The Rev. Hans O. Andrae

1933 - 2023

The Rev. Hans Olof Andrae was born in Vimmerby, Sweden, 24 June, 1933, son of the Rev. Anders and Vanja (Johansson) Andrae. He died 13 Feb. 2023, at age 89. He was preceded in death by his parents, older brother, Tord, twin brother, Goran, and younger sister, Berit, all in Vimmerby. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sylvia (Irvine) Andrae; daughter, Rebecka (Maurice), and her children, Adam, Maria, and Sara, of Irwin; son, the Rev. Eric (Paola) and their children, Michelina and Juliette, of Pittsburgh; daughter, Christina, of Latrobe; sisters-in-law, Barbara Irvine, of Hagerstown, Md., and Ingegerd Andrae, of Sweden; and several nieces and nephews. In Sweden, Hans Andrae completed gymnasium (upper secondary school) and military leadership school, earned his theological degree at Uppsala University, and then was ordained a Lutheran pastor 24 May 1959. He served four parishes in the Linkoping Diocese from 1959-1979, interspersed with two stays in the U.S. As a Fellow of the American-Scandinavian Foundation, he did graduate study from September 1964 to January 1965 at Union Theological Seminary in New York City (where he met Sylvia), followed by a couple months of travel throughout the U.S. Hans and Sylvia were married in 1966, and they then worked at Zion Lutheran Church, Penn Hills, for 18 months before returning to Sweden until 1979. From 1979-1985, the Rev. Andrae served a parish in northern Maine that consisted of three churches: Gustaf Adolph in New Sweden, Trinity in Stockholm and Faith in Caribou. He was then pastor of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Jeannette, Pennsylvania from 1985-1996. He was proud to become a U.S. citizen in 1988. He retired from full time ministry in 1996, but then served as interim pastor in eight congregations (his longest interimship was at Holy Trinity Lutheran in Southwest Greensburg from 2002-07) and provided pulpit supply in many other parishes. In 2008, he colloquized onto the clergy roster of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), joining the First Trinity Lutheran congregation in Pittsburgh, where he was made Pastor Emeritus. Within the LCMS, the Rev. Andrae frequently preached and presided at services in eighteen churches in southwestern Pennsylvania and western Maryland until 2015. The Rev. Andrae contributed to his hometown (Vimmerby) newspaper for 70-plus years and published many articles and letters to the editor in other periodicals. He wrote a booklet on the pastoral office that was published in 1979, and he translated from his native Swedish to English two works by Bo Giertz: Christ's Church: Her Biblical Roots, Her Dramatic History, Her Saving Presence, Her Glorious Future and a portion of best-selling novel The Hammer of God, also writing introductions to both books. He loved Christ and His Church, his wife and family, his colleagues in ministry and his much-loved parishioners whom he was called to serve, and his two nations: Sweden and the USA. Baptized 17 Sept., 1933, he rejoiced in being a child of God. Among his many favorite scripture passages is this: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine." (Isaiah 43: 1b). Visiting hours will be 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, at MASON-GELDER FUNERAL HOME, 201 N. First St., Jeannette. Private burial will be at Brush Creek Cemetery with the Rev. Maurice Frontz officiating. Online condolences may be sent to www.mason-gelder.com. All are also invited to the memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at First Trinity Lutheran Church with both its pastors, Douglas Spittel and Eric Andrae, officiating. First Trinity is located at 531 N. Neville St., Pittsburgh. A light lunch will be served following the service. Memorial contributions may be made to the church. www.mason-gelder.com.