The Archbishop Molloy High School community is in mourning following the passing of Brother Robert Andrews, known as Brother Bob, on April 7, 2020. Brother Bob died from complications related to coronavirus.
Brother Bob served Molloy High School for over 43 years. He began his teaching and coaching career at St. Helene High School, now known as Msgr. Scanlan High School, in the Bronx in 1970. After five years as their varsity boys coach, he transitioned to Molloy High School in 1975.
Brother Bob served as a social studies and religion teacher as well as a track and field and cross-country coach. During his tenure, Brother Bob helped countless student athletes realize their full potential.
Under his leadership, Molloy won a New York State Cross-Country Championship, 17 New York City Catholic Indoor and Outdoor Titles, and over 75 Brooklyn/Queens Catholic Sectional Championships. Molloy’s student-athletes also achieved individual success under Brother Bob’s guidance, winning three Catholic Individual Cross-Country Races and 11 New York State individual titles.
Brother Bob’s love of running was first nurtured while he attended St. Peter’s High School for Boys on Staten Island. There, he was mentored by Coach John Tobin, who helped him grow intellectually and physically as a runner. Later, Brother Bob was appointed cross-country captain at Marist College where he would graduate with a degree in History in 1969. Brother Bob completed his MA in Religious Studies at Webster College.
Brother Bob retired from teaching at the end of the 2014-15 school year, but he remained an active member of Molloy’s coaching staff. He also continued to contribute to the planning and day-of coordination of the Stanner Games, Molloy’s annual large-scale track and field meet held at The Armory in Manhattan. The nationally recognized meet welcomes thousands of student-athletes from hundreds of schools to compete in a full-array of track and field events.
Brother Bob has been recognized for his contributions to high school track and field with induction into the Catholic High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, the Armory Hall of Fame, the US Track & Field Hall of Fame, and Molloy’s Track & Field Wall of Honor. The Marist Brothers recently honored the memory of Brother Bob by planting a tree at their retreat property in Esopus, New York.
The Marist Brothers announced that due to current restrictions on public gatherings, a memorial mass for Brother Bob will be held on a later date. Molloy High School asks the community to join them in prayer for the repose of the soul of Brother Bob.
On their Facebook page, alumni mourned and remembered Brother Bob as an “inspiration” and an “absolute treasure.”
Announcements regarding future plans for a memorial can be found on the Molloy website at www.molloyhs.org.
