Andrew B. Sides Jr., of Palm City, Fla., passed away on June 9.
Andy was born in Cambridge, Mass., on July 18, 1925. Descended from Maine shipbuilders, he followed his heritage and was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in 1943 by Margaret Chase Smith after graduating from Phillips Andover.
Following graduation from Annapolis in 1947, Andy served on the battleship Wisconsin and destroyers. His time at Annapolis and serving his country were to be defining times in his long life and served as the basis for some of his strongest friendships. Honorably discharged from the Navy, Andy entered business by joining Sprague & Co. of Boston.
Andy met Anna Borden of Concord, Mass. and they were married in 1952. When the Korean War broke out he reenlisted and served on the aircraft carrier Tarawa. Completing his naval service, Andy went to work for Bath Iron Works. During his 10 years with BIW, he was based primarily in Bath, but also spent time working in their St. Louis, Mo., and West Chester, Penn., subsidiaries.
In 1963 Andy and Anna moved their family of four children to Bristol, R.I. Andy joined Bevis Industries, first serving as president of Masslite and then president of Newman Crosby Steel Company. In 1973 Andy purchased Rhode Island Tool Co. of Providence, a forging company established in 1853. Selling RITCO in 1985, he and Anna moved to Vero Beach, Fla., and summered in Christmas Cove, surrounded by their children and grandchildren.
Andy was outgoing and kind and had the ability to connect easily with people, whether it was to help others solve a business dispute or engage in a lively debate about the issues that were important to him.
During his working career and retirement he served on a number of boards of directors in business, banking, education, and philanthropy.
Sailing and living on the water filled Andy and Anna’s life with joy and adventure. Summers with growing children were spent happily on board, sailing the waters of New England and Florida, and later to more distant ports with friends. A member of the Cruising Club of America, Andy loved being with others who shared his passion for cruising. Andy and Anna were also lucky to travel extensively throughout their full life together.
Andy was predeceased by his sister, Virginia V. Sides.
He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Anna; children and their spouses and grandchildren, Karen Sides Suva, husband Robert H. Suva and children Robert Jr. and Phoebe Min of Windham; Andrew B. Sides III, wife Joan Carmichael Sides and children Andrew J. and Christopher V. of Los Altos, Cal.; Helen F. Sides, husband Paul C. Viccica and children Anna Lian Fu and Mae Li Hua of Salem, Mass.; and Charles B. Sides, wife Carla Kielcheski Sides and children Colby B. and Colin K. of Colorado Springs, Col.
A celebration of life will be held in September in Palm City, Fla.
In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to Treasure Coast Hospice, http://www.tchospice.org, or the charity of your choice.
An online registry is available at www.foresthillspalmcityflorida.com.
