Dr. John Fraser Andrews Sr., 94, of Boothbay Harbor died peacefully on the morning of Dec. 1, 2014. Dr. Andrews, son of Chester Houston and Marjorie Fraser Andrews, was born on May 29, 1920 in Norwood, Massachusetts. He graduated from Walpole High School and attended Deerfield Academy for one year. He was a graduate of Amherst College (class of 1943) but left in 1941 until the end of the war to serve in the U.S. Coast Guard.

In 1947 he married Jean Woodruff Shera and moved to Boston to attend Tufts University Medical School. He had known that he wanted to be a doctor since the age of 10. He was proud to have diagnosed himself with appendicitis while off the coast of Greenland during the war and was quickly taken to shore for treatment.

Upon his medical school graduation, he and Jean moved to Portland for his internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Maine General Hospital, now Maine Medical Center.

In 1954 they moved to Boothbay Harbor where he set up his general practice. He loved the region, where he had spent summers at the family cottage in Trevett since 1940.

During the following year he traveled to Maine General Hospital two nights per week to learn anesthesia.

For the next 42 years he kept busy providing care to his large family practice, administering anesthesia 2-3 days per week and delivering an estimated 800 babies. He retired in 1996, but continued to make house calls as he had done frequently in his early years. He served as medical director of the Gregory Wing for 10 years following retirement.

In addition to his busy medical practice, and raising four children with his wife Jean, he was involved in several hobbies and community activities. He had a lifelong love of singing and was a member of the Society for Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Singing in America. He was a member of the glee clubs at both Deerfield and Amherst, a member of the Nor'Easters Chorus for 37 years, a member of the Windjammers Quartet for several years, and a member of the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor Choir for over 50 years.

At the age of 48, he became a pilot, fulfilling his dream to fly. One could see his yellow piper cub flying over the harbor most days after work and on the weekends year round. Cars were often lined up near the field to hop a ride with "Doc."

As much as he loved serving his patients and the community, flying was his little getaway and he loved to share his joy with family and friends. For many years he enjoyed deer hunting and joined his wife Jean as an avid gardener later in life.

He and Jean, along with a local psychiatrist, Peter Bowman, were founders of the Boothbay Harbor Summer School — a school developed for emotionally and physically abused children.

Dr. Andrews served as the medical director. He and Jean took part in setting up the Boothbay Region High School Scholarship fund. He was on the first board of directors of the Boothbay Region YMCA. He served as a board member for St. Andrews Hospital, and was a member of the of the Seaside Lodge Order of Masons and the Shriners.

In recent years he was on the Opera House committee and was delighted that he was able to play a part in bringing the building back to life for the enjoyment of the community that he so loved.

He was honored with the Rotary Club Lifetime Service award in 1995 and was asked to be the Grand Marshal for the Windjammer Days parade in 2005. The John F. Andrews Medical Arts Building was dedicated at the 100 year anniversary of St Andrews Hospital in 2008.

Dr. Andrews was predeceased by his wife of 54 years, Jean Shera Andrews, and sister Dorothy Andrews.

He is survived by his children, Craig S. Andrews and partner Jerie Phinney of Boothbay Harbor, Marcia E. Andrews (Bartholomew) of Cumberland Center and partner William Perkins, John F. Andrews Jr. and wife Lisa of Sawyers Island, and William S. Andrews and wife Heather of Boothbay Harbor; grandchildren Caitlin Andrews, Lee Sowles and husband Parker, Allison Andrews, Barbara Bartholomew, Andrea Bartholomew, John F. Andrews III, Lauren Andrews, Alexandra Andrews, Ashlea Tibbetts and husband Dalton, and Abigail Andrews; and great-grandchildren Genesis Andrews, Wyatt Andrews and Horace Sowles.

Visitation at Hall’s Funeral Home, 975 Wiscasset Road, Boothbay will be Friday, Dec. 12 from 6 to 8 p.m. A service to celebrate Dr. Andrews life will be held on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. at the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor located at 125 Townsend Avenue. A reception will follow at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor at around 4 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dr. Andrews memory may be made to the Congregational Church of Boothbay Harbor, P.O. Box 468, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538 or The Opera House of Boothbay Harbor, P.O. Box 800, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538.

You can share condolences at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.

Arrangements are entrusted to Hall’s of Boothbay.