Andrew Miketa died unexpectedly while undergoing emergency surgery at Buttersville Hospital, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Andrew was born in Girard, Ohio to immigrant parents, Andrew and Anna (Tomsco) Miketa. The family moved to Baden, Pa., where Andrew attended Ambridge High School. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received a football scholarship, playing for the Tar Heels throughout his college career. He served two years as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, stationed at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C. He joined the Detroit Lions football team as their starting center in 1953, playing two seasons snapping the ball to Bobby Layne and winning the NFL Championship game in 1953. After leaving football, he entered dental school at the University of North Carolina. He opened and maintained a private practice in Chapel Hill, performing dentistry with his trademark sense of humor. In 1953, he married his one true love, the lovely Mary Louise Monk. They had seven children.
Andrew was one of those rare humans that really would give you the “shirt off his back,†only to be left wondering why he was shirtless. He showed his love of life by giving to all, sometimes to his own detriment. He wanted to create spaces for young people to gather, to play sports or to simply hang-out and be happy together, much to the aggravation of many city officials. Andrew walked to the beat of a different drummer, making him all the more lovable to those who walked to the same beat. No one was a stranger to Andrew. All were welcome at his dining table, whether it was at home or a restaurant.
Andrew loved his family above all. He was preceded in death by his daughters Mary Jane Monk and Suzi Miketa Wagner; brothers Ernest, James and Edward; and sister Helen. He is survived by his daughter Sally Miketa Stern; his sons Andrew Miketa Jr., Bill Miketa, Mike Miketa and John Miketa, his son-in-law, Bud Matthews; sisters-in-law, Nan McCabe, Mid, Dolly, Janice and Marion; brothers Eugene, Donald and George; sister Dorothy Kelly; grandchildren Myles, Madison, Melissa, Matthew and Elliot; and many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to extend their gratitude to Jen and her staff at the Hadley Center for their kindness and patience while dealing with our father’s forgetfulness, along with Rob, Dr. Kokx and their staff at Memorial Medical Center, Ludington, Mich. for their actions and attitudes while attempting to save our father’s life. You gave it all you had to help him fight the good fight. We will always remember how you brought out his sense of humor even as he lay dying. We could not have endured this without you all.
Mass for family and close friends will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday April 17 in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception Church, Durham, N.C. A celebration of Andrew’s life will be held at Time-Out Sports Bar and Restaurant, Fordham Blvd., Chapel Hill from 4 to 7 p.m. the same day.