August 19, 1973-August 16, 2021
Andrea Pauline Whitaker was born August 19, 1973, in Berkeley, California and passed away August 16, 2021, in New York, New York. She was 47 years old.
Andrea is survived by and is the beloved daughter of Ellen and Preston Taylor of Jefferson, Texas, and Charles and Patricia Whitaker of Cleveland, Ohio.
Andrea is the cherished sister of Sara Whitaker, Danielle Bivens, Craig Taylor, Steve Taylor, and vibrant cousin to Adam Lundgren, Andrew Lundgren, Bill Lundgren, and Matthew Lundgren, and endeared niece to the late Richard Lundgren, Sharon Lundgren, Harold Lundgren, Jr., Julia Lundgren, and Margaret Riehlman.
She was the firstborn grandchild to Harold Lundgren, Sr. and Adelaide Lundgren who absolutely adored her and traveled across the United States to attend her starring performances in plays and musicals.
The love of Andrea’s life was architect and artist Christian Lewis, her fiancé, who she met in 2013. A joy in her life was being a mom to Christian’s son, Liam.
A source of strength and blessing for Andrea was her lineage as a Daughter of the American Revolution on the paternal side of her family and the great-granddaughter of Ellis Island arrivals from Sweden on her maternal side.
As a child, Andrea was destined to be on stage and perform. Her singing and acting talents graced the stages of Marin Civic Light Opera, San Jose Civic Light Opera, Paramount’s Great America Theatre, Woodminster Theatre, American Conservatory Theatre’s Young Conservatory and other theatre companies throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. She was an inextinguishable bright light at San Ramon Valley High School in Danville, California, where she upset the status quo as an unknown, petite freshman when she was cast in 1987 as the mysterious fairy “Puck” in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a role sought by many upperclassmen. She continued to star in lead roles in plays and musicals throughout her tenure at San Ramon Valley High School where she was a talented, irreplaceable leader, singer, and actress in the drama and choir programs. Andrea’s love for singing and acting led her to New York City in 1991, where she attended American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) on scholarship.
Andrea loved Manhattan, and often referred to the borough as her island. After studying at AMDA, she regularly sang in venues throughout Manhattan, including The Friars Club. Her greatest contribution in New York was the advocacy work she accomplished in forming a coalition for the homeless and mentally disabled population. Andrea’s work provided tangible resources which restored their dignity and independence. Her determination and activism secured a grant which provided a mental health advocate, medical assistance, computer access, office space, and invaluable resources to improve the quality of life for the overlooked and disenfranchised.
Fiercely loyal, loving, protective, compassionate, generous, brilliant, beautiful, gutsy, quick-witted, and larger than life, Andrea not only leaves behind a broken-hearted family who dearly loves her, but cherished and lifelong friends who deeply grieve her passing.
A memorial service for Andrea Whitaker will be held at noon on Friday, September 10, 2021, at First Baptist Church, 523 N. Polk St., Jefferson, Texas with a luncheon to follow. The service will be officiated by Rev. James Williamson of Calvary Assembly of God and Dr. Jeff Taylor of First Baptist Church. It will be livestreamed.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Let Them Live (www.LetThemLive.org), an organization filling a gap in the pro-life movement. This nonprofit provides tangible resources to women facing a crisis pregnancy.