Andrew McCandless

Andrew Fell McCandless of Chestertown, MD passed away on Wednesday, June 27, 2007. He was 96 ½ years old. Born January 19, 1911 at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, he was the son of the late Wilson and Lillian Conaway McCandless. He attended Haverford School in Haverford, PA and Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, VA graduating in 1929. He then attended Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. He was on the Avalon Beach Patrol in Avalon, New Jersey from 1928 to 1932. During the depression he moved to Round Mountain, NV to work in a gold mine. On June 22, 1933 he married the former Edith Boericke. After the depression he returned to Philadelphia and established McCandless Coal Company which later became McCandless Fuels, Inc. He retired in 1986. He and his wife enjoyed spending time at their homes in Philadelphia, PA, Stuart, FL, and Rock Hall, MD. His wife, Edith died on May 11, 1992. Mr. McCandless married Frances L. Poole on June 6, 1994. They then moved back to Rock Hall, MD and later to Heron Point in Chestertown, MD, where his wife predeceased him on April 3, 2002. During World War II, Mr. McCandless earned his pilot’s license and flew civil service missions. Mr. McCandless was past president of the Greater Philadelphia Fuel Conference and a member of the Lions Club in Ardmore, PA. He was a member of the Davis Creek Yacht Club, the Rock Hall Yacht Club, and the Chester River Yacht and Country Club. He was interested in all sports but especially tennis, golf, boating, navigational contests and fishing and clamshell quoits. He also was a member of the Edgemont Golf Club, Edgemont, Pa., the Mariner Sands Golf and Country Club, and the Crossroads Yacht Club in Stuart, FL. He earned the Johnnie Walker Hole-in-One Award. He is survived by two daughters, Carol McCandless and Deborah McCandless Nevins; seven grandchildren, Jennifer Kaar, Peter J. Wilcox, Timothy P. Wilcox, Michael D. Wilcox and Thomas E. Wilcox, Piper Jo Nevinslong, Charles T. Nevins, III; and nine great grandchildren. A graveside service will be held at the home of Deborah and Charles T. Nevins, 5343 Edesville Road, Rock Hall, MD 21661 on July 22, 2007 at 6:00 P.M. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to PUMH of Chestertown, Employees Fund, 501 East Campus Avenue, Chestertown, MD 21620. Arrangements by Fellows, Helfenbein, and Newnam Funeral Home Chestertown, Maryland.