Dr. Andrew Fono

Category : General

I’m sorry to share that Andy Fono (Camp 7) passed away this weekend.  The family will be doing a small, private ceremony and hopes to have a community memorial during the summer.  I will pass along more information as it becomes available.  Here is a great memory of Andy captured in our July 10th, 1985 newsletter:

On the afternoon of July 10th a mystery sailboat was sighted sailing serenely in the center of the lake, heading in a northerly direction under full sail but without a skipper. With a following breeze, the boat picked up speed, changed direction slightly and sailed by dead reckoning directly into Prices‘ Cove. Keen eyes from shore finally picked up a head bobbing in the center of the lake and identified it as belonging to Andy Fono. It seems that he was enjoying his usual swim alongside his boat when the boat took advantage of a gust of wind and went off without him. Andy made it safely to shore and no damage was done either to the boat or Andy.

Obituary

Andrew Fono

Andrew Fono left us peacefully on January 3rd, 2021 while surrounded by family and friends. He was a kind, generous and gracious man who loved his family dearly and was loved by them even more. Andrew never spoke a critical word about anyone.  He never judged but he was quietly grateful by the kindnesses extended to him over the years. Grateful for the kindness of family and friendship, kindness of courtesy, kindness of honesty, kindness of compassion and the kindness of caring. To Andrew, those people were the heroes of the world…the good souls who gave of themselves to help others. Just as Andrew did.

He is one of the very last of his remarkable generation and representative of that group. Andrew was positive and upright, never one to complain about life’s aches and pains. Whenever asked how he was, he never responded in any negative way; the answer was always, “Good! Good! Good!”  He was also known for his curiosity, determination, brilliance and humor despite going through enormous challenges in his lifetime.

But Andrew genuinely enjoyed and embraced life, most notably his time at Estling Lake since his arrival there in 1962. He loved to sail, swim the beautiful water there, enjoy the annual barbecue chicken dinners, share time and conversation with members of the community and spend quiet time at Camp 7 with family. He loved to hike and bicycle with his wife Inge throughout the area, play chess, cook, listen to music or just read at the camp.

And, no doubt, those are things many of you at Estling Lake already know about Andrew. But before his time with the community, Andrew had already lived a remarkable life. He was born in Budapest, Hungary to Dr. Albert and Dr. Nina Szilaszi Fono on April 24, 1923. He studied chemistry and physics at Tasmany University in Budapest. Andrew received his PhD at the young age of 22.  After graduating, he went to Sweden to do research at the University of Stockholm (under Dr. Euler and Dr. Hevesi – Nobel Peace Prize winners). During that time, he learned English and Swedish.  In 1947, he came to the United States to do research at the University of Chicago. After that, he worked at the Firestone Tire Company and then at Royce and Company in East Rutherford until his retirement in 2014 at the age of 91.

Andrew is survived by his wife of 39 years, Inge Fono, his son Nicholas Fono, stepson Willi Waizenegger, stepdaughter Brigitte Parisen and her husband David Parisen, his grandchildren Ian Parisen, Victoria Parisen and Christopher Waizenegger.   He is preceded in death by his first wife, Edna Snyder Fono, daughter Penelope Fono and his brother Peter Fono.  

In lieu of flowers, please make any memorial contributions to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital. They can be reached at 800.608.3023.

May Andrew rest in peace and watch over us all until we join him.