Resident of San Leandro

Kathleen Andrews was born in San Jose to Gladys (Daly) and Emil Fahrner. Working with her parents on their orchard in Evergreen, then a rural area outside San Jose, she learned the values of hard work and responsibility.

She attended Evergreen Elementary School, Notre Dame High School (San Jose), San Jose State College and St.

Mary's Hospital Nursing Program (San Francisco).

After nursing school in San Francisco she met her future husband, William D. Andrews. With him she raised their six children in Oakland and San Leandro. The San Leandro hills above Castro Valley was her home for 60 years.

She decided to become a nurse early on after seeing the kindness and dedication of nurses when hospitalized as a child. She worked as a nurse at San Francisco General Hospital, Oakland Veterans Administration Hospital and for most of her career, Alameda County government hospitals, where she worked initially in direct patient care and finally in nursing administration. Often she said how lucky she was to have found such a rewarding career.

Her nursing school classmates were life-long friends, who met regularly for lunch and outings. The tradition ended with the pandemic when they were in their 90's. As she would say "we were young girls together."

Kathleen was an active member and volunteer of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church (Castro Valley) for 60 years. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother and volunteer at Stanton Elementary School library. She delighted in hosting the Andrews' holiday gatherings. She enjoyed taking her grandchildren on outings, going for reunions and visits at the ancestral country property outside San Jose, and playing cards and board games, especially Scrabble. And her cryptograms were always near by.

Kathleen is preceded in death by her parents, husband, son (William Jr), great-grandson (Azael) and brothers Robert and Frank Fahrner. She is survived by her brothers Edward and Hugh Fahrner; children Roxanne, Lorene, Julie, Diane and John; grandchildren Stephen, Jessica, Leslie, Melissa, Laura, Lucas, Aaron, Carl, Danielle, Katerina and Claire; and great-grandchildren Elijah, Abigail, Emily, Dominic, Sarah, Nathanael, Gabriella, Stephen, Andrew, Alexander, Sydney, Aquetzali, and Kenneth.

The family is extremely grateful to Marianne Enlow for 8 years of dedicated home care. They are also thankful for the recent assistance of Melissa Maison and Sarah McKinzie.

Afuneral Mass is at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Castro Valley on Feb. 21, 11am.