I remember when I first met Andy. It was my first year at the Academy and I was in the computer center playing the popular "Space Wars" game that was all the rage. I listed the header and saw that the program was written by Andrew Foray of the class of 77 at the US Merchant Marine Academy. Not just my school, but one of my own classmates!

I was so impressed that I just had to tell someone about it. I looked around and standing nearby was a skinny geeky guy with glasses. I grabbed him by the elbow, dragged him over to my terminal, and said "Check this out! One of us wrote this!" And Andy said "Yes, I know."

Over time we became friends. We worked together after we graduated, we were business partners for awhile, I was the Best Man at his wedding, and I even married his sister.

Andy had the widest range of interests and talents of anyone I've ever known. He was a licensed marine engineer. He was a certified pilot. He was a Naval intelligence officer. He designed and built his own computer when it meant buying parts at Radio Shack and soldering them together. He was an accomplished woodworker who built some of his own furniture. He was an amateur photographer who built his own darkroom. He was a true modern renaissance man.

In recent years I was able to afford him a refuge where he could pursue some of his more exotic interests. I'll never forget the look of childish glee on his face when he ignited his first home made thermite grenade. The last few years he got into making his own fireworks, and we spent many happy hours sitting at the workbench assembling various explosive and incendiary devices. Unfortunately he was never able to try out his idea for lighting a bonfire with a kerosene mortar.

Andy was a good man and a good friend. On my blackest day, he stood beside me. In my darkest hour, he was there for me. I will never forget him, and I will always miss him.

Thom Henderson
11 January 2014