ANDREW CHRISTOPHER HORCHLER

ELLSWORTH – Andrew Christopher Horchler, 67, died Nov. 14, 2008, in a car accident. He had been fighting cancer for the past 11 years. Andrew was born Nov. 10, 1941, in Budapest, Hungary, to Dora and Henry Horchler. After the end of World War II, his family fled to Austria, escaping the Soviet forces. Andrew spent his childhood years as a refugee in Austria and Belgium, before immigrating to the United States aboard a Liberty ship at the age of nine. In 1961 after graduating high school in Philadelphia, he enlisted in the U.S. Army for four years and was stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany, as an aviation mechanic. In 1980 he moved his family to Maine and established his own business, A1 Iron Works. A voracious reader of literature and history, classical music enthusiast and film buff, Andrew was regularly seen engaged in lively discussions at the Bagel Shop, Ellsworth. Andrew was a regular participant in the local contra-dancing scene. An avid skier, canoer, hunter and hiker, Andrew loved the beauty of the Maine outdoors and contributed to its preservation through his volunteer work for Orono Bog Boardwalk. He also donated his time to build handicap ramps for the elderly. Andrew is survived by his sons, Mark, Philip and Orson; two sisters, two brothers, five grandchildren and an extended family spread across four continents. A celebration of life will be held 11 a.m. Dec. 20 on the second floor of Maine Grind, 192 Main St., Ellsworth. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Cancer Institute at www.cancer.gov.