Paul J. Andrews

Paul J. Andrews – of Woburn, peacefully, January 1st at the age of eighty- four. Beloved husband of Janet (Duran) Andrews. Proud father of Paul J. Andrews, his wife Dianne Kenzy – Andrews of SD, Kevin T. Andrews, his wife Julissa Rivera and Marcia Andrews, all of Woburn. Cherished grandfather of Thomas, Jeffrey, Brady, Paul, Jacqueline and David. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn, Saturday morning, January 8th at 10 a.m. Burial to follow in Calvary Cemetery, Winchester. Relatives and friends are invited to pay their respects from 3-7 p.m. on Friday, January 7th in the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn. Please, in lieu of flowers,  remembrances may be made in honor of Mr. Andrews to Cambridge-Somerville Catholic Charities, 270 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143 or to Paul J. Andrews Scholarship Fund c/o Woburn High School 88 Montvale Ave., Woburn, MA 01801

Paul J. Andrews, Former Superintendent of Schools for the City of Woburn, who was a friend to all and a mentor to hundreds of educators, passed away January 1st at the age of eighty-four.

Andrews, a lifelong native of Woburn, was the was the son of the late Joseph and Alice (Harkins) Andrews, who lived for years in the Green and Mount Pleasant Street area of Woburn.  He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Janet Louise (Duran) Andrews of Woburn, his daughter Marcia, his son Kevin and his wife Julissa, and his son Paul and his wife Dianne and his grandchildren, Thomas, Jeffrey, Brady, Paul, Jacqueline, and David Andrews. 

A graduate of St. Charles and Boston College High School, Mr. Andrews received his A.B. from Boston College (Class of 1959) and his M.Ed. from Boston State College, later doing advanced graduate work at Georgetown University in Washington D.C., Boston University, and Boston College.

Mr. Andrews began his long educational career in 1961 teaching Biology and Physical Sciences at McCall Jr. High School in Winchester and Advance Placement classes and Winchester High School.  He left the Winchester Schools in 1968 to become Project Director for the Office of Health and Human Development in the Bureau of Student Services in the Massachusetts Department of Education, where he served until 1976.  During his tenure with DoE, Andrews authored several publications which were used by administrators and educators throughout Massachusetts in formulating classes and programs for drug education and awareness.

Following three years as a member of the Woburn School Committee, including one as Chairman, Andrews was appointed Assistant Superintendent of the Woburn School Department where he served for five years.

In 1981, Andrews became the first-ever Woburn native appointed as Superintendent of the Woburn Public Schools.  He took over during one of the most difficult times in the School Department’s history as budget cuts created by Proposition 2 ½ imposed staffing cuts and school closures.  Nonetheless, he diligently worked to develop a spirit of harmony and increased morale among all staff members, despite these economic hardships, ultimately creating a spirit of cooperation and teamwork between administration and staff to better serve the students of Woburn.  He also tackled the logistical challenges of developing a fully coordinated central office staff and overseeing the renovation of many of the City’s schools, including the fire gutted Linscott School in North Woburn.  He also worked to create innovative programs such as his close collaboration the with the Judges and staff of the Woburn District in developing programs addressing changes in the law, along with the establishment of workshops for staff on topics from child abuse to basic teaching skills.

His hard work and creative leadership were acknowledged by his colleagues across Massachusetts who elected him as the President of the Harvard Superintendents Roundtable, Executive Board Member for the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents, President of the Merrimack Valley Superintendents Association, Chairman of the Middlesex County District Attorney’s School Superintendents Advisory Board, and Chairman of the LAWW Education and Industry Advisory Board. 

Following his retirement as Superintendent of Schools in 1994, Andrews joined the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents where he served for 28 years as the Director of Professional Development and Government Services.  While at M.A.S.S. he instituted and oversaw various training programs for Superintendents across the Commonwealth, culminating in the Group’s annual Summer Institute on Cape Cod, which Andrews initiated shortly after joining M.A.S.S.  In recognition of his efforts in training hundreds of school superintendents, the event was renamed the “Paul J. Andrews Executive Institute” in July 2019.

In addition to his work with M.A.S.S., Andrews was a member of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Professional Certification and Review Board; President and Founder of the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Project Alliance Partnerships for Youth; and Chairman of the Mystic Valley Mental Health Association.

In 1981, Andrews was invited to join the Board of Directors of Winchester Hospital.  In 1999, Andrews was elected Chairman of the Hospital’s Board of Directors, a position he held for 20 years, making him the longest serving Chairman in the Hospital’s history.  During his tenure as Chairman, Andrews oversaw the expansion of the Hospital’s Emergency Room and its acquisition of the Cancer and Surgery Center on Washington Street in Winchester.  His most notable achievement during his tenure as Chairman was orchestrating the merger of Winchester Hospital and Lahey Health in 2014.  After 40 years of service, Andrews was recently referred to as the “heart and soul” of Winchester Hospital.

For over 60 years Andrews had a close affiliation with the Daily Times Chronicle, beginning in 1961 when he submitted an article from Washington on his personal experience as an invited usher at the Inauguration of President John F. Kennedy and the subsequent Inaugural Gala. During his early teaching years Andrews worked summers with the then-Woburn Daily Times, covering a variety of news events, particularly fires. In addition, Andrews undertook the task of ‘obituary writing’ which he saw as the last chance to bring a former resident into contract with the Times Chronicle readers.  As Superintendent he wrote a weekly column, “Happenings in Education,” which he saw as a way to keep the citizens of Woburn informed about issues impacting the children of the city.  He later originated ‘KAP Photos’ named for Janet and Paul’s two sons Kevin and Paul, later to be joined by their sister Marcia, which photographed news and social events in the Woburn-Burlington-Winchester area and continues operate to this day.  He maintained his love for journalism throughout his life and enjoyed his many friendships with members of the Daily Times Chronicle family. 

Despite his very busy life, Andrews enjoyed his all too seldom quiet time with his wife Janet and their children and later, their grandchildren.  One of the highlights of his life was the 1987 trip he and his beloved wife had as they traveled to Ireland to celebrate their 25^th wedding anniversary going from Shannon Airport to all corners of the beautiful Irish countryside.  Of particular enjoyment to him were the weeks he spent with his family every summer in West Yarmouth on Cape Cod.  He liked nothing better than taking leisurely boat rides with his family around Lewis Bay and enjoying the chance to escape his many responsibilities.  Having “recharged his batteries” he was always eager to get back to work, whether serving the children and citizens of Woburn, his fellow educators, or simply anyone who needed it, Paul Andrews’s life was truly one dedicated to service to others. 

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn, Saturday morning, January 8^th at 10 a.m.  Burial to follow in Calvary Cemetery, Winchester.  Relatives and friends are invited to pay their respects from 3-7 p.m. on Friday, January 7^th in the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn.

The former Superintendent and his family have asked that in lieu of flowers donations be made in his name to the Woburn Dollars for Scholars, P.O. Box 22, Woburn, MA 01801 (woburndollarsforscholars.org) or the Catholic Charities, ccab.org/donate.    

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated in St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn, Saturday morning, January 8th at 10 a.m. Burial to follow in Calvary Cemetery, Winchester. Relatives and friends are invited to pay their respects from 3-7 p.m. on Friday, January 7th in the Lynch-Cantillon Funeral Home, 263 Main Street, Woburn. Please, in lieu of flowers,  remembrances may be made in honor of Mr. Andrews to Cambridge-Somerville Catholic Charities, 270 Washington St, Somerville, MA 02143 or to Paul J. Andrews Scholarship Fund c/o Woburn High School 88 Montvale Ave., Woburn, MA 01801