David Nicholas Andrews

David Nicholas Andrews "Dave" of Mills River, North Carolina, unexpectedly passed away in his sleep at his home in the morning hours of Friday, November 7th, 2025.

Dave will be remembered as a devoted father, husband, son, and brother. He was very proud of his family and loved spending time with them. A man of many talents, he was always making something and enjoyed helping others. He had a great sense of humor and loved to tease his brother and dad. A loyal friend, he was someone friends and family could count on.

Born on February 21, 1975, in Elmhurst, Illinois, he grew up in Addison. He was a member of the Hard Dogs, a junior team of highly trained sharpshooters. His team took the national junior championship at Campy Perry in Ohio in the early 1990's. He majored in mechanical engineering at University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. After graduation, he worked for Honeywell in Torrance, California. While in Hermosa Beach, California, he met his love, Susie, and they married in 2002. Their son, Nicholas Alphonsus Andrews, was born in 2003. Eighteen months later, they moved to Mills River where Dave accepted a job with Borg-Warner.

Dave could do anything and build everything. If he did not know how to do something, he would figure it out. Dave was an accomplished carpenter and machinist. He built a remote-controlled lawn mower. He loved woodworking, laying flooring that were works of art. He remodeled every room in their Mills River house.

Dave loved cars. He successfully undertook the rebuilding of a 1968 Chevy Chevelle.

Dave was a musician and played the saxophone and clarinet in a swing band, The Esquires, for many years in California. When Nicholas was a toddler, Dave would serenade Nicholas while taking a bath.

Dave, Susie and Nicholas traveled widely, visiting Japan, the Caribbean, Italy, Spain, France, Poland, Denmark, Greece, Puerto Rico, and Germany and many parts of the United States, including, Hawaii, Washington D.C., Wyoming, Colorado, Tennessee, Illinois, Florida, and Alabama.

Dave is survived by his wife, Susie; son, Nicholas; his parents, Nicholas and Vivien Andrews; brother, Chris and sister-in-law, Tonya; nephew, Josiah, niece, Victoria; and his brothers-in-law, Larry (Michele) their children, Amanda, Zachary, Lindsey and Dan (Evgenia) Jansen.

He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Victoria and Nicholas Andrews.

To honor David's life, a celebration will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Fletcher United Methodist Church, 50 Library Road in Fletcher. In lieu of a visitation, there will be a gathering with refreshments in the Fellowship Hall immediately following the service.

In lieu of flowers, those wishing to make a memorial donation in memory of Dave are asked to consider, Asheville Meals on Wheels (mowabc.org), Mountain Aging Partners (Henderson Meals on Wheels) at mountainagingpertners.org, Children's Health Care of Atlanta, AFLAC Cancer and Blood Disorder (choa.org/medical-services/cancer-and-blood-disordersood.org), and/or the Etowah Lions Club (etowahlions.com).