Nancy Lee Anderson-Andrews, 61
Nancy Lee Anderson-Andrews, of Kooskia, Idaho, passed away Nov. 5, 2011, from injuries suffered in an automobile accident near McCall, Idaho.
Nancy was born Aug. 19, 1950, in Logan, Utah, to Joseph Merlin and Nina Anderson. Her early childhood was in the little pioneer town of Franklin, Idaho, where her dad had begun his practice as a naturopathic physician. Her dad visited his sister in Columbia Falls and fell in love with Montana. Nancy was 6 when the family moved their cabin in the West Valley area of Kalispell. She was the only first grader in the little one room Spark’s School on the corner of Farm to Market and Church Drive. The next year they moved to Evergreen, where the radio station is now located. Nancy loved learning and being involved in extracurricular activities. She graduated from Flathead High School in 1968.
Nancy went to Grangeville, Idaho, for the summer where she met Ron Andrews at a church dance. She went to Ricks College, (now BYU Idaho) that fall. They continued their courtship through letters and phone calls. They were married Sept. 10, 1969. They both loved music and shared their talents often.
Nancy’s greatest love and devotion were to God and family. She was always seeking to improve herself and to be of service to those around her in the church and community. After seven children, she went back to school to achieve her dream to become a registered nurse. She received her nursing degree in May of 1992 from Boise State University. She worked as a home health nurse, and at the time of her death was working at the Cottonwood Hospital. It was never just a job to Nancy, but was all about the wellness and happiness of the person.
In August of 2009 she took a two-year sabbatical from nursing to serve with Ron as missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Canary Islands off the Coast of Spain. This was a church education mission and their main focus was in serving and strengthening the single adults in the church. Nancy gave free piano lessons to anyone wanting to learn to play, helped the youth organize programs, helped those who wanted to strengthen their English skills, and made a lot of good food for everyone to enjoy.
Nancy is survived by her husband, Ronald Andrews, of Kooskia, Idaho; children, Tiffany and Paul Burton of Boise, Idaho, Damon and Denise Andrews of LeGrande, Ore., Jared and Michelle Andrews of San Antonio, Texas, Sean and Rachael Andrews of Kooskia, Lisa and Jacob Deaton of Boise, Idaho, Cheri and Matt Huntsman of Colstrip, and Emily and Trevor Jones of Denver. She has 25 grandchildren, and one more due this year. Her surviving siblings are Merlin D. and Raquel Anderson, Nyle and Sandi Anderson, Layne and Pat Anderson, Nina and Steve Laird, Judy and Rob Sloan, and Norman and Dawndi Harding.
Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Joseph Merlin Anderson and Nina May (Dawson) Anderson.
Services were held at the Kamiah LDS Chapel on Nov. 19.
In memory of Nancy Andrews a video may be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRLTLm0u60Y