Andrew Refalo Obituary

ANDREW REFALO Refalo, Andrew -- Died at his home on June 8, 2003. Andy is survived by brother, Frank Refalo of Santa Ana, CA, sister Mary Refalo O'Malley of San Jose, CA, nieces Grace, Siobhan, and Bronwyn O'Malley, Linda Olsen, Laura Maeva, nephews James Refalo, Peter O'Malley, and 7 grand nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by parents Joe and Nellie Refalo, sister Helen DiTrapani, and beloved dog, Betsy. Born in Detroit, Michigan on May 28, 1941. Andy played baseball in the Minor Leagues, studied photo-journalism at Santa Monica City College and UCLA and became a commercial freelance photographer. He served in the U.S. Navy in Japan as a photographer (1964-1966), earning a national defense service medal. He became a top Globemaster hardware salesman over 22 years, covering the Pacific Northwest. Andy was a member of the Republican National Committee, the Orange County PC User's Group, and was very active in the California Barbecue Association. He was a long-time supporter of the CSU Long Beach baseball team. Andy was always ready to lend a helping hand and encouraged people to do their best. His smile, jokes, and good advice will be greatly missed. Friends are invited to attend the funeral at All Souls Cemetery (44oo Cherry Avenue, Long Beach) on Saturday, June 21 at 11:00am as well as a memorial gathering at the Rossmoor Clubhouse (12100 Montecito Road, Los Alamitos) from 1-3pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to : The Boys Girls Club of Long Beach, 3635 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach, CA, 90807) LUYBEN FAMILY DILDAY-MOTTELL, Directors

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Published by Orange County Register on Jun. 17, 2003.

Memories and Condolences
for Andrew Refalo

2 Entries

Dan Barber

June 21, 2003

Most everywhere Andy Refalo looked he saw a blue sky. About the same bright, optimistic shade that was his signature bright blue sport coat.

The jacket was reserved for special occasions but Andy was a man for all occasions, a selfless supporter who would come early and cook, stay late and help a coach drown the sorrows of a game gone badly. Officially in life he was a commercial traveler, a salesman. Unofficially he was a passionate baseball man who skills never matured on the field but who's boundless energy and enthusiasm was at the foundation of Forty-Niner diamond life in the difficult low budget decades before the school upped the budget and took the sport seriously. When his semi-pro Sunday league career in Santa Monica ended he continued to love the game from behind the scenes.

I partnered with Andy and sports info aide Tim Burt in those almost pre-historic days before Dirtbag shirts, hats, World Series trips and national polls. Many a Sunday evening we would salute a weekend series in which the Beach lads would have scored a bunch of runs, got a couple of strikeouts, and sometimes even won a game or two. Andy never married but interviewed every good looking waitress from the home cooking joints like Johnny Reb's to high end fish joints. He was also tireless in steering prospects to head coach John Gonsalves, never doubting that the grit and gravel of the campus field was a far better place for a college player to be than the rich neighborhoods of USC and UCLA. "We can get this kid, I know we can" Andy would say, seeing all that blue sky.

His family was from the Bay area and a source of pride to him but despite their accomplishments not a laurel for him to lean on. He made his own way, giving not asking. In the end he passed without calling in any of those goodwill chits he had earned by a lifetime of helping others. For the baseball bunch at the Beach he was part traveling secretary, snack bar server, driver, and confidant. A general manager without title, on more than one occasion he was visited by campus police patrols after staying late or coming early to the campus field.

Graveside services will be held on Saturday at 11 a.m. at All Souls Cemetery on Cherry Street in Long Beach. Blue skies are forecasted.

Don Grissom

June 18, 2003

Grace, Frank, Mary, Bronwyn, Linda, Laura, James, Peter and all of Andy's family and friends,

Andy was one of the best... great man, great cook, great judge and most important a dear friend.

Andy, we'll see you later, prepare a feast for when we join you... easy on the spices Bubba Andy.

Blessings on you all,

Derek Muller and Don Grissom

Dueling Bubbas BBQ Team