Andrew Reynolds Snarski

Andy, 66, passed away on Friday, February 27, 2026 after 553 days living with, adapting to, and trying to defy the sh*tty disease - ALS.

He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Cindy Ritt, and two children, Nicole (Zack) Brickhouse and Alex Snarski (Nicole Aarts). He also leaves two grandchildren, Wyatt and Nicole ‘Coco’ Brickhouse.

Andy is also survived by seven siblings: Elisabeth (Steve) Bissell, Bill Snarski, Sarah (Rob) Berrett, Tom (Marijean) Snarski, Tim (Shawn) Snarski, Nick (Jill) Snarski, and Maria Snarski (Pete Giorgianni). Survivors also include his sister- and brother-in-law, Barbara and Mark Balasi.

He leaves behind many cousins, nieces and nephews and beloved friends (new and old - and too many to list!) and his first wife, Kimberly Tijunelis, the mother of Nicole and Alex.

Andy grew up in Waukegan, Illinois, the fifth child of Eugene and Sally Snarski, who preceded him in death. He attended Waukegan East High School and he was the middle brother of the locally known Waukegan triplets (Tom, Andy, and Tim). Andy graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in accounting and worked for IMC (later Mosaic) as a logistics expert for many years.

Upon meeting Cindy he moved to Crystal Lake, Iowa (Illinois, actually, but Andy always joked about how far west it was) where he was warmly welcomed into the community. Not being one to sit back and let time pass him by, when he retired, he became involved in volunteering, tax preparation for AARP, organic farming, gardening, and much more. His family and friends looked forward to being gifted his homemade bacon and hot sauces. He valued learning new skills, and was looking forward to his next endeavor - producing handmade leather gifts for his family.

He loved the Wisconsin Northwoods and visited whenever he could. He competed in many marathons, triathlons and the demanding single-day IRONMAN race. By far, his toughest challenge was facing what his family refers to as the sh*tty diagnosis of ALS.

Andy lived and loved fully. He was diagnosed with ALS two days before his 65th birthday. He faced the disease bravely, honestly, and with humor. Andy never gave up. He knew the love of family and friends and didn't hesitate to say, “I love you,” when they departed. His love and courage over the 553 days he lived with ALS changed all who knew him. He took us on his daily journey through his blog, and we became Andy’s Army. His resilience was evident in his "roll away the dew" attitude. Andy was very proud of the over $60,000 Andy’s Army raised on behalf of ALS United through his two children, his niece Meghan, and family friend Mike, running in the Chicago marathon in 2025. Together, his family and friends are continuing the cause in raising both awareness and funds through Andy’s Army’s participation in the 2026 Chicago marathon.

A celebration of Andy’s life will be held at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to ALS United in honor of Andy.