Andre Yokana ’48 *48

Andre died New Year’s Day 2020 in Princeton. He was 94.

Andre and his late younger brother Lucien were ’48 classmates and, as alumni, among the leaders for our class reunions, in other University activities, and as community volunteers. They were born in Prague, Czechoslovakia (Andre in 1925), and grew into their college years in Alexandria, Egypt.

In 1946 the Yokana family moved to the United States and Andre entered Princeton. He graduated in October 1947 with highest honors in mechanical engineering and election to Phi Beta Kappa. By 1948 he had earned a Princeton master’s degree. He did further studies at the Harvard School of Applied Science.

Until 1956 he was a management consultant in a New York City firm. Then he joined Lucien at Sterling Extruder Corp., a company Lucien had founded that became one of the largest and most innovative companies in its industry. He held the presidency and other executive positions at Sterling and successor companies until he retired in 2005.

Andre and Frances Mary (Brown) were married in 1954. They lived in Princeton and spent many summers in Greensboro, Vt. Frances died in 2018. They are survived by two children, son Davis ’82 and daughter Lisa; and two grandchildren.