Abraham (“Aby” “Andy” “Opa”) Staal
March 28, 1928 – June 7, 2011
Andy was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In 1942, his family went into hiding in Ermelo, the Netherlands, in a farmhouse owned by Frederick and Sophia Keijzer. After someone tipped off the authorities in 1943, the family was arrested and murdered by the Nazis in Sobibor concentration camp. Andy escaped from the Nazis and went into hiding alone, at the age of 15. With the help of many courageous people in Ermelo and nearby towns, Andy survived the war. He emigrated to the USA, married Ursel Weinberg in 1960, became a stockbroker, lived in New York, had two children, Lorri and Leivi, and 12 grandchildren. He loved art and he loved to ski, sail, bike and swim — anything active; he was also a persistent student, teaching himself French by reading and annotating countless French spy novels. In his lifetime, he endured great tragedy but also great joy. His fortitude, honesty, wisdom, corny sense of humor and generosity blessed the people around him. His story is reflected in the photographs, videos and documents posted on this website.
Andy’s beloved wife, Ursel Staal, passed away on May 21, 2019. May their memory be a blessing.
