Joyce Andrews

Joyce Rowan Andrews, 90. She was physically small, but had a dynamic, commanding, vibrant presence. It's impossible to believe she's gone. Her long life was graced by love and happiness, and her death leaves her family and many friends bereft.

Joyce graduated from Sacred Heart Hospital School of Nursing, in 1956, and went on to a long and storied career. She first started working at Garrett County Memorial Hospital in 1956. After stints elsewhere in medical/surgical, psychiatric, and women's hospitals, Joyce came back to GCMH for good around 1969. She served as Supervisor of the Emergency Room for more than 20 years, demanding excellence in both the scientific and the human aspects of emergency care. Her colleagues and patients knew her as caring, sharply intelligent, a natural leader. Everyone, including the doctors, knew she was the boss. Joyce ended her career at GCMH in 1998, after serving as Director of Nursing for several years. She left an indelible mark on her hospital. Among other things, Joyce was instrumental in developing GCMH's top-rated Subacute Care Unit.

Always active in her community, Joyce served on the Region I EMS Advisory Council and the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medical Services Systems, and in advisory positions with the Organ/Tissue Donation Program, Hospice of Garrett County Advisory, and Allegany Community College. Later, Joyce volunteered with the Garrett County Historical Society, among other things. A rare Garrett County Democrat, Joyce was intensely interested in politics and actively participated in her local Democratic Club. She loved to dress up and had an active social life.

Joyce was born into a big, loving family, the seventh and last child of John W. Rowan, Sr. and Amy (Paugh) Rowan. She raised her two children with the same unconditional love, support, and acceptance that her family always provided her. On the other hand, her kids have accused her of plotting their early demise by feeding them bacon, sausage, eggs, and buttered toast every morning before school (seriously, every morning). She also sometimes served fried Spam with mayo on white toast. Joyce was, famously, no great cook, and "everything tasted like hot dogs." But the kids survived and thrived, and Joyce was rewarded with two grandchildren, who dubbed her "Mimi." Joyce spent countless days hiking, painting, and going on adventures with her grandchildren. Together, Mimi and the kids wandered all over the county, often looking for materials to build fairy houses.

Joyce is survived by her daughter, Ann Andrews of Phoenix, Arizona; her son, Anthony Andrews and daughter-in-law Michelle (Weimer) Andrews of Mountain Lake Park; her granddaughter, Carlee Ann Andrews of Phoenix, Arizona; her grandson, Caid Andrews of Lexington, Kentucky; her cat, CiCi, who hisses menacingly at everyone; and her niece, Sharon Rohrbaugh of Oakland; as well as several more nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and nephews. She will also be remembered and missed by many friends and former colleagues.

The family would like to thank the medical staff who were such good friends and took such good care of Mimi, including Dr. Dona Alvarez, Dr. Margaret Kaiser, Dr. Marjorie Friedkin, Dr. Thomas Johnson, and Dr. Robert Goralski, as well as the stellar nursing staff at the hospital, especially nurse, Shannon Anderson.

There are no services scheduled at this time. Memorial donations may be made to the Subacute Care Unit, Garrett Regional Medical Center.

The Fredlock & Fenner Funeral Homes, P.A. - Oakland Chapel, is honored to be serving the Andrews family.