Andrea Jo "Andee" Larson, beloved friend and colleague of Stage Coach Players for 40 years, passed away on Sunday, November 13 ^th . Andee's brother Bill and six Stage Coach friends were with her on her last day.

Born January 17, 1954 to Kenneth and Geraldine Larson (both deceased), Andee had two siblings, Bill and Ken. Ken is deceased and was married to Barb. Their children are Holly, Tracy, Heidi, Rebecca, Ken and Paul. Andee and Bill have an additional 10 great nieces and nephews.

Andee was born and grew up in Waukegan, Illinois. As a young woman she did plays at Waukegan Township High School and Waukegan Community Players, which was the beginning of her life-long involvement with community theater. She graduated from WTHS and later came to DeKalb to attend NIU. Finishing a B.A. in Journalism in 1982, Andee started working in NIU's Counseling and Student Development Center. Andee retired from NIU in 2009.

Andee also joined Stage Coach Players in 1982, auditioning and winning a part in Pal Joey. Stage Coach became Andee's family and second home, and she stayed with us for the next 40 years. She served terms as Board Member, Corresponding Secretary, and President. Andee won both of the highest awards Stage Coach uses to recognize members' contributions: Stage Coacher of the Year and Lucille Aikens Lifetime Achievement. She directed eight shows for Stage Coach: 84 Charing Cross Road, Nuts, Stepping Out, Anne of Green Gables, I Hate Hamlet, The Foreigner, The Egg and I, and Love Sex and the I.R.S. She appeared on stage in at least 12 productions, including Harvey, Sabrina Fair, Enter a Free Man, Gypsy, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Ravenscroft, and It's a Wonderful Life. Andee also ran lights or sound for dozens and dozens of shows.

Although Stage Coach was a dominant interest in Andee's life, she did have other interests and hobbies. Andee was a voracious reader and kept notebooks listing every book she read. She loved to go to auctions, garage sales, and resale shops, looking especially for clothing, jewelry, and planters. She loved animals and volunteered at Tails Humane Society. Discovering knitting, Andee spent many hours making hats, scarfs, throws, and baby blankets for friends and acquaintances.

We will all miss Andee. Facebook pages at Stage Coach have been full of remembrances in recent days, with members commenting on how much Andee meant to them. We will have a celebration of her life at the theater sometime soon. Those who are interested in doing so can send donations in Andee's name to Stage Coach Players, Tails, or DeKalb County Community Gardens.