R. Craig Andrews

Below is the death notice of R. Craig Andrews, Class of 1956. Brother of the late Robert Andrews, Class of 1955. Brother-in-Law of Daniel Coughlin, Class of 1956. Father of Patrick Andrews, Class of 1983, Brian Andrews, Class of 1990 and William Andrews, Class of 1998. Father-in-Law of Edwin Farrell, Class of 1988, Patrick O'Donnell, Class of 1989 and St. Edward High School Employee, Kelly Andrews. Uncle of Robert Andrews, Class of 1984, Daniel Andrews, Class of 1986, Michael Andrews, Class of 1988, John Andrews, Class of 1989, Christopher Breninghouse, Class of 1992, Daniel Breninghouse, Class of 1996, Joseph Coughlin, Class of 2000, John Coughlin, Class of 2001 and Michael Coughlin, Class of 2002. Grandfather of Martin Walsh, Class of 2017, Brian Walsh, Class of 2019, Thomas Walsh, Class of 2021, Sean Andrews, Class of 2022, Hugh Andrews, Class of 2023 Patrick Andrews, Class of 2026 and James O'Donnell, Class of 2026. Please keep the Andrews, Farrell, O'Donnell and Walsh families in your prayers.

R. Craig Andrews, 86, passed away peacefully at home in Lakewood, Ohio, on March 16. He died surrounded by his wife of 62 years, Ruth Ann (nee Coughlin), and eight adoring children: Hilary Levitsky (Tom), Patrick Andrews (Joan), Maggie Walsh (Dan), Katie Farrell (Ed), Brian Andrews (Leslie), Bessie O'Donnell (Paddy), Annie Johnson (Matt) and Billy Andrews (Kelly). He is also survived by 31 grandchildren, one great grandson and Rosie, a nasty, ill-natured black cat.

Craig is a graduate of St. Edward High School, where he was captain of the great 1955 football team; Western Reserve University, where he was a two-way football star, and Cleveland Marshall Law School.

For his 70th birthday his sons-in-law gave him a M-1 rifle, identical to the one he carried for two years in the Marine Corps. For his 75th birthday they gave him the ammunition. The Marine Corps flag flies on a flagpole in the front yard of his Clifton Park home in Lakewood as a warning to any aspiring burglar.

Craig spent his entire 57-year working career as a corporate lawyer with Diamond Shamrock Corp. and the subsequent corporations that evolved as a result of mergers and sales. He rose to become head of the legal department and became an officer of the company. He was the first lawyer hired by Diamond Shamrock who was not a graduate of an Ivy League school. Craig went to law school in Cleveland at night.

Craig liked to stay close to home. Born in Lakewood, grew up in Lakewood, married to a Lakewood girl, docked his sailboat in Lakewood and lived in Lakewood except for two years in the Marines (the dreaded Camp Lejeune). Until the end of his life he hosted "Family Night" every Wednesday in the summer at Clifton Beach in Lakewood. Although he did not take attendance, he expected every grown child, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, in-laws and various other strays to attend.

Visitation will be Sunday, March 24 from 1-5 p.m. at McGorray-Hanna Funeral Home, 25620 Center Ridge Rd, Westlake, Oh. Funeral Mass will be Monday, March 25 at 11 a.m. at St. James Catholic Church, 17514 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, Oh. Interment at Lakewood Park Cemetery.

Donations in Craig's name are gratefully welcome by St. Edward High School, 13500 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, Oh. 44107 and LifeWorksOhio.org, 4429 State Rd., Suite 23, Cleveland, Oh. 44109.

Posted on: March 18, 2024