Roy Arnold Andrews

Roy Arnold Andrews 97, of Greeley, Colorado, passed away on December 31, 2025. He was born on August 28, 1928 in Ault, Colorado to Henry Andrews (Arlington, IN) & Edith Margaret Stephenson (Merriville, MO) They married in Merriville and emigrated to Ault, CO during the dust bowl of the Great Depression.
Roy attended schools in Ault and Greeley. He began working for the Great Western Sugar Co when he was 18. In 1948 he joined the US Army where he spent time in Korea during the Korean Conflict obtaining the rank of Sergeant and was a K9 handler to a dog named Bo. You know he was the 1st one in.. and he never spoke of his time there. After his discharge he continued to work at the sugar factory until his retirement in 1993.
Roy married Mary M. Cole of Ault on Dec. 31, 1952. They moved to Greeley and had 3 children. Debra Louise, Gwendolyn Sue and Patrick Henry all of Greeley, CO.
Roy found the love of fishing at an early age and spent every spare weekend on the Big Thompson River, the Cache la Poudre River in N. Colorado or the N. Platte River above Sinclair Dam in Wyoming. If there was a trout in those waters, he would find it! When the rivers became too hard for him to physically fish he found the Honholtz lakes in Co and Wheatland #3 in Wyo where you might not get a bite all day but the one you did get always had a huge trout on the end of the line. He once saw a man with a plastic pole holder that sprung when he got a bite. Intrigued, Roy went home and designed his own "fish catchers" made of welded steel and strong springs to withstand the harsh winds of Wyo. From then on he never missed a bite! He made one for each of his fishing buddies and his kids which we will always cherish as they'll last forever. After retirement It got to be too much to drive all the way to Wyo so he bought a small fishing cabin in Red Feather Lakes, CO where he spent most of his days fishing Lake Dowdy, Lake BelAire or West Lake bringing home his 'limit' several times a day.
Roy led a healthy full life having never been sick and only hospitalized once from a dog bite in 1999 while giving the neighbor dog a treat. It was only a scratch but it turned into mrsa and he lost his fore finger which slowed his fishing career but never stopped him from catching his limit.
Roy was taken to the hospital late September 2025 with breathing problems. He had fluid in his lungs and around his heart and also had mini strokes. After a week he went home to 24/7 care from his wife Mary and children Gwen and Pat who never left his side. When he got progressively worse with renal failure Mary said please wait until our anniversary and that's what he did. Roy died peacefully at home on Dec. 31, 2025 on their 73th wedding anniversary.
He was loved by all who knew him and will be missed.
Roy is survived by Mary M. Andrews of Greeley, Co; his sister Ruby Schanwolf of Evans, CO. Children Debra (Gary) Manwaring of Bonners Ferry, ID; Gwen (Robin) Berry of Rogersville, MO and Pat (Lisa) Andrews of Greeley CO. His Grandchildren Scott Ferrell, John Thomas Ferrell, Clayton Henry Berry, Michael Anthony Berry, Melissa May Andrews-Bingham, Jessica Ann Andrews; Great Grandchildren Jolene Torrez, Adrianna Ferrell, Dustin Judd, Lilly Ferrell, Walker Esparza, Case McCormick, Mack Berry, Baylor Berry and 2 great Grandchildren Sebastian Ferrell and Anastasia Torrez and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents Edee and Hank, his 2 brothers Elmer and Alfred, 2 sisters Elsie Andrews Hoffman and Ella Mae Andrews Hartley; his best friends and fishing buddies Mel Schanwolf and LeRoy Steinmiller.
No services are planned as per his wishes. His cremated remains will be spread in the Red Feather area at a later date.
Condolences may be sent to the family at
www.LighthouseFamilyLFM.com
Lighthouse Family Mortuary is entrusted with arrangements.