Andrew Washington

Andrew Jesse Washington was born on August 13, 1938, in Eudora, Arkansas, to Dave and Elizabeth Washington. The family later moved to Chicago, Illinois, where Andrew spent his formative years alongside his siblings. In Chicago, he met and married the love of his life, Maxine Hill, and together they quickly added four children to their nest. If positivity could take human form, it would have looked a lot like Andrew Washington. He was always smiling, always welcoming, always present. Up until his final days, when asked how he was doing, his answer remained the same: “I’m blessed.” Andrew possessed both an artistic eye and a servant’s heart. His talent in photography led to a career in bio-photography connected to cancer research and eventually brought the family to Omaha, Nebraska, in the mid 1960s, where he worked at the Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases. But photography was never simply his profession. It was one of the ways he loved people. Andrew was rarely seen without a camera nearby. At birthdays, graduations, choir programs, cookouts, church events, sporting events, and ordinary family gatherings, Andrew was there. If family was gathering, he came. He rarely turned down an invitation and was a steady, familiar presence at the moments that mattered most. Often smiling behind the lens, he quietly preserved memories that would become treasured pieces of family history. Long before everyone carried cameras in their pockets, Andrew understood the importance of capturing joy and togetherness. Because of him, generations of family members can look back and see not only what their lives looked like, but how deeply they were loved. Andrew took immense pride in his children and grandchildren. Family and friends often remarked on the way he would light up while watching them, as though he could hardly believe how wonderful they were or all they had accomplished. Their happiness and success brought him enormous joy. Like many fathers of his generation, Andrew was strict and demanding while raising his children. He believed deeply in discipline, responsibility, and teaching right from wrong. Though his children certainly remember those years vividly, time softened him, and in adulthood their relationship grew into one of deep friendship and mutual respect. To the great surprise of his children, the man who had once been so tough became remarkably tender and gentle with his grandchildren. Andrew also found joy in the simple pleasures of life. He loved fishing and especially loved introducing others to the experience, whether teaching someone how to cast a line or helping them enjoy the peace and excitement of fishing for the very first time. He was naturally curious and loved to tinker with things, fix them, and understand how they worked. He carried that same curiosity and thoughtfulness into the way he moved through the world. At St. Benedict the Moor Church, Andrew lived his faith not in words, but through quiet and faithful acts of service. He served as president of the Parish Council for many years and gave generously of his time and energy to the life of the church. Parishioners often arrived to find the church already warm in winter or cool in summer because Andrew had come early to prepare it for them. He opened the church, locked it up at night, assisted with the audio visual equipment, prepared coffee, cooked for the Lenten fish fries, and managed the food pantry in a way that quietly ensured members of the community had food when they needed it. He had a beautiful voice and at one time sang in the choir. Most importantly he was a faithful friend and supporter of the immigrant families within the parish, helping make St. Benedict a place where all people felt welcomed, valued, and loved. Andrew never met a stranger. A natural entrepreneur and community minded leader, he owned and operated several small businesses while also dedicating himself to civic organizations focused on uplifting North Omaha and encouraging the next generation to believe in themselves, become active in politics, and strive for more. He cared deeply about civil rights and the advancement of African Americans and was inspired by the spirit and music of the civil rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s. He believed deeply in people and in their potential. Though his camera has finally been set down, the beautiful life Andrew captured lives on in all who loved him. Andrew leaves to carry on his legacy of faith and love: Maxine Washington; daughters, Diane Washington Williams (Janssen) and Michelle Washington; son, Darryl (Dana) Washington; his dear sister, Lucretia Elizabeth Bonner; six grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family members, church family, and dear friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dave and Elizabeth Washington; sister, Ruby Washington; brothers, David (Junior) Washington and Charles Washington; beloved son, Andrew Christopher Washington; and grandchildren, Christopher Washington, Toiya Janae Brown, Faith Elizabeth Williams, and Justice Washington.

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