December 17th, 2007 – Andy Serros
by Rob Smith, Jr. on Dec.17, 2007, under Florida History!, Friends, What\'s New?
This morning someone I truly admired passed away.
Andy Serros was the heart and soul of a group I’ve been with since 1986, Orlando Remembered. The group gets displays placed in buildings of what used to be in Orlando back in about the 1950s. Andy was a founder of the group back in 1979 when the storied San Juan Hotel got prematurely demolished. He and Dan Acito and Bill Demetree came up with the idea of historic displays to be placed throughout Downtown Orlando to remind people of Orlando’s greatness. The group had chalked up many a display by the time then Orlando City Clerk, Grace Chewning, introduced me to the group that was meeting in the Orlando Mayor’s boardroom. It was clear from then on that Andy Serros, insurance executive (and self-proclaimed bottle washer), not only created the group but was leading the way.
Andy was amazing in his ability to know every project. He would know the various objects from various businesses or individuals that was to be part of a display. He was quick to advise where to find artifacts or what to do if such an item souldn’t be found so that the project would keep moving. Andy hated a dormant project. A phrase I will never forget that he used alot, and I picked up from him, was to get something “off dead center”.
Besides Andy’s leadership abilities, I also admired his incredible good humor and bright outlook to life. I’m sure Andy got mad. In all these years I missed that. I saw him get testy and frustrated but never actually angry. More people should have his good nature.
Andy’s health had been deteriorating this past year. He was brought back to the hospital a week ago. His brother Robert reported that just before Andy died he gave Robert some advice reguarding Orlando Remembered matters.
I last saw Andy at the Orlando Remembered meeting in September. He had arrived in the parking lot when I did and we made our way to the meeting. He was moving in a way I had never seem. A bit of a shuffle. Clearly all was not right. He still was his humorous self. I now treasure that last handful of time I got to experience with the great and always to be missed Andy Serros.
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December 18th, 2007 on 3:57 am
I’m very sorry for your loss, Rob.
December 19th, 2007 on 12:43 am
Andy Serros, also know as Grandad, is truly a great man. I am the second oldest of his 16 grandchildren. It is truly amazing to hear people’s stories of him. He has assisted and led so many projects to maintain the history of Orlando. I want to mention how wonderful of a grandfather he is too. He will truly be missed and the wonderful memories he left with us will be forever remembered. Thank you all for your love and support.
December 20th, 2007 on 10:30 am
Andy is my cousin, but he is much more than that- he is one of my best friends, and someone I loved very dearly. His love for his family, his faith, his town, Orlando, and his Florida Gators, gave Andy a passion for life that I have not seen in anyone else. If you want to know the definition of a “gentleman”, you don’t need a dictionary, you just had to know Andy Serros! I love him and I will miss him. He will NEVER be forgotten. May he rest in peace.
March 22nd, 2008 on 4:07 pm
Andy was the consumate sentimentalist. He valued his friends just behind his God, family and fraternity brothers. He loved his home, Orlando so much he devoted a great deal of his life to gathering and preserving memorabilia of “how it was”. He founded “Orlando Rembered”, an organization devoted to preserving its memory. I don’t think he ever missed a reunion of Orlando High School or Omega Xi, his high school fraternity, or Phi Delta Theta. He was active in many civic organizations and chairman of some but the one he organized most reflecting his sentimental character was the Ol’ Timers Club that brought together all his old friends once a year for a Barbeque and reminising.
We miss you. Your Omega xi Brother, Charlie Gray