Andrew Alemany Canellas died peacefully at his home early in the morning June 10, 2023 having recently celebrated his 92nd birthday. He's survived by his wife, Barbara (Bobbi) Canellas; brother James (Jimmy) Canellas; sons, Mathias (Matt) and Chris Canellas; grandchildren, Andre Canellas, Mia Canellas, and Natalie Canellas; and great-grandchild Finley Canellas.

Andrew was born on April 18th in the small town of Andratx, Mallorca, the largest of Spain's Balearic Islands, to Matias Canellas and Antonia Alemany.  With the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936, Andrew's parents moved the family to safety to the U.S., initially to New York but later settling in Youngstown, Ohio. At first speaking only Mallorcan, a dialect of Catalan, Andrew quickly assimilated into American life, learning English and adopting his new country's culture. He attended Ráyen High School in Youngstown,enjoying a very active childhood filled with music, sports, clubs, and many culinary treats created by his father, a master chef.  During that period, he also studied and learned Spanish. After spending several years at Youngstown State University, he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952, joining the famous 101st Airborne Division. Because of his Spanish proficiency and typing skills, he was assigned to his unit's base in the country of Panama.  The two-year tour of duty etched many memories on him which were frequently relayed to family and friends, often in a humorous manner.

The next decade was a very academic period for him, including completing both his economics undergraduate degree at Youngstown State and master's degree in the same discipline at American University.  While working and studying in D.C. he met his wife Bobbi, with whom he recently celebrated 61 years of marriage. A successful 30-year career in economics with the federal government began in the late 50's, a journey that included two 2-year stints with the United Nations in Vienna, Austria.

A passionate and happy person, Andrew was also very erudite, a prolific reader of military history and politics, but also classic and award-winning literature. His mother country and the island of Mallorca maintained a strong pull on him his entire life and he acted upon that by annually taking long summer vacations there with Bobbi, often accompanied by his sons and grandchildren.

After retiring from his Federal government career, he settled in Newport News, Virginia.  Reading, his beloved Cleveland sports teams, line dancing, and, in particular, enjoying the family, occupied his time. A deeply religious person, his Catholic faith and steadfast belief in Jesus Christ were always central to his life. His passing was very peaceful as he looked forward to spending eternity with His Savior.

A mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Newport News on Wednesday, June 14, 2023 at 10:00 AM. Interment will be held at a later date at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery, Suffolk.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either St. Jude's Children's Hospital or the American Heart Association.

Arrangements by W. J. Smith & Son Funeral Home.