Prof. David S. Andrew in Sacramento, Calif., in April 2019.
David Stevenson Andrew, professor emeritus of art history and humanities at the University of New Hampshire, passed away peacefully in the early morning of June 1 in the Madbury home he and his wife, Georgeann Murphy, built together. He was 75.
An accomplished art historian specializing in architectural history, Andrew won acclaim as a gifted scholar, teacher, author and capable, humane administrator at the University of New Hampshire, which he served from 1976 to 2008 in capacities that included chair of the Art Department and director of the London Program from 1989-1991. A talented pianist and composer, Andrew’s wide-ranging intellect, precision of expression and wit quick to recognize — and enjoy — the absurdities of the human condition made him a delightful conversationalist and shone through his teaching and writing. He gave fresh and enduring life to the phrase “Renaissance Man”: his many interests included aviation (he achieved his IFR status as a pilot at the age of 62), astronomy, radio broadcasting (his road not taken), cooking, fine wines and travelling. He was at home in both the sublime natural landscapes of the desert Southwest and inside the most sophisticated monuments to human ingenuity, the great classical temples of the Mediterranean and the cathedrals of Europe. Andrew was dedicated to the grand experiment that is American democracy and firmly believed in the power of purposeful assembly — including gatherings around a dinner table. Most of all, he enjoyed sharing ideas with his many friends in the beauty of the Andrew/Murphy home, Gnawwood. To living well and to his wife of 24 years, Georgeann, he was completely devoted. His legacy lives on in the lives of the many he taught, and the many he loved.
A celebration of Andrew’s life will be forthcoming. Tributes can be made in Prof. David S. Andrew’s name to Washington University Graduate School in St. Louis, Missouri; public radio station WUOM in Ann Arbor, Michigan; or classical public radio station WCRB in Boston, Massachusetts.
