Christine Windell Andrews

Christine Windell Andrews, beloved wife of John William Andrews and mother of John "L.J." Wesley Andrews, passed away peacefully on December 11, 2024, aged 61. She was met in Heaven by her mother, Lynne Leach Windell; her father, Edwin "Bud" Windell; and her brother, Kenneth Lloyd Windell. Christine leaves behind a legacy of unwavering devotion to her family, her friends, and her country.

Christine was born on March 6, 1963 in the Philadelphia suburbs, where she was raised before moving to State College, Pennsylvania. Christine then attended Pennsylvania State University, where she met her hilarious and loving husband, John.

Christine and John's 38-year marriage was filled with love and laughter. They spent their evenings together watching the Philadelphia Phillies, Penn State football, and myriads of TV series, all the while poking fun at each other and bringing each other treats from the kitchen. Avid foodies, Christine and John enjoyed dinner dates at various restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area, their favorite being Uncle Julio's, where they religiously ordered the steak fajitas. One would need several Rolodexes to account for all of Christine and John's inside jokes and nicknames for each other. John's "dad jokes" and one-liners were a surefire way to make Christine laugh, often to the point where she would spit out her drink. They were truly best friends and found joy in spending time with each other during all of life's moments, including the mundane ones.

After graduating from Penn State, Christine and John settled in Northern Virginia, where Christine embarked upon what would become more than 30 years of government service, the entirety of her illustrious career. Christine spoke truth to power in a positive and thoughtful way using her composure, tenacity, and intellect in service to her country. A selfless, trustworthy, and admired leader, she was a mentor and friend to countless officers.

Christine was a devoted mother to her most precious gift, L.J., who considers her to be the greatest blessing in his life. She was always there for L.J. at the drop of the hat, and emphasized to him the importance of love, kindness, patience, and humility. An ardent reader and writer, Christine was L.J.'s guiding light not just as a mother, but as a scholar and professional. Christine's expertise in world politics and economics inspired L.J. to pursue these subjects in his education and professional career. Christine and L.J. loved to play board games, build Legos, go to the movies, and go on shopping sprees together. They were each other's most trusted confidants and knew they could always count on each other to pick each other up when they were feeling down. Always smiling, singing, talking, and laughing together, Christine and L.J. were the lights of each other's lives.

Christine's favorite places on Earth were anywhere her family was, including State College, Pennsylvania, where she adored visiting her nephew, Joe, and her niece, Hanna. She beamed when she played games with Hanna's three wonderful children, who were like the grandchildren she never had. Christine was often found cheering on L.J. at his baseball games (she also cheered on John, who sometimes coached) and hosting movie nights in the barn, where L.J.'s friends and teammates often referred to her as "Miss Chris" and as their "second mom." She also enjoyed hanging out with her family and friends at the beach in Avalon, New Jersey, and having afternoon tea in London, England. Christine cherished animals, including her cats and dogs, and loved watching foxes, squirrels, deer, and raccoons scamper across her yard over a cup of coffee.

No matter where Christine went, her infectious smile and laughter brightened the room. Her faith in Jesus was evident in her dedication to helping others. The world is undoubtedly a better place because of Christine's compassion, kindness, warmth, and strength, which has touched all of those who were fortunate enough to know her. We could not have asked for a better wife, mother, aunt, friend, and colleague, and we will miss Christine every day. Her memory will live on in the hearts of all those who loved her.

A celebration of life service will be held for Christine on March 9, 2025 at 1065 Rocky Run Road, McLean, Virginia 22102. To commemorate the joy that Christine's life brought us, we ask attendants to dress in colorful attire. Penn State or Phillies apparel is encouraged - as Christine would say, "Penn State and Phillies clothes are dress clothes!"

In lieu of flowers, we can honor Christine's memory with contributions to the ALS Association (https://www.als.org) or Live Like Lou (https://www.livelikelou.org).