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Andrew Opitz Obituary
St. Joseph
Aug. 9, 1975 - Mar. 16, 2015
A celebration of the life of Andrew Optiz is planned for Saturday, March 28, 2014 at 4:00 p.m. at the Theresa Reception Center, College of Saint Benedict.
Andrew Opitz was born on August 9, 1975 at the St. Cloud Hospital. He graduated from Sauk Rapids-Rice High School in 1994 and Saint John's University in 1998. He went on to pursue a PhD at the University of Minnesota in Comparative Literature which he completed in 2007. He married the love of his life, Erin Lovell, in 2009. They embarked on a grand adventure to Honolulu when Andy accepted a position teaching English at Hawaii Pacific University in 2011. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor in May of 2014 and died on March 16, 2015 at home with his wife and family in Saint Joseph.
He is remembered by family and friends for his modesty, generosity, wit and kindness. He is remembered by students and colleagues for his innovative teaching, scholarship and decency.
He is survived by his wife Erin Lovell, parents Michael and Maureen Opitz, sister Maria Opitz, and grandmother Faye Reilly, as well as many loving aunts and uncles, cousins and in-laws.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to organizations supporting brain cancer research or wildlife preservation are preferred.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Andrew Opitz
X X
December 26, 2019
Dear family,
Dr. Opitz was a beloved professor of mine, who was outrageously fun to discuss everything under the sun with. I once made a private bet with a friend that we could lead classroom discussion of a particular book without having read it, knowing full well that he would be able to fill in the gaps and reign in the discussion as we played with the lecture and made conjectures. It was a great day and still enlightening I read the book just the same afterwards. I looked him up in the hopes that I could share that secret with him, but it does not look like I can, at least, not now. Our world is strange in terms of what is and isn't possible, and if anyone knew that, it was him.
My heart goes out to you. Andy was brilliant.
Skip Brenny
April 7, 2015
Dear Maria (and of course the rest of the Opitz family), I've been thinking a lot about you the past couple weeks. My heart goes out to you, and I've been wishing you moments of laughter during this hard time.
Wade Haynes
March 29, 2015
I was pretty quiet at yesterday's memorial service. I've been reticent this past week as well except with close friends. I'm still processing Andy's passing. I just wanted to simply say that, in my various committee and leadership roles in the CSCL department all those years ago, I always appreciated his calmness and patience in (often contentious) discussions. He led by example and listened when others spoke passionately and always responded with equal parts conviction and tact. That's a hard balance to strike and I will always admire him for it. Rest in the same peace you brought to so many, Andy. And thank you.
Marianne Luken
March 29, 2015
Andy was a bright light of intelligence, insight, and relevance among his students and colleagues at HPU. Our prayers and sincerest sympathy to his family.
judy phillips
March 28, 2015
Dear Maureen & Mike,
No parent should have to endure the pain of losing a child.I want to send my heartfelt wishes for healing for you and your family in this grief stricken time. Much love, Judy Phillips
Elise.
March 27, 2015
Sorry for your loss. May God comfort and strengthen you at this sad time.
Alison Surdo Cheng
March 26, 2015
My most heartfelt condolences for to the Opitz and Lovell families. Andy was a wonderful human being and my thoughts are prayers are with you during this difficult time.
Edmond Manning
March 24, 2015
Maria, I did not know your brother but reading this short obituary about him makes me wish I did. I want to scream at the injustice of this lovely man - happily married, a man who achieved his PhD, and teaching in Hawaii - all of those great aspects of his life - taken away. It makes my heart hurt. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
Melissa Tenvoorde (Slimmer)
March 24, 2015
Prayers to all of Andy's family. I grew up in Rice and graduated with him. So sorry for your loss
Meredith Gill
March 24, 2015
Innovative and decent: Andy's students absolutely understood the remarkable assemblage of attributes that constituted the singular Andy Opitz. To a life well lived!
Brenda Weinand-Smude
March 24, 2015
My condolences to the Opitz family. I am so sorry to hear of your great loss. Your son/husband Andrew sounds like a wonderful,successful man. I am so sad he was taken from you so early in his life. May God Bless you through this most difficult time.
(I was a student of Mrs.Opitz- Maureen when I was a 7th grader at Pleasantview in Sauk Rapids in 1974.)I never knew Andrew but I know if he was anything like his Mother he was a WONDERFUL person.
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