On June 21, 2023, Line Wilhelmina Piket Andes went to be with the Lord, in the presence of family, after a long battle with Alzheimer's. She was 86. The world has lost a remarkable woman.
Lineke, as Line was affectionately known, was born on January 24, 1937, in Naarden, the Netherlands, to the late Jacob Piket and Tine Machteld Berkhout. Like many Dutch children, Lineke enjoyed ice skating with her parents and sister along the many canals of Holland. When the Germans invaded the Netherlands in May 1940, Lineke's life was forever altered. She and her parents, who were part of the resistance and kept a radio hidden under the kitchen floorboards, were bombed out of their home twice. Food was scarce. Her mother died when she was 10. Soon thereafter, she was sent away to live with distant relatives, returning a year later to find her father remarried. Her sister, who was young at the time, died when Lineke was 16.
After the war, Lineke finished her secondary schooling and became an au pair to an American family in London. She accompanied them back to the United States, working for KLM, the Royal Dutch Airlines, living in Georgetown, Washington, DC. There, Lineke met the love of her life, Paul Gowdy Andes. After a brief courtship, they were married on August 30, 1958. Their marriage lasted almost 62 years until Paul passed away in March 2020.
Though she had experienced much childhood trauma, Lineke showed none of the possible effects. She was strong and brave, kind and loving, industrious and hardworking, humble, loyal and reliable. She was fluent in five languages. She was an excellent wife and mother, throwing all of her energies into those roles, always putting her husband and children ahead of herself. She taught herself how to sew and became an accomplished seamstress. She was game to try whatever was needed, even if it was cooking a wild duck unexpectedly shot by her son. Whatever she put her hand to, she did with excellence, including running a travel agency for a time. She was an exceptional cook and was well known for her delicious crab imperial. Lineke was an inviting and gracious hostess. She was good at making and cultivating friendships. She and Paul loved to entertain, and their home was often full of family and neighborhood friends.
In 1990, after Paul retired from a long career as a commercial airline pilot, Lineke enthusiastically agreed to become Paul's "co-pilot" aboard their forty-five foot sailboat, appropriately named 'Free Flight.' She was a good sport. In 1992, they boarded 'Free Flight' in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and together sailed across the Atlantic Ocean, passing through the Straits of Gibraltar into the Mediterranean Sea, where they spent their time cruising and exploring the coastlines, meeting new friends, and discovering new places. After four years of adventure, they sold their boat, flew home and settled in Stuart, FL, where Lineke took up golf with Paul, and they spent their days on the course and their evenings socializing with neighbors and friends. They would later move to Atlantic Beach, FL to the Fleet Landing retirement community.
Lineke is survived by her daughter, Erica Gamble (Charles) and her son, Scott Andes (Victoria); five grandchildren, Paul Gamble (Deb), Annelies Gamble (Jordan), Nathan Andes, Amina Andes, and Diana Andes, and one great granddaughter, Charlotte Gamble.
The funeral service for Mrs. Andes will be held at 10 o'clock on Friday, August 11th, at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia, SC. The family will receive friends the evening prior from 5 until 7 o'clock at the funeral home. Burial will take place at Fort Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Road, Columbia, SC.
The family would like to thank the wonderful people at Lighthouse Hospice, especially Stephanie Daniels, who made it possible for Lineke to spend her last few months with family. Thank you for your loving care, competent help, and support of all kinds.
A livestream will be available at the time of the service under "Current Webcast" at ShivesFuneralHome.com.