ANDREW J. “Andy” BLACK

Andrew J. “Andy” Black, a lifelong resident of Woburn and retired railroad foreman, died of cancer on August 29 at Sawtelle Family Hospice House in Reading.  He was 69.

Known universally as Andy, he was born on October 3, 1952 at Choate Memorial Hospital in Woburn to John J. Black Jr. and Clare Mary O’Rourke Black. He was the first son, and second of what would eventually be seven children who grew up on Houghton Street.

As a boy, he was an avid athlete memorialized in the Woburn Daily Times as one of the best players on his Pop Warner team despite being one of the smallest boys.  He was an altar boy at St. Charles Church and graduated from St. Charles Grammar School and Austin Preparatory School in Reading.

He worked for the railroad as a track foreman for most of his life through several owners from B & M and Amtrak to Keolis. After he retired, he worked part time as a bartender at the Sons of Italy.

He developed a passion for golf while working as a caddy as a teenager at the Winchester Country Club and kept up the sport throughout his life golfing at many area courses and traveling to Arizona to golf with his old friend David Rochon.

He was a voracious reader with a curious intellect and earned a reputation as a whiz at trivia. He read three newspapers cover to cover every day and devoured the weekly New Yorker magazine. He was an avid lifelong fan of the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox.

He was an active member of the Sons of Italy, the Towanda Club, the Irish American Club and the American Legion in Woburn. He ran the bowling league for some years at Towanda when he was younger.

He is survived by Susan Lanza of Woburn, his partner and companion for the last 24 years; five brothers and sisters: Christine Black and her husband B. Jay Cooper of Marion; Joan Black and her partner Rick Hall of Biddeford, Maine; Charles Black and his wife Lori of Woburn; Marylou Alongi and her husband Joseph of Haverhill; and John J. Black III of Alfred, Maine; many cousins, nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews. He will also be sorely missed by the Lanza family who spent many holiday celebrations with him.

His parents and his brother Michael, who died in late March, predeceased him.

A Funeral Mass will be Celebrated in St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn on Friday, September 2nd at 10 a.m.  His remains will be buried with his parents at Woodbrook Cemetery in Woburn at a later date.

Andrew J Black

Andrew John Black, a lifelong resident of Woburn and retired railroad foreman, died of cancer on August 29 at Sawtelle Family Hospice House in Reading.  He was 69.

Known universally as Andy, he was born on October 3, 1952 at Choate Memorial Hospital in Woburn to John J. Black Jr. and Clare Mary O’Rourke Black. He was the first son, and second of what would eventually be seven children who grew up on Houghton Street.

As a boy, he was an avid athlete memorialized in the Woburn Daily Times as one of the best players on his Pop Warner team despite being one of the smallest boys.  He was an altar boy at St. Charles Church and graduated from St. Charles Grammar School and Austin Preparatory School in Reading.

He worked for the railroad as a track foreman for most of his life through several owners from B & M and Amtrak to Keolis. After he retired, he worked part time as a bartender at the Sons of Italy.

He developed a passion for golf while working as a caddy as a teenager at the Winchester Country Club and kept up the sport throughout his life golfing at many area courses and traveling to Arizona to golf with his old friend David Rochon.

He was a voracious reader with a curious intellect and earned a reputation as a whiz at trivia. He read three newspapers cover to cover every day and devoured the weekly New Yorker magazine. He was an avid lifelong fan of the New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox.

He was an active member of the Sons of Italy, the Towanda Club, the Irish American Club and the American Legion in Woburn. He ran the bowling league for some years at Towanda when he was younger.

He is survived by Susan Lanza of Woburn, his partner and companion for the last 24 years; five brothers and sisters: Christine Black and her husband B. Jay Cooper of Marion; Joan Black and her partner Rick Hall of Biddeford, Maine; Charles Black and his wife Lori of Woburn; Marylou Alongi and her husband Joseph of Haverhill; and John J. Black III of Alfred, Maine; many cousins, nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews. He will also be sorely missed by the Lanza family who spent many holiday celebrations with him.

His parents and his brother Michael, who died in late March, predeceased him.

A Funeral Mass will be Celebrated in St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn on Friday, September 2nd at 10 a.m.  His remains will be buried with his parents at Woodbrook Cemetery in Woburn at a later date.

A Funeral Mass will be Celebrated in St. Charles Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn on Friday, September 2nd at 10 a.m.  His remains will be buried with his parents at Woodbrook Cemetery in Woburn at a later date.