George ANDREASSI Sr.

ANDREASSI
George C. Sr., Beloved husband of 70 years of Phyllis (nee Palombo) Devoted father of George Jr. and his wife Tracy, Louise Szpila and her husband Edward and Joanne Andreassi-Cseh and her husband, Michael; grandfather of Joseph, Olivia, Kyra, Rose, Michael, Jessica, Natalia and George. George was the son of Italian immigrants who rose from poverty to prominence as an international business executive died Saturday. He was 94. George was born in 1921 in East Harlem to Croce and Agnes "Rose" Andreassi. He started his professional career at age 12 after his father suffered a serious illness and continued working through his retirement from Merck Pharmaceutical Company in 1988. George graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in The Bronx in 1939. He went on to study biochemistry at night at City College of New York . Shortly after being married to Phyllis in 1944, George was drafted into the U.S. Army and served honorably, rising to the rank of Master Sergeant. After returning from his military service, he resumed his studies at Long Island University and received a BS in Biochemistry in 1948. George embarked on a career in the pharmaceutical industry and became a sales manager with Organon Inc., where he set records for sales. He was hired by Merck and Co., Inc. in 1960 and worked his way up to the position of Executive Director of Medical and Scientific Affairs by the time he retired in 1988. In this position, he orchestrated 56 medical symposia where physicians and scientists presented their research to the international medical community. As a result of his accomplishments while working for Merck & Co., Inc., George was nominated to receive the honorary title of Doctor of Science in June 1984. George was elected to the Cresskill School Board in 1968 and served two three year terms. He was later appointed to the borough's Board of Health, which her served for nearly two decades under both Democratic and Republican administrations. George also served as an usher at St. Therese Church for several decades and taught a religious class for high school students for several years in the early 1970s. In retirement, he volunteered for several years with Englewood Hospital, the Maryknoll Sisters, and the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), which he served as chairman for two years. He also served the community as a Master Gardener and a volunteer income tax return preparer. Visitation at Barrett Funeral Home, 148 Dean Dr., Tenafly, on Wednesday, 2-4 and 7-9 PM. Funeral Mass Thursday 11 AM at St. Therese Church, Cresskill. Interment Mt. Hope Cemetery, Hastings on Hudson, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Therese Church, 120 Monroe Ave., Cresskill, NJ 07626 or Cresskill Fire Department, 51 Madison Ave., Cresskill, NJ 07626.
For directions visit www.barrettfuneralhome.net.