Andrew "Andy" L. Belford

Andrew (“Andy”) Lesher Belford passed away peacefully on November 5, 2019, after happily having received a wonderful send-off by his daughters, Terese (John) Belford Maier and Andrea Belford Nelson, other family members, friends, and the entire staff at Highview in the Woodlands, where Andy had resided for the last six years. He was just in time to catch the 1:00PM heaven-bound express train, eagerly looking forward to a joyous reunion with his wife of 69 years, Rosalie (nee Rago), who would no doubt be waiting for him at the station. The two would most certainly enjoy their reunion by going dancing literally in and amongst the stars.

Andy (also referred to as “Papa Bell” by his great-grandkids) was born on December 30, 1921, in Milton, PA, the son of William (“Ralph”) L. and Elisabeth (nee Heinen) M. Belford, and spent his youth growing up in his beloved family home called Green Hill.

Andy’s father, Ralph, was a sort of a “Man for all Seasons” and not only practiced law (using Latin texts), but also was a surveyor (including work preparing plats in Chicago), all while running a successful apple orchard and agricultural business at Green Hill. That kind of background provided young Andrew with a wide variety of experiences, and accounts for the “like father, like son” pattern with Andy developing multiple talents for his life’s work.

While Ralph was teaching his son about getting by in the world, Elisabeth Belford’s, love and dedication to her family, as well as her interest in the arts, saw to the rounding-out of her son, Andy, as a whole person, with a strong sense of faith, loyalty, devotion to his family and his country, and the development of his musical and artistic abilities.

Andrew had three brothers – Ralph (“Bob”), William (“Bill”), and Francis (“Polly”) -- and two sisters -- Elisabeth (“Cookie”) and Lucie -- all of whom, together with their parents, predeceased Andy.

Besides the “usual” things young boys do when growing up on a farm on the edge of town, Andy was given responsibility for helping his father to care for the apple orchard, and assisting with the harvest and sale of the fruit, as well as pressing apples, making apple cider and selling it to “the locals”. Tasks included learning about pests, and blight, and techniques for controlling these hazards. His dad didn’t stop with apples -- there were also the walnut trees, vegetable and flower gardens that Andy was responsible for. He was 9!

Life went on, and Andy eventually found himself in agricultural school at the University of Pennsylvania, but finishing his degree was not to be -- World War II intervened. After the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor was bombed, Andy joined the Navy and was sent to train at Great Lakes Naval Training Station near Chicago. It was there, during his training, that Andy agreed to go out on a “blind” date and met Rosalie L. Rago. He often reflected on the fact that he wanted to ask her to marry him after just that first meeting, but even though their marriage didn’t occur until a couple of years later, on December 16, 1945, Rosalie and Andy were inseparable from and after that first date, until her passing in 2013.

A great feature film could be made based on the life of Andy Belford. His exploits in the Navy during WWII included landing troops and tanks on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, having his ship sunk by Nazi torpedoes and ending up in the hospital, saving his ship from literally breaking in two by welding metal plates in place to seal a gigantic crack in the hull which developed while the ship was being tossed about in a hurricane, and serving on Team 26 of the Navy’s elite Underwater Demolition Team (the predecessor to today’s Navy SEALS).

Andy’s post-military work talents were not confined to ag operations. Andy loved rebuilding auto and truck engines, both gasoline and diesel, and didn’t stop there, as he became a self-taught expert in steam boilers -- including locomotive engines – as well as electric motors, and hydraulics. All this without a degree in engineering! And lest you think that this is all exaggeration, it was Andy Belford who was approached by Argonne National Laboratories in Lemont, IL, and asked to develop a course for the proper maintenance of steam boilers (which he did), and by Moraine Valley Community College (“MVCC”) to teach courses in automotive mechanics, diesel engines, hydraulics, and electro-mechanical systems for the students.

After Andy developed, wrote the textbook for, and taught the first course in robotics ever in the US while he was with MVCC, the American Society of Manufacturing Engineers invited him to join their society, and he was a Member for over 10 years – the ONLY non-engineer ever to be invited to join.

He renovated and rebuilt several homes for he and Rosalie, and built two from scratch. He was his own architect and designer. Andy was also always “on call” and happy to pitch in and help anyone who asked. He was his own home remodeling company!

But wait -- Andy Belford was not “just’ a grease-monkey or handy with a hammer. He learned to play the trumpet, and he wasn’t just a “piker” -- he was a member of the Naval band on his base, and later on his ship. He could also play a “mean” harmonica. He was an avid model train enthusiast, and over his lifetime, built many a diorama for his HO, and N-gauge, trains, complete with elaborate landscapes, waterfalls, mountains, tunnels, bridges, villages, etc., all constructed plaster and paper mâché, and bits and pieces of everything from twigs and sticks picked up from his yard to cereal boxes that were cut and assembled into elaborate buildings of all sizes, and then painted and populated by “people” which he fashioned himself.

Andy’s sculptures of “bird house people” and other whimsical figures now sit in many homes, and are every bit as good as those on display (in this writer’s humble opinion) at the National Museum of Folk Art. Age did not stop him. Water color paintings which he produced at age 95, and given as gifts, were professionally framed, and now hang proudly in the administrative offices at Highview.

He loved to play golf, and to watch golf, and continued his passion for gardening throughout his life. Andy could grow anything with his “green thumb” and it actually not only stayed alive – whatever it was, it multiplied!

But all in all, it was his wife, family and friends that he always came back to, and enjoyed the most in his life. First and foremost was his beloved Rosalie. They were never seen other than hand-in-hand during their years together, and they weren’t shy about showing their affection for each other. Their love and caring for each other were and always will be an example of what a “good marriage” can be. When Andy passed away, there was almost a universal reaction of those who knew him best -- that he would be missed very much, but they were happy that Andy would at last be reunited with his soul mate.

Andy was a great dad to his daughters, Terri and Andi, loved them very much and took great pride in all their talents and accomplishments. When grandkids came along -- Sarah (Eric) Weis, Jennifer Vanwormer, Steven (Amanda) Potaczek, Phillip (Jay) Potaczek, and Katherine Potaczek, he spent time with them, taught them a thing or two (sometimes something ‘naughty’) and always tried to be a fun “Papa” to them.

Then along came his great-grandkids – Gina, Anna and Dana Weis, Maxwell Vanwormer, Stevie and Bryn Potaczek, and Audrey Rose Fredrick. He will be remembered by them as “Papa Bell” – a term of endearment that they will always find to be synonymous with a person who always had a smile and a hug for them.

He likewise had a strong, lifetime, bond with his wife’s family. Andy loved and took great delight in having fun with his sisters-in-law and their husbands -- Carrie and Bob DiLuia, Mildred (“Millie”) and Pete Weinberg, and Camille and Leonard Bass. Carrie, Bob and Leonard preceded Andy in death, so they also likely joined the party when Andy arrived in heaven. Millie, Pete and Camille survive and remained close to Andy, bringing him smiles, hug, kisses and lots of laughter during their visits.

For all of us who will sorely miss him, perhaps reflection on a part of A Sailor’s Prayer will bring us comfort:

Dear Lord, I’m just a sailor
A protector of our land.
A servant called to battle
When my country takes as stand.

My family’s prayers are with me,
No matter where I roam.
Please listen when I’m lonely
And return me to my home.


We can be happy -- Andy Belford is home.