Obituary of Carmine C. Dandrea

Carmine C. Dandrea, a longtime resident of Pine City, NY, passed away peacefully at home at age 93, on Sunday, February 19, 2023, following a gradual decline in health. Born on July 30, 1929 in Elmira, NY, Carmine was the son of the late Carmine S. and Mary E. (DePietto) Dandrea. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife and best friend, Nancy R. Dandrea, brother James R. Dandrea and sister Grace Marie Dandrea. Carmine served with the 1st Marine Division during the Korean War and was awarded the Purple Heart Medal. He graduated with a BA in English from Hobart College, an MS from Elmira College and an MFA in Creative Writing at Cornell University. He was a professor of English at Elmira College and later at Lake Michigan College. Dedicated to his craft, Carmine had poems published in journals, reviews and anthologies; he won over fifty national and international awards. His works comprise twelve books of poetry, the last published in 2022. An ardent practitioner of poetry as oral art, he read his work in Athens, Beirut, Istanbul, New Delhi and throughout India; in Katmandu, Ireland, China, and in the United States. Carmine loved teaching and inspiring others in their writing ambitions. He had a quick wit, a great sense of humor and enjoyed a stimulating conversation or debate. Carmine enjoyed life, especially spending time with his family and friends. Antiquing adventures throughout Michigan and Upstate NY brought much joy to Carmine and his wife Nancy. Surviving him is his son, Michael (Barbara) Dandrea of Horseheads, NY, and their sons, Kyle, Aaron, Blake, James (Caitlin) and Andrew; daughter, Karen Dandrea of Elmira, and her daughter, Elizabeth; step-daughter, Anne D. (David) Morrell of Himrod, NY, and their children, Bryan, Sarah and Stephen; step-daughter, Jane D. (Gary) Sokolowski, Crossville, TN, and their children, Julie, John, Jessica and Emily; five great-grandchildren, Alice, Cassius, Tilian, Akasha and Aidden; many friends and his beloved dog Harry. Family and friends will be received from 3-5 p.m. Sunday, February 26th at Lynch Funeral Home, 318 W. Broad St, Horseheads, NY. www.lynchsfuneralhome.com Funeral services will take place at 10 a.m. Monday, February 27th at Lynch Funeral Home. Interment with Military Honors will follow at St. Peter and Paul's Cemetery. Many thanks to Carmine's caregivers including Linda, Beth, Jessica, Kim, Kris, Pamela, Sandy and Vicki. These remarkable women became much more than caregivers, they became much appreciated friends. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Carmine's memory to: Marine Toys for Tots (https://www.toysfortots.org) or The Elmira Free Community Kitchen (https://cs-cc.org/elmira-community-kitchen)