Dec

His favorite quote was: "I don't have time to convince people I'm not who I'm not…I have a hard enough time convincing you who I am." (Trevor "Cupid" Hale, Cupid, "A Grand Delusion.")

It seems unjust when someone incredibly young and gifted, and wise beyond his years dies at the age of 31.

He was an actor, a playwright, a singer, a communicator, and beloved by his family, fiancée, friends, and strangers whom he graced with random acts of kindness. He was God's gift to so many, and his passing on Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, in his apartment in Somerville, Mass., of natural causes has left a void that is unfillable.

Andre V.T. Dec was born in Pittsburgh's Shadyside Hospital on Oct. 9, 1974. He graduated from Butler Catholic, and Butler High School. He was an honor student, gathering academic honors effortlessly through the years.

Taking part in the Western Pennsylvania Renaissance Festival, the Butler Theatre Guild, and spending two summers participating in Oneonta College's theater workshop project in New York, Andre knew that he wanted to pursue a career as an actor.

After his high school graduation in 1993, he accepted a full scholarship at Charleston Southern University. Throughout his freshman year, he earned lasting friendships while getting perfect grades. He appeared in several plays in Charleston, and participated in the annual Charleston Maritime Festival.

Transferring to Emerson College in Boston, he completed his degree there as a scholarship student, winning over 30 awards in forensics, debate and oratory, being awarded a trophy as the finest speaker in New England. He was the vice-president of Emerson College's Forensics Team, and competed with it in Portugal. He was invited to speak in England on the death of Princess Diana, and its significance on world culture.

He graduated summa cum laude from Emerson in 1998 with a degree in performing arts. He performed in various theatrical productions in Boston, traveled to Portugal again, a country he loved, and to Germany and Denmark.

He worked at Harvard, Yale, Boston College, Shriners Children's Hospital in Portland, Oregon and the Perkin's School for the Blind, using his intelligence and skills as a communicator for organizational purposes.

The death of a gifted young man is unjust. This young man's life was a gift. He accomplished so much in so little time. He will be dearly missed by his parents, Julian and Cynthia Dec of Butler; his brother, Valerian Dec of Butler; and his fiancée, Jolanta Komornicka of Boston, Mass.

<B>DEC</B> — Friends of Andre V.T. Dec, who died Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006, will be received from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul Roman Catholic Church, North McKean Street. Interment will be at North Cemetery.