Andrew Balee passed away peacefully on May 7, 2017, in Fernandina Beach from lung cancer. He was born June 19, 1957, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to William Lockert Balee and Lorraine Monahan Balee. He grew up in Jacksonville, Florida, and graduated from Sandalwood High School in 1975.
Some years later, he almost graduated from the University of Florida in Gainesville, but he never bothered to retake a failed Spanish course. Instead, he spent his life working in restaurants as a waiter, bartender, and manager.
Everyone remembers him for his incredibly quick wit and deep intelligence. He was well-informed, particularly on politics, and his satirical blog, ticusfiles@wordpress.com, which he began in November 2016 and continued writing until the last days of his illness, delightfully skewers the current POTUS. He loved books, crossword puzzles, writing, and golf. When his mother could no longer live alone, Andrew resigned his job to take care of her (she died March 27, 2017). His kindness and generosity are legendary among his friends and family.
His survivors include his sister Susan Balee and her husband Jonathan Arac of Pittsburgh, his brother William Balee of New Orleans, and his half-sister Denise Balee Zorzi of Miami; his beloved nieces and nephews Nicholas Bezerra Balee, Alexandra Balee Lundy, Isabel Bezerra Balee, and Mark Balee Lundy; and three close friends of decades� standing, Armando De Loera of Port Orange, Florida, and Jennifer and Michael Whiting of Bell, Florida. He will be deeply missed by the many people who loved him.
His burial is private and a memorial is planned for a later date.