Andrea Sapp Obituary

Our mother, Andrea Marie Sapp, passed away peacefully on January 15, 2025, at the age of 79 in Burke, Virginia. Born on September 13, 1945, in Baltimore, Maryland, Andrea's early life was difficult. Her biological father passed away before she was born. Without him her childhood endured the twin disadvantages of inadequate finances and family. Through his loss and despite her struggles she was able to attend the University of Maryland on a Veterans Association scholarship. It was while finishing her Masters in Education that she met our father.
Our father, Ken Sapp "crashed" a mutual friend's party in a toga with the explicit intent of meeting her. He may very well have falsified losing his horn-rimmed glasses as a pretext to return the next day to "look for them," an act for which he was rewarded with their first date. The details of this first date are lost to history, except for the fact that he had to eat oatmeal for a week to afford the event and at the very end our father, despite all expectations, did not attempt to kiss her at the door but simply shook her hand and asked to see her again. Our mother told her then roommate she met the man she would marry that night. Their relationship, like all true loves was passionate and imperfect, but always true. Together they traveled the world, fought communism as spies for America during the Cold War, survived innumerable betrayals, raised three children, and helped with a fourth child.
Andrea was the loving mother of four children: sons Justin and Andre, and daughters Judy and Julie. Of all our mother's passions, her children were paramount. She was as endlessly loving as she was indefatigable in support of her children's aspirations. With one hand she would be the arbiter of relentless discipline and with the other she would scratch our arms while singing "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" and "Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley". Her effort never ended, her love never flagged, and her last words were of the welfare of her children. The small accomplishments of our lives are a testament to her love.
Andrea was known for her love of animals, treating the family pets like children. Our beloved hound dog, Spot, held a perpetual place in her heart. When making pancakes, she always gave the first "ugly" pancake - dressed in butter and syrup - to Spot. No one, except our mother, was surprised when Spot was diagnosed with canine type 2 diabetes. She also used oven mitts to pet Julie's notoriously unfriendly cat because as she said, "even mean cats need love."
Andrea's passions were an expansive multitude. Andrea's love for her children, grandchildren, and pets is well known, but only slightly less well known is her love of diet coke, gyros, 7-11, chicken wings, rum or bourbon and Coke, and any candy with chocolate (except for a short period after working in a candy factory). She enjoyed parties and entertained heads of state with the same alacrity as she fed her family. Her fried pork chops, fried chicken, spaghetti carbonara, meatloaf, and of course pineapple upside down cake are to this day in our humble opinion unbested. She once said that the secret to a great dinner party was to "wait to serve the food until everyone was drunk and starving." She enjoyed singing, playing guitar, and talking with family and friends. Our mother enjoyed teaching, demonstrating the same unselfish love she had for her children with generations of emotionally troubled and mentally disabled children.
Andrea passed suddenly, but peacefully after a short illness. She has finally found peace reunited with the father she never met, the husband and children she lost, and all her family who went before her. For those who were close, there is no replacing what was lost but there is solace in recognizing her life - a life full of adventure, successes, disappointments, love, and family - a life greater than she could have imagined as a child growing up on Cole Street in Baltimore. Those of us who knew her recognize and mourn the loss of a life well lived that touched others and left them for the better.
Andrea was preceded in death by her father Andrew Wiegard, Mother Marie Harden, beloved husband Kenneth Sapp, and two children lost before childbirth. She is survived by her sister Linda, daughters Judy Quinn (Kevin; sons Lance and Sean), Julie Mueller (Steve; grandchildren Jameson, Jacob, Carina, Wesley, and Violet), sons Colonel Justin Sapp (Caren; grandchildren Michael, Matthew and Mark) and Dr. Andre Sapp (Samantha; grandchildren Athena and Liam). Andrea was an honest, kind, and resilient person, and a wonderful mother and friend. She will be missed.
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