Andy Persons

Andy Persons, 75 of Amarillo, passed away on Tuesday, December 8, 2020. Andy was born on September 27, 1945 in Memphis, Texas to Amos and Wreathel (Long) Persons. He grew up in Farmington, New Mexico, and graduated from Farmington High School in 1963. After graduating from Eastern New Mexico University in 1967, he joined his parents in Queensland, Australia, where he met his first wife, Carol. Upon returning to the U.S., he lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico; Jefferson City, Missouri; Lakeland, Florida, and eventually made his home in Amarillo, Texas.

Andy and Carol had two daughters, Meredith and Ashleigh. He married his wife, Judy, in June 1988 and gained a daughter, Leah and son, Ryan from Judy’s previous marriage. Andy owned Amarillo Claim Service where he was an insurance adjuster for 35 years. After his retirement, he worked as a permanent substitute teacher at Palo Duro High School. He was a strong Christian man and was a member of First Baptist Church. Andy was a voracious reader and history buff. He was a great family historian and storyteller. He had a wonderful sense of humor and was known for his one-liners. He took pride in caring for his beautiful yard with his wife. Andy had a soft spot for animals and over the years he was adopted by several cats. He loved popcorn, spicy Mexican food, and made a mean margarita. He was an avid pilot in his younger years and enjoyed riding motorcycles in his later life.  But, his greatest love was spending time with family and friends, and especially at his beloved cabin in New Mexico. He was an ardent bird watcher at both of his homes. In-fact, one of his many talents was chasing bears away from his bird feeders with a broom. Andy was known for his kindness and generosity, evident in the love he had for his family and friends. We will all miss his amazing hugs.

Andy was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his wife, Judy Persons of Amarillo; daughter, Meredith and Tim Thornhill of Amarillo, TX; daughter, Ashleigh Persons and Melissa Wood of Sand Springs, OK; stepdaughter, Leah and Trey Tull of Kerrville, TX; stepson, Ryan and Jen Russell of Austin, TX; sister, Beth Vaughn of Tucson, AZ; sister, Sandy Weir of Boerne, TX; 12 grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews and countless friends. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials may be made to Compassion International, at www.compassion.com, (1-800-336-7676) or Lost Pets of Amarillo at P.O. Box 19862, Amarillo, TX, 79114, (806) 680-3610, or www.lostpetsofamarillo.org.

Due to the spread of Covid-19, the family is postponing Andy’s memorial service to Saturday, July 10 at an outdoor venue in Amarillo. It will be a time of sharing stories, a meal, and worship. Details will be updated on the following website, http://sites.utexas.edu/russell/andy-persons/