Michael Lee “Mike” Andrews, beloved husband, father, Papa, veterinarian, and friend, passed away on September 7, 2026 at the age of 82.
Mike was born on August 22, 1944, in Colorado City, Texas, to Howard and Vesta Andrews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Judy; and his first wife, Shirley, who passed away on January 15, 2009.
Mike attended Texas Tech University before transferring to Oklahoma State University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in 1966 and his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1970.
Veterinary medicine became far more than a career for Mike. He believed in loving people through their animals, and he spent 56 years doing exactly that. Jason and Lisa grew up accustomed to having a sick or injured animal being cared for in the family’s spare bathroom. Caring for animals wasn’t something Mike left at the office—it was simply part of life in the Andrews home.
Over the course of his career, Mike practiced at Dallas County Animal Hospital, Beltline East Animal Hospital in Sunnyvale, Terrell Veterinary Clinic, and Emory Veterinary Clinic. He continued practicing veterinary medicine until his retirement in 2026, completing a remarkable 56-year career devoted to animals and the people who loved them.
One of the most meaningful parts of Mike’s professional legacy was seeing his grandson Brynden follow in his footsteps. Brynden attended his Papa’s alma mater, Oklahoma State University, where he also earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree, and now practices in Emory. More than five decades after Mike began his own career, the profession he loved continues into another generation of the Andrews family.
Faith and church were an important part of the Andrews family home. Over the years, the family attended Shiloh Terrace Baptist Church, First Baptist Church of Richardson, First Baptist Church of Sunnyvale and followed by First Baptist Church Sulphur Springs. These church communities were woven throughout the years Mike and Shirley spent raising Jason and Lisa in Texas.
On June 1, 2009, Mike married Pamela (“Pam”), beginning a new chapter of his life and welcoming the Boxberger family into his own. In 2016, Mike and Pam moved to Oxnard, California, where they built a wonderful community of friends and enjoyed their life together.
Mike was the definition of a glass-half-full person. Optimistic by nature and famously ornery, he had a way of finding humor in life and making sure those around him did too. His unmistakably thick Texas accent provided his grandchildren with years of affectionate teasing.
To his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he was simply Papa.
Mike loved football and spent many years cheering for the Dallas Cowboys before later becoming a Kansas City Chiefs fan. His hobbies over the years also included Corvettes, Model A cars, Harley-Davidson motorcycles, golf, and his ranch in Como, Texas, where he raised cattle and horses. When something captured Mike’s interest, he embraced it wholeheartedly.
Mike is survived by his wife, Pam; his son, Jason Andrews and his wife, Jana; his daughter, Lisa Jack; and his grandchildren Kelsey and her husband, DJ, Caden, Brynden, Braxton, Ryan, and Dylan. He was also blessed to be Papa to his great-grandsons, Wyatt and Emmett.
He is also survived by his niece, Amy Richie and her husband, Brian, and their children Jarrett, Casey, and Pryce; and by his stepchildren Jill Lamoureux and her husband, Haven, and their children Rhodes and Wilder; Geoffrey Boxberger; and John Boxberger and his wife, Lizzy.
A Celebration of Life honoring Mike will be held on September 26, 2026, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. at The Savannah in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
Family and friends are invited to come together to remember Mike, share stories, and celebrate a life that meant so much to so many. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Mike’s memory at www.scottishriteforchildren.org/donate.