Wolfram Andrews Retires After 45 Years In Practice

Dr. Wolfram Andrews, who retired in May from practicing optometry in New Holland for 40 years, remembers well when he and Jay Stoltzfus first opened Optometric Associates at 117 W. Main St. "The first year, 1981, we made $4,000 each, and we thought we were doing good," recalled Wolfram. "It was a very humble beginning, but we wanted to be in a family setting, and it doesn't get much nicer than this."

Wolfram was almost surprised by a retirement party on May 21 planned in his honor by his son Dr. Jonathan Andrews, who now practices at Optometric Associates, and Wolfram's wife, Arlene. "I didn't know anything until 24 hours ago," said Wolfram between greeting guests under the canopy set up behind his practice. "A patient slipped up and said, 'I see you're having an open house tomorrow,'" he noted.

The story of Wolfram's long tenure in New Holland began in 1967 in Stuttgart, Germany. "I came here from Germany at age 18 1/2," said Wolfram. "My parents gave me $1,000 and packed two suitcases and waved goodbye and said, 'Good luck to you, son.'" In America, Wolfram did his undergraduate work at Ohio State University, where he majored in math. He graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Optometry in in Philadelphia in 1976.

After moving to the Lancaster County area, Wolfram partnered with Stoltzfus, and the pair practiced with a national chain at Park City. "I wanted a quieter setting and a road less traveled," remembered Wolfram. In New Holland, the building where Howard Barr had practiced optometry years earlier became available, and the two doctors decided to make a move after about five years at Park City. "We opened cold out here as a 50/50 partnership," said Wolfram. Jonathan recalled hearing stories of how Wolfram and Stoltzfus painted baseboards between patients the first week, but soon they became busier. "Within a couple years, we had a nice practice," said Wolfram.

Jonathan said that about a year ago, his dad set his sights on retiring at this time of year. "(My father) has been dwindling his schedule. He would see patients half the day. He felt the beginning of summer was a good date (to retire)," he said.

Wolfram said the biggest changes he has seen in more than 40 years of practice have been in the area of technology and computerization in both equipment and health records. "It's a lot to keep up with," he said, adding that he enjoyed patient care more than doing charts and dealing with regulations.

Jonathan said that taking over his father's practice was something he had thought of since he was a child. "It was between that and dentistry," he said, noting that he thinks optometry provides a fulfilling way to help patients without discomfort. He now practices with his wife, Dr. Kathryn Andrews, who specializes in treating children as well as adults, and Dr. Cindy Koza.

More information about the practice may be found at http://www.optometricassociates.net.