RIVER, SC, SISTERS IN LAW, SUSAN FARRELL (NICOLE LICATA), RALEIGH, NC, AND STACEY SCHAFER (DAN JOSEPHSON), SACKETS HARBOR, NY, MANY NIECES, NEPHEWS.

ARRANGEMENTS ARE WITH BRUCE FUNERAL HOME, BLACK RIVER NY.  IT WAS ANDY’S WISH TO BE CREMATED.  A PRIVATE FUNERAL WILL BE HELD ON DECEMBER 11, 2022 at 1:00 PM.  THERE WILL BE NO CALLING HOURS.  A CELEBRATION OF LIFE WILL BE HELD ON DECEMBER 11, 2022 AT 4:00 PM AT THE WATERTOWN ELKS CLUB, BRADLEY STREET, WATERTOWN NY

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, DONATIONS MAY BE MADE TO THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY OR HOSPICE OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.

ONLINE CONDOLENCES MAY BE MADE AT WWW.BRUCEFH.COM

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