Mimi McAndrew

Mimi McAndrew

Poughkeepsie - Mimi McAndrew, a reporter and editor at the Poughkeepsie Journal for more than 20 years, died on Nov. 7, 2018 in Reno, Nevada, where she and her husband retired in 2007.

Mrs. McAndrew won numerous awards both as a reporter and editor. She edited a 12-page special report, To Be Black in Dutchess County, that won top prizes by the Gannett Co., The New York State Associated Press and New York State Publishers Association for in-depth community reporting. The special report, published in 1988 was written after a four month investigation by Journal reporters Kathleen Norton, Larry Hertz and Felicia Watson. It examined the problems, fears and concerns of the black community in Dutchess County. The report earned Mrs. McAndrew the Harambee Reconciliation Award from Harambee of Poughkeepsie for outstanding community service in 1989.

As a reporter, Mrs. McAndrew completed a six-part series in 1973 on the problems of senior citizens in Dutchess County. Then County Executive William Bartles said the series "triggered my establishment of the Dutchess County Office of the Aging," still a major resource for aging citizens in Duchess County.

In 1986, Journal managing editor William Pukmel wrote a column about the Journal staff, their jobs, and responsibilities. For Mrs. McAndrew he wrote he chose her as city editor because of her impeccable editing skills, her outreach to the community and her sense of humor. He wrote she once got a call from a reader asking if she wanted to do a story about his talking duck. "Sure, of course," she said. "Put the duck on the phone." He hung up.

Mrs. McAndrew had a varied career. She also worked as an editor and reporter at Taconic newspapers, a string of eight weekly papers.

She was the publicist for the Dutchess County Fair for five years in the late 1970s, was a stringer for the New York Times and taught journalism at Marist College and Vassar College.

She stressed the importance of accuracy in reporting and was an advocate of well edited and lively writing in what she called "tight and bright." In 1977 her students presented her with a plaque that said simply "Thanks" and underneath "tight and bright enough?"

Mrs. McAndrew was raised in San Francisco and earned a degree in journalism from the University of Nevada in Reno.

Mrs. McAndrew lived with her husband, Tom, in Rhinebeck where they raised two daughters, Siobhan and Molly. She her family left New York in 1989 for California where she worked in journalism and taught English until her retirement.

She is survived by her husband and two daughters and two grandchildren, Riley and Michael Dillon.

Mrs. McAndrew made a gift of her body to the University of Nevada School of Medicine for education and research. Her body will be cremated, and a memorial service will be held next spring through UNR's medical school. Following the medical school's service, the family will hold a rocking traditional Irish wake and Celebration of Life for the wife, mother, aunt, cousin, reporter and editor that was truly loved by so many. Wishes to the family can be sent to 6334 Walnut Creek Road, Reno, NV 89523 or email mimimcandrewlovedjournalism@yahoo.com