Andrew F. Teshko, 82, of Lincoln Avenue, Hamilton, husband of Charlotte J. (Stone) Teshko, died Monday March 16, 2009 in the Essex Park Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Beverly following his long illness.

Born in Peabody February 3, 1927, son of the late Feodor and Agrepena (Degoda) Teshko, he was raised in Peabody and was a member of the Peabody High School Class of 1945. During the last years of WWII he served with the U.S. Army. For thirty-four years he was employed as a shipper and equipment operator by the Eastman Gelatin Company in Peabody from which he retired in 1984.

As a young man he was a competitive weight-lifter, having belonged to many of the North Shore gyms. For more than fifty years he played the accordion with his band “The Andy Fredericks Band”, performing at weddings, clubs and picnics. He enjoyed pro sports and he and his wife enjoyed traveling the Unites States and Europe.

Mr. Teshko was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church in Hamilton, where he served as the head usher for thirty-one years, and was a member of the John T. Heard Masonic Lodge, AF&AM of Ipswich,  the A.P. Gardner AMVETS Post 194 of Hamilton and  the Alleppo Shrine, playing drums in their band. He was also a member of the Council on Aging in Hamilton, a member of the Hamilton Community House and served on the Board of Directors at Senior Care of Gloucester.

He was the brother of the late Ann Sikorsky, formerly of Peabody.

His funeral service will be held Friday, March 20,  11 am in the First United Methodist Church, Bay Road, South Hamilton followed by interment with Army Honors in the Hamilton Cemetery. Family and friends are respectfully welcomed. Visiting hours are Thursday 4 to 8 pm in the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home, 6 High Street, Ipswich. Memorial contributions in his name may be made to the First United Methodist  Church, 351 Bay Road, South Hamilton, MA 01982 and , or the Parkinson's Foundation, 1501 NW 9th Ave, Miami, FL 33136