Andrea Kay Cecka, 74, of Pinehurst passed away on Friday January 17, 2020 at the Reid Heart Center in Pinehurst surrounded by her family.
Andy, as she was known to all, was born on August 5, 1945 in St. Paul, MN, the youngest of three daughters of the late Leonard and Lillian Pierson.
Andy and husband Tom met as freshmen at the University of Minnesota and were married in Minneapolis, MN two weeks after graduation on June 17, 1967. They lived first in suburban Minneapolis until business transfers later brought them to Wisconsin, Texas, and New Jersey. They retired to Pinehurst in 2000 and built their home in Pinewild Country Club.
Andy took enormous pride in her chosen career as a stay-at-home mom. She had strong Christian faith and, in raising three children, continually instilled in them Christ’s teachings of love of God and neighbor, and a belief they could achieve whatever they set their minds to. She was also the iconic “activity mom”, and for years drove her son to countless 5 AM ice hockey practices, carted one daughter to and from piano lessons and after school jobs, and another to dance and cheerleading practice.
When the children were all in high school Andy took up golf. What started as fun weekend outings with Tom and other couples eventually became competitive; they won husband/wife championships at three different golf clubs and, with Tom serving as her tireless caddie, she won the 1999 Women’s “A” Flight Championship at Mendham (NJ) Golf & Tennis Club. (Tom recalls it as his most enjoyable round ever: “Tom – hustle up and rake the bunker and bring my putter!”). After retiring, the couple took memorable vacations with friends (always including golf) to South Africa, New Zealand, and the Caribbean.
In November 2010 Andy survived severe head trauma from a bicycling accident, but was left with permanent amnesia of all events between her late teen years and the date of the accident. Those 50 years of memories never returned, but she instinctively knew her family and worked hard to rebuild many of the friendships she had made over the years. In 2012, the children planned and orchestrated a heartwarming vows renewal in Isle of Palms, SC, after Andy told her daughters: “I love your dad, I just wish I remembered marrying him.” And so Andy married Tom, all over again. Post-accident, she redirected all her energy into her favorite craft, quilting table runners and baby blankets. She gifted many baby quilts to expectant mothers of military families but sold most of her handiwork by special order and at Pinehurst’s annual Holly Arts & Crafts Festival. A recent servicing of her quilting machine revealed more than 24 million stitches sewn in just the last year! She quilted purely for the love of the craft and the joy her quilts brought customers, and always donated 100% of her gross sales proceeds each year to special charities.
She is survived by her husband of 52 years, Thomas Cecka; two daughters, Melanie Nolan (Peter) of Old Chatham, NY; Emily Buteau (Michael) of Roswell, GA; a son, Michael Cecka (Christina) of Fort Mill, SC; six grandchildren, Kyle Nolan, Kyle and Alicia Buteau, and Ryan, Brandon, and Jessie Cecka; and two sisters, Jean Pierson of Denver, CO and Jackie Kirk of Aurora, CO.
A memorial service will be held at 3:00 PM on Saturday February 15, 2020 at Trinity Christian Fellowship Church, 425 Magnolia Road in Pinehurst.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in her memory to Trinity Church.
On line condolences may be made to www.bolesfuneralhome.com.
