William Andrews, Jr

William L. Andrews, 88 years, died of heart failure peacefully at his home Thursday at 1:30 am on June 2, 2005. A World War II veteran, an attorney, an educator and a farmer, he regarded his greatest accomplishment being a father. His best times were those years spent with his wife of sixty years and his six children on the Lewisburg family farm he inherited from his parents: William L. and Stella Simpson Andrews.

In his last year of law school at Vanderbilt, he was conscripted in the first peacetime draft in U.S. history and served for five-and-one-half years. It was as an officer in the army medical corps at Stuttgart Army Airfield that he met and married Elizabeth Early, head surgical nurse at the base hospital. They both received the American Campaign Medal for service to their country in the Second World War.

After receiving his law degree, he and his wife moved to their 236 acre farm on the outskirts of Lewisburg where they raised their children. Mr. Andrews supplemented his farm income with a career in education as a teacher and principal. After retiring, he changed the farm operation from dairy to beef cattle.

A communicant at St. Johns Catholic Church, he was the organist for forty years. In a recent salute to him by the local Knights of Columbus, he was described as a man beloved by his life-long friends at St. Johns and by all who know his soft-spoken manner and kindness. Very endearing is his love of people and his touch of shyness.

Ever the educator, he gave to his sons for their instruction copies of his favorite essay by John Cardinal Newman - The Definition of a Gentleman. All of his children regard the passages of this tract emblematic of their fathers personality and values. They consider its words a fitting epitaph for a true Southern gentleman:

He is tender towards the bashful, gentle towards the distant, and merciful towards the absurd. He is seldom prominent in conversation and never wearisome. He makes light of favors while he does them, and seems to be receiving when he is conferring. He is patient, forbearing, and resigned. He submits to pain because it is inevitable, to bereavement because it is irreparable, and to death because it is his destiny.

Mr. Andrews is survived by his wife Elizabeth, children William X. Claudia Sainz Andrews of Columbia, John Early Sue Sullivan Andrews of Colora, MD, David Edward Early Judith Condon Andrews of Chattanooga, Joan Andrews Chris Bell of Montague, New Jersey, Susan Andrews Dave Brindle of Lewisburg, and Miriam Andrews John Lademan of Annapolis, MD, and thirty-eight grandchildren and adopted grandchildren.

Visitation will be at Bills-McGaugh Funeral Home in Lewisburg on Sunday evening from 5:00 7:00 PM. The Rosary will be prayed at 7:00 PM Sunday in the chapel of Bills McGaugh Funeral Home. A requiem mass will be concelebrated by Rev. Thomas Perrin, pastor of St. Johns, and Rev. Zacharias Payikat of Karala, India, at St. Johns Catholic Church in Lewisburg at 11:00 am on Monday, June 6th. Burial will follow in the Andrews-Liggett Cemetery on Franklin Pike, with full military honors.

Pallbearers will be grandsons Matthew, Will and Glennon Andrews, Joseph Andrews, and Andrew, Daniel, Michael, and Joey Brindle.

The family requests prayers in lieu of flowers.

Bills McGaugh Funeral Home and the United States Forest Service have provided for the planting of a tree in memory of Mr. Andrews.

'Safely Home'

'I am home in heaven, dear ones;
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.

All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
You shall rest in God's own land.

There is work still waiting for you.
So you must not idly stand;
Do it now, while life remaineth-
You shall rest in God's own land.

When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you Home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come!'