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Mason Cooke Andrews (April 19, 1919, in Norfolk, Virginia – October 13, 2006, in Norfolk, Virginia) was a Virginia politician and physician, known for delivering America's first in vitro baby. A president of the American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society, Andrews also served on the Norfolk City Council for 26 years and was mayor from 1992-1994. "Timeline: Mason Andrews' remarkable career", The Virginian-Pilot, October 14, 2006
Writing at the time of Andrews' death, Patricia Sullivan of The Washington Post observed that "the birth of the first U.S. 'test-tube baby' gave hope to hundreds of thousands of U.S. women who were unable to become pregnant. Carr was the first of about 330,000 babies who have since been born through in vitro fertilization in the United States, according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine."
In 1964, the Eastern Virginia Medical Center Authority was formed with the charge of developing the new medical school. Andrews served as the chairman of the authority from 1964-1970. Speaking in 2006, EVMS President Harry T. Lester stated that "Dr. Andrews is rightfully seen as the prime mover behind EVMS." "EVMS honors the memory of its 'prime mover'", Eastern Virginia Medical School, November 1, 2006
Under Andrews' leadership, a medical center complex was built in an area that had once been slums. The medical complex now consists of the EVMS campus, Norfolk General Hospital, the Medical Tower, the Norfolk Public Health Department, Children's Hospital of the King's Daughters and the Tidewater Rehabilitation Institute.
In addition, as chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at EVMS, Andrews was instrumental in bringing the team of Drs. Howard and Georgeanna Jones to Norfolk. The Drs. Jones specialized in treating infertility problems. In 1981, they brought international attention to Norfolk with the role they played in Elizabeth Carr's birth. With the success of the in-vitro fertilization program, the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine was founded in 1983.
Other downtown projects promoted by Andrews included the Norfolk campus of Tidewater Community College.
"In many ways, he was the architect of downtown as we now know it," said Cathy Coleman, of the Downtown Norfolk Council. Quoted by The Virginian-Pilot in 2006, Coleman remarked that "(Andrews') imprint is everywhere, from the waterfront to Main Street to Tidewater Community College to the medical center to the streetscapes – it just goes on and on."
Andrews promoted a downtown development strategy that combined meticulous planning with millions of dollars of city money to lure private investment. Once the region's retail core, downtown had been decimated by suburban shopping malls. Waterfront property was considered so cheap that it was used for parking. Andrews championed downtown Norfolk as the Hampton Roads region's business and entertainment center. The waterfront, he said, should become the focal point of downtown life. By the time of his death, what was once regarded as his farfetched vision had been realized.
Andrews began a successful OB/GYN private practice in Norfolk in 1950.
Andrews was married to Sabine Alston Goodman Andrews for 57 years. They had two daughters, Jean and Mason.
Elizabeth Carr would grow up to become a newspaper reporter in Augusta, Maine and later worked for boston.com. "The running joke in my family was that Mason, whom we called Mace the Ace, had the plans for Waterside at the same time I was about to be born," she said. "My parents always said we were Mace's two babies."
She said Andrews made a point of staying in touch with her, always called her on holidays and sent her a wedding gift.
"I grew up on Mason's lap," she said. "Every time we got together, he would make a point to take my family out to dinner and would always make sure I was keeping my grades up."
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