Andrew Joachim, age 74

Andrew George Joachim, 74, of Lake Placid, NY, passed away Tuesday, July 15, 2013 at the Adirondack Medical Center in Saranac Lake, NY. Andy was born in Guatemala City, Guatemala to Heinrich Joachim and Ilonka Breitenbach Joachim. He moved to White Plains, NY as a boy. He served three years in the US Army in Mannheim, Germany and graduated from Cornell University in 1966. Andy worked as a biology teacher at Bethlehem Central High School in Delmar, NY until his retirement, at which time he moved to Lake Placid, NY.

Andy was a passionate man who described himself as a wildlife bio-cellist. He enjoyed doing research and presentations for the American Society of Mammalogists right up until his passing. Andy was often found playing cello in the pit orchestra for various Lake Placid community productions, and also enjoyed playing cello for the Keene Valley Congregational Church in Keene Valley, NY.

Andy is survived by his wife, Sallie Sook Joachim of Lake Placid, and by his children, Janet Joachim Self of Catonsville, MD and Eric Bentley Joachim of Schenectady, NY and grandchildren Margaret and Anna Self. The family would like to thank the ICU team at the Adirondack Medical Center for their compassion during Andy's final days.

The family will receive friends on Friday evening July 19 from 6 to 8 pm. with an American Legion Prayer Service at 7:45 pm at the M. B. Clark Funeral Home in Lake Placid. A funeral service will be held at the Keene Valley Congregational Church at 10:00 am on Saturday, July 20.

Memorial donations may be made in Andy's name to the Keene Valley Congregational Church or the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge, Wilmington, NY.

Relatives and friends are invited to "light a candle" and share a memory or leave online condolences at www.mbclarkfuneralhome.com .