Andrea Doria Hellering Weidman

May 7, 1955 - June 3, 2025



Andrea Doria Hellering Weidman, devoted wife and mother, unshakeable political advocate and organizer, and congregation founder and president, passed away peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday, June 3, 2025, in Silver Spring Maryland, surrounded by family and friends. She was a super-survivor of small cell carcinoma, having fought it valiantly, humbly and quietly for six and a half years, during which she was able to celebrate her 40th wedding anniversary, her son's wedding and daughter's engagement, and her 70th birthday.



Known as Andi to her friends and family, she lived a remarkable yet undramatic life. Born to the late Harvey Hellering, an electrical engineer, folk musician, and photographer, and the late Barbara (Piesen) Hellering, a librarian, she was raised in Wantagh, New York. She attended East Broadway Elementary School, Jonas Salk Junior High, and General Douglas MacArthur High School, graduating in just three years (1972). She went on to Vassar College, where she majored in History and Public Policy, graduating in 1976.

While at Vassar, Andi deepened her interest in the importance of participating in advocacy and politics as an essential agent of change. She became active nationally as a member of the Americans for Democratic Youth Caucus, and locally as a volunteer on electoral campaigns. She volunteered for Al Lowenstein's campaigns for Congress from his Long Island district during the 1970s, and then for his Manhattan run in 1978, which was where she first became acquainted with her future husband, Richard (Rick) Weidman, who managed that campaign. In the summer of 1975, she travelled to California to work for Jerry Brown as a Governor's Intern. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, she served as legislative assistant to Representative Ted Weiss (NY), moving on from that to work on the development staff for AIPAC. While living for several years in Albany, NY, she became development staff lead for the New York Democratic Assembly Campaign Committee. She continued as a fundraising and event coordination consultant off and on in the ensuing years.



On May 5, 1985, Andi married Rick, the love of her life, in Washington DC. In 1987, they moved to Albany where he became the State Veterans Programs Administrator for the New York State Department of Labor. In 1994, Andi, Rick, and their two young children, Adam and Margery, moved back to the DC area, specifically Silver Spring, Maryland, where she resided ever since, and ever a neighborhood stalwart. Throughout the years that Rick served long and tirelessly as Executive Director of Policy and Government Affairs at the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), Andi's unflagging and deeply caring partnership in and support for his work helped spur VVA's efforts and successes.



Andi was a person of deep faith. In 2008, she joined several friends and fellow congregants to form a new congregation, Shirat HaNefesh (which means Song of the Soul). She quickly became one of the main leaders of the congregation and continued to be actively involved in all aspects of the community. She served for two years as vice-president and two years as president, chaired two rabbinic search committees, participated in the Mantle Mommas (a group that sewed Torah covers), was a founding member of the Wise Aging Group, and was a prolific and constant organizer of the congregation's holiday meals and celebrations.

Andi was a dynamic, kind, and loving woman with a wry smile and engaging wit, a concern for all those in need, and an optimistic view of life. A fan of musicals - especially Sondheim - she could often be found humming along at DC area productions. She loved planning family and friend get-togethers and was well-known for her latkes at Hanukkah, her matzo ball soup and brisket at Passover, and her fabulous mashed potatoes and stuffing for Thanksgiving. She became an avid, creative and accomplished quilter, often providing wedding, baby and birthday quilts to family, friends and colleagues. She collected, displayed and used the original Fiesta Ware, reveling in each and every color, just as she did in her quilting and gardening. She devoured novels and biographies, along with HGTV and anything on British telly. And she could dish on Academy Awards fashion with the best of them.

She loved her children fiercely, going to any length to spark their success and happiness. She pulled all-nighters to help them with procrastinated school projects and scraped together the funds to make a longed-for trip to Japan possible. She kept in Adam and Margery's view the plight of those who are less fortunate as deserving of their concern and care. She ever and always encouraged them to make their own choices and to follow their own hearts and minds. She shared her belief that if you have a happy life, you should return the favor and make life easier and better for someone else, paying back in kind.

And, oh, how Andi loved her kitties, from Winnifred and Lionel to Chuck and Kate to Arthur, Gilbert and Mary.

Andrea is survived by her beloved husband, Richard Weidman; her son, Adam Weidman (Courtney Joline) of Arlington, VA; her daughter, Margery Weidman, of Washington DC (and Margery's cat, Polly); her stepsons Jordan Weidman of Richmond, VT and Matthew Weidman of Essex Junction, VT; her dear sister, Jean Hellering (Richard Verner) of New York, NY; and her nephews Timothy and Peter Verner. She will be remembered by many friends, from life-long to recent; by past and present Shirat HaNefesh members; and by neighbors, all of whose lives she touched deeply.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to organizations whose mission she cared about:

--Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University. This is where Andi's oncologist, Dr. Stephen Liu, provided her tremendous care over the last six and a half years. Direct your contribution to any of the Center's funds or programs. There will be a screen where you can add that the donation is in memory of Andrea Weidman.

--PBS Foundation. Anyone who knows Andi knows that she enjoyed a full and nutritious diet of PBS programming over her 70 years. Simply check "Yes, this is an honor or memorial gift" under the Gift Amount line, and a pop up will ask you to fill in Andi's name.