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Andrea Schaffner, M.D., 70, passed away peacefully at home on March 19, surrounded by family after a two-year battle with cancer. Andrea was born in Chicago and raised in Scarsdale, New York. She attended Barnard College in New York City, medical school at Columbia University, and served her internal medicine residency and geriatric fellowship at Yale New Haven Hospital. She was a pillar of the local medical community, practicing geriatric medicine in Essex and Middletown, for 38 years, serving as the medical director of four local nursing homes, and caring for many thousands of patients across the shoreline.

Andrea was a dedicated, compassionate, and tireless physician who cared for innumerable patients during her career. She was loved by her patients and admired by her colleagues. She was also a wonderful, loving mother, stepmother, wife, daughter, and sister. Andrea and her husband Mike traveled extensively throughout the world, and she and her children shared wonderful trips to adventurous destinations, including Australia, Dubai, London, Mexico, Portugal, and Peru.

Three years ago, she and Mike moved to a house that they both loved in Essex. Andrea greatly enjoyed spending time with her friends and family and taking walks around town. Her other passions and skills included cooking, reading fiction, book clubs, gardening, canasta, and mah jong.

She is survived by her loving husband, Mike Saxe; her children, Rebecca, Brett, and William Herter and his wife Isis; her stepchildren, Sam, Josh, and Gabe Saxe; her siblings, Roberta, John and his wife Susie, and Margie Schaffner and her partner Joe Lari; her grandchildren, Carolina and Sydney Herter; and her golden doodle Maya.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 3, at Congregation Beth Shalom, 55 East Kings Highway in Chester. In lieu of flowers, contributions to the International Rescue Committee for Ukrainian Refugees can be made at www.rescue.org.