Patrick “Pat” Malloy Andrews, age 69, of Harrison, passed away Tuesday, September 4, 2018, at his home. He was born July 20, 1949, in Harrison, the son of Norman and Lillian (Malloy) Andrews, who preceded him in death.
Pat had been a member and served on several committees at First Christian Church in Harrison where he was a deacon and elder. He was also a youth Sunday school teacher for many years and attended several working mission trips with the youth to help clean up and rebuild less fortunate communities. He was a member of CrossRoads Community Church where he helped lead the Security team and was passionate about keeping the children and others safe while they attended church. Pat enjoyed being a Stephen minister and was also a Stephen leader in the Stephen’s Ministry group at CrossRoads, which help those who are facing crisis in life. He was also part of the Hospital Ministry group wherein he visited those of the congregation and/or their families. He went beyond what was expected by driving members to out of town hospital and doctors visits. Tales of him driving people for multiple trips to Little Rock or the VA Hospital in Fayetteville are not uncommon.
Pat started his funeral service career at Christeson Funeral Home, which was co-owned by his parents and Dr. William Christeson. He went from high school graduate to the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science where he received his credentials for funeral director/embalmer. Aside from being a lifeguard in high school, Pat never worked anywhere but the funeral home. In 1976, Pat and his brother, Mike, bought Dr. Christeson’s share of the funeral home prior to their father, Norman’s passing. In 1977, when Norman passed away, Pat took over management of the funeral home at the age of 28 and for the next 32 years served the people of Harrison and surrounding Boone County. He married Debbie Edmonson December 17, 1982, and she served by Pat’s side for 26 of his 32 years in the funeral industry. At the age of 60, Christeson Funeral Home sold to the Roller Funeral Homes of Arkansas and for the next 5 years he continued as manager retiring at the age of 65 after serving area families for 47 years. He retired from the funeral industry in 2014. In 2017, Pat was inducted into the Arkansas Funeral Directors Hall of Fame.
Pat was a PTA president for several years; he had visited area schools all over Boone and surrounding counties in the 1980s and 1990s speaking to students about suicide prevention and the results of drinking and driving; and helped work with the Cub and Boy Scouts. He also helped with the annual mock driving and driving crash scenes that were staged each year at the area schools, usually before graduation time.
Pat was a member of the Harrison Roundup Club in the 1980s and 1990s; was on the K-Life board; was instrumental in the startup of Hospice of the Hills in 1992, and was on the board of directors and served as president. Pat was active in the community before he fell ill in December, 2017 and there’s no telling the numerous memberships and benevolent services he provided over the years to the community there were not recalled by his friends and children. One thing that will always stand out was his assistance he provided to the community when it came to funerals for babies and toddlers. He never charged a family for those services. He felt that the situation was heartbreaking enough for the parents. Christeson Funeral Home was the only funeral home within the area that had this practice, and still does to this day.
Before retiring, Pat already had a plan to help others and was working on his next chapter in life. Upon retirement, he became licensed and certified to teach gun safety courses and founded Be Safely Armed. He became a NRA instructor and taught concealed carry. His heart and focus was always on gun safety. He had previously held world titles in competitive pistol shooting.
Pat was a very passionate and accomplished man, but the one thing you cannot attach to a committee or award is the number of people he comforted and took care of during their worst of times. He gave back to the community when families were at their lowest point in their life and that is one reason why so many people loved Pat because of his kindness and generosity he provided during those dark times. He cried with families, he prayed with families, but most importantly he never forgot about them.
Pat is survived by his loving wife of 35 plus years, Debbie Andrews, of the home; his son and daughter-in-law, Brandon and Janet Andrews; his daughters and son-in-law, Amber and Hugh Thomas and Kasey Andrews (Layman Dunaway); his brother and sister-in-law, Michael and Kay Andrews; and his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Denise and Landis Dutton; his grandchildren, Drew Curtis, Claire Curtis, Abigail Andrews, Anna Andrews, Lincoln Sims, Sarah Thomas and Joseph Thomas; a host of other family; and many dear friends. He loved his children and grandchildren deeply.
Visitation is 5:00 to 7:00 PM, Thursday, September 6, 2018, at CrossRoads Community Church, Harrison.
Funeral service is 2:00 PM, Friday, September 7, 2018, at CrossRoads Community Church, with Bro. Johnny Walters and Bro. Paul Braschler officiating.
Interment is in Maplewood Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Drew Curtis, Ronnie Carpenter, Ricky Morris, Matt Odom, Hugh Thomas and Layman Dunaway.
Honorary pallbearers are Lynn and Sue Jenkins, The Roller Family, Dr. Rebecca Simon, CrossRoads Church, Friends of the NRA and the Harrison High School Class of 1967.