Obituary of Mary Andrus

The Village of Youngstown New York lost a devoted resident in Mary Andrus, who died at home on Thursday June 11, 2015 surrounded by her family and under the care of Niagara Hospice. Born Mary Edith Moore in Bay City Texas on March 3, 1923, she was the daughter of Walter Addison Moore and Edith (Smith) Moore. The Moore family resided in Port Arthur, Texas. Mary attended Texas State College for Women to learn typing and shorthand at the insistence of her father, who didn't think women should go to college. She then persuaded him to allow her to attend the University of Texas where she received a BS in Chemistry in 1945. After the war, in 1945, Mary moved from Port Arthur, Texas and worked as a lab technician at Diamond Alkali Corporation in Lakewood, Ohio. It is there that she met David Hal Andrus, and they married in 1946. Mary spent the next 20 years managing a family that grew to 9 children and moving the family frequently to support her husband's career. She orchestrated moves to West Lafayette Indiana, Ashtabula, Ohio, Whitehall, Michigan, Warren, Ohio and finally to Youngstown, New York in 1966. By the time the children had grown and she could go to work, the periodic table had changed so much she could not fall back on her chemistry degree. She worked for 24 years at Lewiston Porter Schools, processing payroll, managing the school bus transportation schedules, and making dozens of dear friends. She cared for her husband, Dave, for 13 years after a debilitating stroke in addition to raising her beloved children and working full time. Mary worked tirelessly for the organizations she loved the most, the First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown, the Youngstown Women's Study Club, the Friends of the Youngstown Free Library (Mary was a charter member), Presbyterian Women, and Church Women United. Mary is survived by her five sons, David Hal Jr. (Deborah) Andrus of Los Angeles CA, John (Catherine) Andrus of Ridgewood, NJ, Kenneth (Julie) Andrus of Arvada, CO, Richard Andrus of Walnut Creek, CA and Paul (Becky) Andrus of Los Alamos, NM, and her four daughters, Kathryn Andrus of Colorado Springs, CO, Mary (David) Burghardt of Clarence Center, NY, Carole Andrus of Lewiston, NY and Laura Andrus of Youngstown. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren and one great-grandson. Mary was predeceased by her husband David Hal Andrus in 1985 and her siblings, Jesse Moore, Walter Moore, Marvin Moore and Dorothy Moore. The family will assemble to receive Mary's friends and colleagues at HARDISON FUNERAL HOME, N. Fourth & Ridge Sts., Lewiston, on Friday, July 17 from 5:30 to 7:00PM. A memorial service will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Youngstown, 100 Church St., Youngstown, on Saturday, July 18 at 3:00PM. Following the service, the Andrus family will host a celebration of Mary's life at her home in Youngstown. Friends who would like to make a donation in Mary's name could consider the organizations she loved, listed above.