Andrew Balistreri

Andrew Joseph Balistreri passed away peacefully in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin on October 31, 2026, at the age of 91. A testament to the way he lived his life, his final weeks were filled with love, family, music, dignity, grace, and a bit of gelato.

The youngest of three children, Andy was born on September 13, 1935 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Francesco “Frank” and Nancy Balistreri (Serio). He often told stories of a happy childhood spent alongside his loving parents, older brother and sister (Thomas and Stephanie), many uncles and aunts, and his beloved dog Whimpy who would walk him to and from school.

Andy attended Holy Rosary Grade School in Milwaukee where he excelled academically and where he met his future wife, Sheila (Greig) Balistreri in second grade. They each followed their own path in high school, college, and beyond before reuniting in the late-1960s.

Andy spent the first chapter of his adult life serving the Church and his community as an ordained priest. He attended seminary at the Maryknoll Society Center in Ossining, New York and went on to receive master’s degrees from St. Louis University and the University of Michigan. Education was deeply important to Andy. He even joked with his future wife that he wouldn’t propose until she had completed at least one master’s degree. As a student, teacher, dean, parent, and school board member, Andy expressed his love for knowledge and his deeply-held belief in the power, opportunity, and liberation that learning engenders in all humans.

Although Andy eventually left the priesthood, he continued to live the values of the Catholic Church and the Maryknolls throughout his life by always extending a hand to those most in need. He spent the longest stretch of his career working for the State of California where he ran workforce development and management programs. He was proud to help out-of-work Californians connect to meaningful and dignified work.

Through letters exchanged with their eighth grade teacher, Andy and Sheila reconnected when they were in their thirties. In the summer of 1968, they reunited for the first time since grade school on the campus of Notre Dame University, where Sheila was studying for a master’s degree. They soon realized that they were meant to bring their paths together, and they were married in their childhood parish in Milwaukee on August 6, 1971. They moved to California and welcomed their son Paul Andrew Balistreri and daughter Sarah Therese Balistreri.

Andy was a devoted and loving father who instilled in both of his children a profound love for the natural world. Most weekends were spent together fishing at nearby Sandy Wool Lake, hiking through live oak and redwood forests, pointing out birds, and tidepooling along the rocky northern California coast. He taught those around him to notice the small and large splendors of nature, often sharing interesting facts, like how deer stay warm in winter (hollow hairs) or how to tell the difference between a snowy egret and a great egret (black bill, yellow bill). One of Andy’s proudest moments was with Paul at Salty’s Bait and Tackle in Trinidad, California when Paul told the shopkeeper, “This is my dad. He taught me how to fish.”

His depth of knowledge extended well beyond the natural world. He seemed so full of facts that his daughter often questioned whether he was really so intelligent or just conning everyone around him. She would ask teasingly, “Do you really know that or are you just saying it confidently?” only to be humbled after fact-checking him online and finding that he was always right. For decades, his family urged him to go on Jeopardy, but he preferred to answer nearly every question correctly from the comfort of his recliner. Even in his final months, he was still blurting out correct answers, often more quickly than anyone else in the room.

Andy adventured around the world with his wife Sheila during their retirement years. Celebrity Cruises became their home away from home, and they visited nearly 70 countries by sea. They became friends with ship captains, entertainers, engineers, sommeliers, bartenders, and fellow passengers. An avid linguist, Andy learned to say a few phrases—good morning, good evening, thank you—in dozens of languages common among cruise ship crew members. He delighted in saying “Good evening!” to his favorite Indonesian bartender in the correct regional dialect from Java. This linguistic play was more than a clever party trick: it was an invitation for connection, an act of respect, and an extended hand saying “I see you, let’s be friends.”

The adventure continued in recent years when Andy and Sheila moved from Milpitas, California to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. He rejoiced in being closer to his dear sister, Stephanie, and his cherished nieces, nephews, and extended family. Though he may have missed California’s climate from time to time, he savored his days in Oconomowoc spent sipping coffee on the boardwalk and taking sunset pontoon rides with his incredibly warm and loving family.

Andy’s memory lives on through his beloved wife Sheila; his children Paul and Sarah (Robin “Mitch” Mitchell), his sister Stephanie Maas, his wonderful nieces and nephews, and their spouses, children, and grandchildren.

The family is grateful to the staff at Shorehaven Senior Living and Prohealth Hospice who treated Andy with exceptionally kind and compassionate care.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the National Audubon Society.

The Balistreri family welcomes you to a memorial service on Saturday, November 7, 2026. The service will be held at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel at Shorehaven Senior Living, 1305 West Wisconsin Avenue in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.