Andrew McCord Gilchrist

1967 - 2023

Andrew McCord Gilchrist
09/16/1967 - 04/21/2023
Andrew McCord Gilchrist, beloved father, husband, and friend, passed away on April 21st, 2023, after a strong battle with cancer.
Son of Ralph and Mary Ann Gilchrist, Andy was born on September 16th, 1967. Andy was what you might have called an "energetic" child. He was sent to school very promptly by his mother. Through his middle school days, Andy's conduct grades were average, and his favorite school subjects were P.E. and Lunch. Andy loved all sports, but from a young age he identified most with basketball. He started his iconic basketball career on "The Little Dribblers."
At Memorial High School, Andy believed people envied him most for his mad basketball skills and his El Camino. He received numerous basketball awards, including Texas All State First Team 1984 & 1985, All Star 1984 (MVP) & 1985, and All Greater Houston 1984 (MVP) & 1985. He then followed his dream of playing D1 basketball at Rice University, where he earned a basketball scholarship and a four-year starting spot on the team. Andy often boasted that he held the Southwest Conference records for Most Fouls and Fewest Assists. He led his team in scoring his senior year, and was voted senior captain by his teammates because they loved and respected him. Upon graduation, he received the Rice Basketball Most Valuable Player award.
In his college years, Andy made incredible memories and life-long friends. He graduated from Rice with a degree in Economics and Managerial Studies. During this time, he met a cute Duke girl named Laura Van Os. He continued his career at Southern Methodist University Law School, where he perhaps had even more fun than he did in college. He graduated from SMU in 1993. Andy married his lovely bride, Laura, in 1994, and set his roots down in Houston.
Andy was a superstar on the court and in the courthouse. He worked at local litigation boutique firms, and earned his Board Certification in Personal Injury Trial Law. In 2000, he started as Counsel in the Torts Litigation section of ExxonMobil. He loyally spent the next 22 years of his life at Exxon, and served most recently as General Counsel of ExxonMobil Risk Management, Inc. He would be the first to say that the people he met during his tenure at ExxonMobil were not just colleagues, but dear, life-long friends and mentors. Aside from his professional life, Andy belonged to many communities, including St. John the Divine Episcopal Church, Houston Country Club, Boot Ranch Golf Club, and Garwood Lease.
Andy led an unbelievably vibrant life. He was a big man who lived large in the small moments. He just made life more fun. Andy loved fishing, hunting, and golfing- really any activity that involved cool gear, travel, and spending time with friends and family. He was a faithful man of Christ and a servant to his community. He was the life of the party and the star of the show. Andy Gilchrist was an Astros fan, a performer of schticks, lover of accessories, savant of style, friend to all, and the ultimate Girl Dad. He often said that his greatest accomplishments of all were his two daughters, Mackie and Ellie.
Andy is survived by his loving wife, Laura, and his two daughters, Mackie and Ellie. He is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Gayle and Charles Doraine, his brother, Jeff, as well as a brother and sister-in-law, Chip and Christina Van Os, and his mother-in-law, Nancy Van Os. Furthermore, he is survived by hundreds of amazing friends and family. Andy Gilchrist was well-loved, and this is a testament to his life.
A celebration of Andy's life will be held at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church on May 3rd at 3pm. His family would like to extend sincere thanks to the health care professionals at M.D. Anderson who provided excellent and compassionate care for Andy. They would also like to thank the group of men who prayed faithfully for Andy during his fight with cancer. Memorial gifts should be directed to Halo House which provides affordable housing for patients battling leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma without close proximity to home. During his illness, Andy felt blessed to be close to home with support of family and friends and recognized the critical housing needs of his fellow patients who had to travel to Houston for treatment. The Halo House website is www.halohousefoundation.org