Andrew J. Garfield

Andrew J. Garfield passed away on Wednesday January 19^th, after a brief battle with cancer. Andy was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 17 ^th, 1950 to Adele and Jesse Garfield. Growing up across from the parade grounds found him spending many a day playing softball -- a passion he carried into adulthood. In his teens he spent his summers in upstate New York in Rifton at the Pioneer Youth Camp with many who would become his lifelong friends. Andy attended Ohio University in Athens, graduating in 1973 with a Degree in Film. On moving to Wisconsin -- Brooklyn, Wisconsin of course, Andy, a lifelong music lover, became an early member of WORT radio where he not only enlivened the airways with music, but also worked as a volunteer coordinator. Eventually Andy moved to Madison where summers again found him playing on and / or coaching many a softball team. After years of working as a computer programmer, he returned to his audiovisual roots to get a Masters Degree in Educational Technologies as a videographer. Andy worked at WHA public television for several years where he was nominated for an Emmy as producer and editor for some of the Sesquicentennial ""Wisconsin Minutes"". Andy went on to be the Director of Multimedia Services in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Andy did many freelance video projects and was particularly proud of a video he made about childhood cancer - ""A Message of Hope"" - solicited by the UW Hospital's Department of Oncology, the DVD is given to parents whose children had just been diagnosed with cancer.

Andy was an avid sports fan and one of the few New Yorkers who rooted for both the Jets and the Giants, both the Yankees and the Mets, and both the Islanders and the Rangers (no eye rolls allowed). He endured many a naive question from his sweetie in order to ""share"" his passion for cheering on his teams. Andy loved and collected (threatening to sink the house due to shear volume) all kinds of music, and enjoyed making musical mixes for friends to help them work out or meditate or simply boogie through the day. Movies were another passion and he had many a lively discussion with friends over the merits of this or that director or film. Andy was known for his sense of humor, even during his illness keeping the nursing staff of the UW Hospital Oncology ward and also at Hospice, on their toes and entertained with his one-liners and stories. Andy ""met"" his ""sweetie"" during a phone call to a mutual friend - so intrigued by the voice on the other end he hounded the friend for info and eventually called and arranged a date with said voice. After several years together, they eloped to Las Vegas (no, no Elvis impersonator to say the vows) on January 26^th, 1990.

Andy is greatly missed and survived by his wife, Laura, and their furry four-footed family.

A special thank you to the doctors, nurses and nursing staff at the UW Hospital Oncology ward and at Hospice for helping Andy through his last days and the CNAs of BrightStar who helped me have Andy at home.

A visitation at Cress Funeral Home, 3610 Speedway Road, Madison will be held on January 26^th from 5 to 7 pm.

In lieu of flowers a memorial to a Ronald McDonald House or an Arboretum is suggested.