Andrew “Andy” Joseph Marsala

Andrew “Andy” Joseph Marsala, 83, passed away of natural causes on March 5, 2026, in Palatine, Illinois, after facing health challenges over the past decade.

Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Joseph Marsala and Catherine Pocaro, Andy lived a life defined by creativity, reinvention, and a lifelong devotion to music and the arts. A graduate of Farmingdale High School and the Manhattan School of Music, he was a jazz prodigy on the alto saxophone. As a teenager he became the principal soloist with the Newport Youth Band, performing at the Newport Jazz Festival and earning recognition from The New Yorker. He later performed with the International Youth Band, sharing stages with jazz legends including Cannonball Adderley and Louis Armstrong. One memorable moment saw him trading musical phrases with Adderley in a thrilling exchange that captured his early promise.

Andy pursued diverse careers in music, social work, programming, and massage therapy while building and nurturing family bonds across multiple generations. He first shared a family with his former wife Susan and her three children, then with Karen Lee Green, with whom he had Jillian and Jordan. Later he shared deep love and companionship with his wife Gretchen, who was with him during his final moments. He is survived by Gretchen Schmalz; daughter Jillian Marsala; son Jordan Marsala; stepchildren Evan, Madelyn, and Mya; sister Roseann Ebert; and grandchildren Jack and Edie Guberman. He was preceded in death by the mother of his children, Karen Lee Green.

A composer, arranger, and writer, Andy left behind a creative legacy of music, poems, and stories. He embraced life fully, including martial arts, jogging, and active living, and often reflected on the fleeting nature of moments, believing that life lives on in memory and in the connections we make. His spirit will continue to resonate in the memories of those who knew him and in the music he leaves behind.