Andy Wilkinson Jr

Andy Wilkinson, 89, died peacefully in his own home on his farm North of Springfield, Missouri, on September 19, 2025, after a very short fight against his failing heart; passing away on the birthday of his late wife, Frankie.

Andy was born in Cherryvale, Kansas, on February 22, 1936, the fourth child of Guy and Blanche (Farless) Wilkinson. His older siblings were Doris Jean and Bill, followed by a stillborn brother named Charles. After the family's heartbreaking loss, Andy's arrival was a blessing. He is survived by his much-loved younger siblings, Phillip, Kathleen (Cookie), and Eddie, who all live locally.

Raised in humble circumstances and a tight-knit family, Andy always appreciated the simple things in life, like his family and his farm. Throughout his life, he enjoyed spending time with his siblings and shared meals with them regularly. He liked potato chips, his wife's pies, and counting the number of cars on a train. Andy always knew what phase the moon was in, and while driving his mother around when she was getting on in age, he would try to get her to look over her left shoulder to look at the new moon (which, according to her, was bad luck)! He had a sense of humor and was a bit of a prankster and enjoyed joking with people and scaring family and colleagues by hiding behind corners or sneaking up on them. Andy always knew how much rain had been in the rain gauge as well as the total for the month, and if we were "behind" on rainfall. He thought the sky in all of its forms revealed God's handiwork and recently told a story of collecting hail as a kid so his mom could make fresh homemade vanilla ice cream. Andy liked sweetened iced tea, playing Scrabble and dominoes. He enjoyed a really good thick malt and impromptu drives to watch creeks rise after a rain. Most of all, Andy liked nearly anything that had a motor. He could name any old-timer by the shape of its tail fins or side mirrors and liked airplanes, ships, barges, trains, big machinery, and car racing. It was only recently that his daughters discovered he had a homemade hot rod as a teenager and a speedboat as a bachelor.

As a child, he listened to the Kansas City Philharmonic on the family radio, and one of his prized possessions was his wristwatch. (There's a great picture from a one-room schoolhouse, and only he and the teacher are wearing watches!) Until the end, he liked everything to do with numbers. His love of math led him from the halls of Springfield High (now Central High School) to Missouri State University, where he majored in Mathematics. He taught math in a few local area high schools before later getting his Master's in Counseling. After 25 years, he retired from Fair Grove as the high school guidance counselor and then went to Springfield Catholic for an additional five years in the same role. He supported many young people as they made decisions about their future, whether that meant joining the U.S. military, pursuing technical training, or continuing on to college.

While in school, Andy joined the ROTC, beginning a lifelong commitment to military service. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army Reserves, ultimately retiring as a Captain. While in training, he signed up to be a paratrooper on a dare and earned his wings at Fort Benning, Georgia. Andy often joked that, weighing only 120 pounds at the time, he was always the first one out of the airplane door and the last one to land on the ground.

Together with his late wife Frankie, Andy explored the world. From National Parks to desert roads to a semi-annual trip in the autumn to see the Aspen change. They took coastal roads out West and forgotten highways to the East, with the Southwest holding a special place in his heart. A trip to North Dakota in 2015 meant he had been to all 50 states. He also travelled abroad; from a cruise in the Baltic Sea to a tour of the Holy Land (he was not a fan of falafel), from the best soft-serve ice cream in the world somewhere by the Canterbury Cathedral in the UK (of all places) to gobbling at wild turkeys in New Zealand, from staying at an underground Best Western in Coober Pedy, Australia to scaling church towers in Belgium; he traveled light and enjoyed history.

As a devoted Christian, the words of his favorite hymn It is Well with My Soul became his guiding motto and a comfort in his final days. He was a lifelong and active member of High Street Church in Springfield, where he cherished the fellowship and faithfully served his community.

Andy was generous. To his brothers and sisters, his parents, his family-in-laws, his church and to those who called him friend. He was a faithful 10% tither, and the rest could be found being used to fix someone else's tires, picking up the check at dinner, or paying for someone's unexpected bill. He took pleasure in enjoying what others enjoyed. Though sometimes a man of few words, he shared his time.

For those who knew him and loved him, his passing leaves an Andy-shaped hole in their hearts. If you see a spectacular cloud or experience the downpour of a much-needed rain, pause for a moment to enjoy it, just as Andy would have.

Andy, the father and grandpa, is survived by his two daughters, Kelly (Wilkinson) Stremel and Andrea Wilkinson, and his five grandchildren: Sam, Maggie, Charlie, Eleanor, and Lucy.

He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Doris Jean, and brother Bill as well as his wife, Frankie.

A visitation and opportunity to share stories with family members will be held on Thursday, September 25, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Midwest Cremation and Funeral Services, 2026 W Woodland St, Springfield, MO. A funeral service will be held on Friday, September 26, at 11:00 a.m. at High Street Church in the Chapel (South Entrance), 900 N Eastgate Ave., Springfield, MO.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, please consider a donation to the Fair Grove Senior Center, where he enjoyed good friendships and good food.