Andrea “Andy” Fambrough
August 27, 1946 — September 25, 2024
Obituary For Andy
Andrea “Andy” Fambrough, 78, left this earth peacefully on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, finishing her transition home to be with Jesus. We celebrate her legacy as a devoted mother, an accomplished nurse, and a passionate believer who loved and served deeply the church.
Andy was the beloved wife of Joseph T. Fambrough for 51 years, mother of Jonathan M. (Suzy) Fambrough and Andrew J. Fambrough and loving sister of Sandra (George) DeSola and Cynthia (Patrick Edwards) Walker who along with several nieces and nephews all survive her. She was preceded in death by her father, Andrew Francis Proto, and mother, Edna Briglia Proto.
Andrea was born in New Haven, Connecticut on August 27, 1946 and came home to a vibrant Italian community on Kenneth Street. Surrounded by aunts, uncles and cousins in her early years, Andy and Sandy would walk out their backyard to a field which belonged to Longs Florist and pick leftover flowers to bring home to their mother, Edna. Their humble and always tidy Cape Cod style home was constantly filled with fresh flowers, the smells of fresh cookies and the sounds of the Yankees game on the radio. In her teen years, Andy was voted “best dressed” in the East Haven High School newspaper thanks to the clothes her mother sewed and knitted for her by hand. She was also a proud cheerleader at East Haven High and would often frequent Tolli’s pizza after games for one of those famous pies. She loved going to the beach, especially at her Aunt Ann and Uncle’s Sam’s cottages where she learned waterskiing, enjoyed fishing and sun tanning on beautiful Connecticut summer afternoons with her sister Sandy.
In September of 1964, Andy enthusiastically started nursing school at Yale’s Grace-New Haven school of nursing where she not only excelled in her studies but also enjoyed many adventures with her roommate Diane Gourley. Andy and Diane could be found attending pre Broadway shows at the Schubert Theater in New Haven and would take the train into NYC to do extra curricular studies including the national league of nursing entrance exam. In July 1967, after three days of intense testing to pass their RN State boards, Andy was accepted to the highly regarded University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing where she studied for her Bachelors of Science in Nursing while sharing a brownstone apartment with Diane in the heart of Philadelphia. The apartment they shared happened to be above George DeSola, who was studying at the Wharton school, and later went on to marry Andy’s sister, Sandra.
In the summer of 1967, Andy worked on a surgical floor at Yale where she took care of the very first patient to have a successful kidney transplant. After nursing school, Andy moved to Atlanta with her roommate Patti where they both began their careers at Piedmont Hospital. Patti’s husband at the time was David Trippe who introduced Andy to his cousin, Joe Fambrough.
Joe invited Andy to get involved as a medical support volunteer for the newly created Road Atlanta race course where they struck up a friendship and a few years later, in August 1973, were married in Connecticut.
During their 51-year marriage, Andy and Joe moved from Atlanta to Deerfield Beach, Florida where they loved to spend time on the beach and out in their sailboat. Their oldest son, Jonathan, was born a few years later.
In the early 80s, after a job transfer, Andy and Joe moved back to the Atlanta area where they soon welcomed their second son, Andrew, into their life. After a career hiatus to raise her sons, Andy returned to the Emory Healthcare system to close out a nearly 40 year nursing career. Andy was Dr. John Rhee’s first nurse in the Orthopedics and Spine Center before retiring in 2007.
Andy was a lifelong student and researcher and in 2007—at nearly 60 yrs old—she went back to school and earned her Masters of Science Degree in Christian Counseling from PSI (the Psychological Studies Institute, now Richmont Graduate University). Her expressed purpose in earning another degree was to accompany women who had experienced trauma on their healing journey with a knowledge of scripture and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Andy was an active member of Perimeter Church in Johns Creek from its early days of only a few dozen members. Together, Andy and Joe would serve in the church for nearly four decades. Andy was particularly involved in leading Perimeter’s Widows Ministry, a community they both dearly love.
In her golden years, Andy loved to spend time with her husband and family, cook and share family meals, take visits to Cape Cod, and tend her flower gardens. Almost every morning she could be found at her desk, looking out on the birds, squirrels and deer in the backyard, as she lovingly wrote a new verse on a 3×5 card, and enjoyed sweet relationship time with her heavenly Father.
Andy’s Celebration of Life Service was held on Thursday October 24, 2024 at Perimeter Church at 3 pm in the Day Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Jonathan’s House Central Africa. Under the Donate tab of their website, you can direct your gift towards “Special Projects – Widow’s Ministry” or the onsite “Medical Center Fund” if you desire.