John Joseph Andrews

John Joseph Andrews was born November 26, 1938 to Archie and June (Altig) Andrews on the family farm eight miles south and 4 ½ miles east of Yuma.

As a kid, John’s family raised cows, turkeys, chickens and pigs. They sold eggs and cream to buy groceries. John was baptized in his early years. They spent a lot of time at Grandpa Joe and Grandma Mary Andrews’ house south of Vernon. Bill and Bob Blomstrom came over to play baseball with John frequently. John didn’t play any sports in high school due to the quantity of his chores.

John attended Bald Eagle country school and graduated from Yuma Union High School in 1956. At the time, John was working for Bartlett and Company. He also spent some time working in Wyoming and in Denver for a year.

After high school, John played some softball and American Legion baseball. John was a member of the Hairy Nostrils volleyball team. They won a couple of tournaments along the way and ended up losing to Colorado University in the state tournament at the YMCA.

In December 1959, Pete Beverly married Shirley Niles. John was an usher and June Nau was playing the organ. Once everyone else paired off they were the only two left. And after a morning of fishing at Stalker in Wray, John married June at St. John’s Lutheran Church on June 4, 1961.

John was drafted into the Army in November of 1961. He was confirmed while enlisted. He attended Basic Training at Fort Carson. June joined him when he was transferred to Radio School in Fort Gordon, Georgia. From there they moved to Fort Benning in Georgia where Steven John was born in September of 1963. John’s time in the army ended two months later. It was reported that while in the Army, John would sell the cigarettes he was rationed and use the money to buy fishing gear.  

Upon their return to Yuma, John worked at Bartlett and Company again.

The family was increased with the additions of William Brian in 1965 and James Michael in 1966.

In March of 1967 John and Bob Stallings purchased Bartlett’s small elevator east of town which they named Yuma County Grain.

In 1968 Robert Lee completed the family.                                                                                  

In the fall of 1971, they bought a small farm and later built their current home.

John used to teach Sunday School at St. John’s Lutheran. 

John and June used to load up the family in a motor home with a trailer full of dirt bikes and travel to races. They often would stop in Wray for pizza on the way home from racing in Kansas and Nebraska.

John’s recent count was that he had taken 26 fishing trips to Canada over the years. He’s been in more fishing tournaments than can be counted. Many fishing tournaments were with his sons or grandsons. 

John especially loved attending his grandchildren’s sporting events.

John passed away on September 29, 2017 at the University of Colorado Hospital with his family present.

John is preceded in death by his parents, Archie and June Andrews; sister, Virginia; mother- and father-in-law, Erna and John Nau;  brother-in-law Don Nau; nephew Brad Sigmon; niece Jacque Nau.

Those left to celebrate his life are his wife, June, of 56 years; sons Steve (Barbara), Bill (Terri), Jim (Angela) and Bob. Grandchildren, Kelby Andrews, Lucas Andrews, Ariel (Isaac) Siekawitch, Layne Andrews, Blaine Cooper and Kail Cooper; sister Iona Sigmon (Richard); brother-in-law Kennard (Jan) Nau; sister-in-law, Marvena Nau; nieces and nephews: Rod (April) Sigmon, Todd (Sue) Sigmon, Craig Sigmon, Shad (Alise) Nau, Lisa (DV) Allen, Clint (Nancy) Nau, Tom (Casey) Nau, Jason (Katie) Nau, Michelle Nau and Jenny (Rich) Noble along with numerous other relatives and friends. 

The funeral service was held on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Yuma, Colorado with Reverend Dennis FitzPatrick officiating.  Interment followed at the Yuma Cemetery.  Baucke Funeral Home directed the service.