- Date Of Birth: April 30, 1932
- Date Of Death: December 4, 2021
- State: Connecticut
Andrew John Montanari Sr. died peacefully on December 4, 2021, at the home in Ridgefield that he built with his beloved wife Nancy 65 years ago. Andy was born in Ridgefield, Connecticut on April 30, 1932 to Ciro and Teresa (Archeli) Montanari, the youngest of five siblings. He graduated from Ridgefield High School in 1950. After graduation, he served in the Air Force as a mechanic. He married Nancy (Marshall) Montanari in 1955. They raised five children and were married for 65 years until Nancy’s passing in May 2020.
Andy loved life, friends and family.
Outside of his work at Montanari Fuel, people in town knew Andy from the racetrack. He was a well-known member of the Southern New York Racing Association and was famous for driving the number 55 car at Danbury Fair Racearena for more than two decades. After he hung up his racing helmet, he took to his home garage and rebuilt nearly a dozen classic cars over the years, including vintage hot rods. Over the decades, Andy made more friends than anyone could truly count with his dizzying array of hobbies, many food related, as he loved to celebrate his Italian heritage. He was always prepared to treat friends and family to his delicious cooking, homemade wine, limoncello, fresh bread and cured meats that he prepared with his buddies during all-day events in the backyard barn.
Each holiday season, he gathered his extended family to make dozens of homemade ravioli using his mom’s precious recipe. Often, he could be found roasting a whole pig in his custom roaster that he made from a 275-gallon oil tank or grilling for the staff at Montanari Fuel for any special occasion.
He is preceded in death by his loving wife Nancy, parents Ciro and Teresa, brothers Fred, Frank and Gus, and sister Vera Grosso. He is survived by his children, Kim and Chip Dean, Southbury CT; Andrew and Amy Montanari Jr., Ridgefield, CT; Jay and Christina Montanari, Ridgefield, CT; Lisa and Tom Earley, Orange, CT; and Lee Montanari, Southbury, CT. He is also survived by 17 grandchildren: Kelly DeMartino, Kyle and Kasey Dean; Shaena Montanari; Ricky, Michael and Steven Montanari, Sara Hughes; Meghan, Kevin, Shannon, Erin, Brian, and Cristin Earley, Caitlin Le Briquer; and Teresa and Chance Montanari.
