Who Is Andria D. Flax?
A Genealogy Enthusiast, Ardent Bibliophile and Passionate Writer
Andria D. Flax neé Norman claims that her favourite pastime is ‘painting pictures with words,’ and with this in mind, she has dedicated much of her time toward documenting the culture and traditions of the Virgin Islands, as well as information on its seniors, for the edification of future generations. Now that she has paid tribute to some of our well-deserving seniors, she hopes that their names will not be forgotten, and their contributions will not be lost in time.
After a thirty-year banking career that covered the Virgin Islands National Bank/First Pennsylvania Bank, NA/Corestates First Pennsylvania Bank/Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, where she last served as Assistant Branch Manager, Andria retired, and after a short break, provided a few additional years of dedicated service at the B.V.I. Health Services Authority. She then decided to chart her own course and live life to the fullest, while pursuing her passions.
The first Valedictorian of the B.V.I. High School (Class of 1972), she was crowned Miss B.V.I. in 1976. She volunteered two hours of her time each Sunday afternoon, for a number of years, as producer/disc jockey/host of the programme, The Heart of Worship on ZVCR 106.9 FM Radio, ably assisted by her daughter, Chantal. The duo also periodically hosted The Quiet Heart, a fifteen minute devotional aired on ZBVI 780 AM Radio. Andria has also served as a licensed Lay Eucharistic Minister at the St. George's Episcopal Church in Road Town, Tortola.
Her highest academic qualifications to date are a Master of Science degree in Business Management from the Manchester Metropolitan University, and a Level 7 Executive Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute, both in the United Kingdom. Claiming that she was late in discovering her new love, genealogy, she considers the ability to painstakingly comb through archival material and learn about local families to be utterly fascinating. This passion has given birth to A Walk Through The Valley.
The author of The Way We Were and Sharing the Vision, she has other works, including Once Upon A Time and Lord, Look Muh Cross in the pipeline.
A member of the Association of Professional Genealogists in the USA, the Caribbean Genealogy Library in St. Thomas, and the St. John Historical Society, Andria spends countless hours poring over books, and writing about everything and anything. She collects books written in and about the Virgin Islands, enjoys concocting mouth-watering dishes, and loves travelling, especially cruising. She has journeyed extensively, experiencing the cuisines, cultures and customs of a myriad of exotic and exciting faraway countries. And yes, she absolutely loves shopping!
She has been married for ‘forty wonderful years and counting’ to her best friend, Ellsworth, a Virgin Gordian. They reside at élan, their Russell Hill home overlooking picturesque Road Harbour, Tortola, with their two Rottweilers, Butch Cassidy and Betsy-Lou.
The couple has three adult children, Dwayne, Lyle and Chantal, and three grandchildren, Serenity, Alexander and Loucan.