Roy Andrew "Andy" Brizio Sr.

1932 - 2023

Roy Andrew "Andy" Brizio, Sr.
September 16, 1932 - August 1, 2023
Andy Brizio of Burlingame, CA died peacefully surrounded by family on August 1, 2023. He was just short of his 91st birthday. Andy, born in San Francisco, graduated from Balboa High School in 1950. Andy served in the US Coast Guard. He was an entrepreneur and a well known Northern California Hot Rodder, affectionately nicknamed "The Rodfather" due to his influence on the sport of Hot Rodding and his Italian heritage.
He began his career as a flagman at the Half Moon Bay Drag Strip, worked for Champion Speed Shop and opened Andy's Wheels and Tires in Colma, which is still in business today. In the early 60's, Andy invented the Andy's Instant T- a one stop kit to build a T-Bucket Roadster at home. Andy won America's Most Beautiful Roadster in 1970, and then drove the winning roadster over 2000 miles to Peoria, Illinois to attend the Street Rod Nationals. His motto was always "You gotta drive 'em!"
In 1966, Andy began holding his annual Andy's Picnic, a Bay Area car show that ran for more than 3 decades- At Crow Canyon Park in Castro Valley and later at the Solano County Fairgrounds in Vallejo and even later still in Jackson, CA where he lived for many years.
Andy owned and managed Andy's Tees in Concord, CA, a screen printing company focused on car-centric printing for many years. In retirement he lived in Jackson, CA before moving to Burlingame in 2022 to be closer to his children.
Andy is survived by his wife and best friend of 60 years, Sue Brizio of Burlingame CA, his older sister Irma Peri of Burlingame CA, his brother-in-law David Coontz of MO, his children Debby Evans (George) of Burlingame CA, Roy Brizio Jr. (Tami) of Burlingame CA, Joann Allebrand (John) of Santa Clarita CA, Kim Evans (Sam) of Danville CA and Terri Hollenbeck (Darryl) of Concord CA as well as his son-in-law Michael Carroll of Pleasanton CA. He was a loving Nonno to his grandchildren: Laura Boisseranc (John), Emily Brandt (Scott), Clayton Carroll (Shannon), Andrew Tokarski, Michael Brizio, Jack Carroll, Emma Allebrand and Haley Hollenbeck as well as 9 Great Grandchildren. He also leaves behind countless relatives and friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, Andrea & Louisa Brizio, his daughter, Sharon Carroll, his brother-in-law Hank Coontz and his ex-wife Norma Beauchamp (nee Demattei), mother to his 5 oldest children.
Andy will be remembered by all who knew him as a larger than life personality who had a knack for making strangers feel like friends. Services to be held at a later date.