- Date Of Birth: September 25, 1948
- Date Of Death: August 15, 2022
- State: Indiana
Our Elkhart, Indiana community is saddened to announce the loss of a tireless advocate for area veterans, a compassionate chaplain and “son” of Elkhart, Husband, Father, Son, Poppie, Uncle and friend, Sergeant Andrew “Andy” Williams. Andy closed his eyes for the final time on Monday, August 15, 2022 at 1:47 pm after being rushed to the Goshen General Hospital Emergency Department following a sudden illness. He was 73 years old.
Also known as Andy the Mailman, Man Tan or simply a Man of God, Andy is survived by his beautiful wife Susie and his mom Ruthie Mae, who still lives in Elkhart, Andy is also survived by his sons Kenico M. Hines of Baltimore, Maryland and Marcus M. Williams, Sr. of Elkhart; daughters Teresa A., Valerie Y. and Tiffany M. Williams of Elkhart, Sonjala L. Williams of Baltimore, Allison R. Williams of Tampa, Florida, Jacqueline Russo-Smucker of Port St. Lucie, Florida and Twila Culbreath of Elkhart; brothers Harold (Pearlie) Williams, George (Joyce) Williams and Levester “Skinny Boy” Williams, all of Elkhart and Matthew Williams, Jr., of Mishawaka; sisters Ora Lee (Henry) House, Ollie Rae Williams, Alice Warren and Earline (Louis) Childress, all of Elkhart, and Annie Ruth House and Catherine (Cecil) Taylor, both of Crestview, Florida; grandchildren MyKayla, Kyreice, Marcus, Maya, Nicholas and Cameron Williams, Noah Barney, Cadence May, Jamia Jackson, Deasia, Patrick, Kyra, Trini and Jeren Hines, Odyssey, Trenton and Tristan Culbreath, Anastasia Vaugh-Bostic and Jacques Bostic; great grandchildren Rowan Gills and Maleia Jade Bostic, and a whole host of loving extended family, good friends, combat brothers and fellow veterans. His father, Matthew, a sister, Rebecca Williams, a brother, Sylvester “Fat Sam” Williams and a granddaughter Kinsley Williams all precede Andy in death.
Andy’s story begins like so many others, on a small homestead in Blytheville, Arkansas on September 25, 1948. He was one of thirteen children born to Matthew and Ruthie Mae (Jackson) Williams, and while there wasn’t much elbow room around the family dinner table, the amount of love that lived in the hearts of the Williams family had no boundaries. This was the time in Andy’s life where he began to understand the meaning and rewards of hard work, helping others and maintaining a good name.
In 1968, after he graduated from Jimtown High School, (Go, Jimmies!!) Andy enlisted into the United States Army and became an MP with the 978th Military Police Company, 5th Army, stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas. On January 3, 1969, Andy came home long enough to marry his sweetheart, Susie M. Hines, then went on to serve two tours in Vietnam. In the face of utter sacrifice, Susie remained steadfast in her love for Andy and had faith that God would watch over them, especially Andy. While overseas, Andy acquired the rank of Sergeant. He was thoroughly decorated, including receiving the Purple Heart for wounds received in action, and spoke fluent Vietnamese. He Also earned an additional Purple Heart and a Bronze Star yet to be awarded. This was the time in Andy’s life where he began to understand the meaning of duty, honor, perseverance and sacrifice. He was honorably discharged in 1971 and returned home to the waiting arms, hugs and kisses of his loving Susie. He served in the reserves for many years after that.
Andy wasted no time integrating back into civilian life and landed himself a job with the US Post Office in Elkhart. With his outgoing personality and signature USPO issue Panama-styled hat, Andy would become a well-recognizable neighborhood fixture, hiking door to door delivering not only the mail, but perhaps also a kind word, a joke, or maybe even a prayer for someone who needed some love or uplifting words. He was a full-time, 24 hour ambassador of love and goodwill, and probably racked up an insane amount of miles (and friends) after serving nearly 40 years as a letter carrier. While with the post office, Andy was a member and past president of the Indiana State Association of Letter Carriers, served as the local (#547) union president, and supervised over state EEO complaints, letter carrier grievances and counseled union matters. This was the time in Andy’s life where he began to understand the meaning of listening, negotiation and protocol, not to mention being a good neighbor. He was also the Union Officer for Kik Custom Products.
Andy was a devout man of God, and attended the Living Stones Church in Mishawaka, although the vast majority of area churches knew and welcomed Andy. We suppose Ruthie Mae played a big part in Andy’s life when it came to introducing him into the church. He raised his family in the church, and always celebrated his relationship with his Lord. He served as an unofficial youth pastor, speaking to kids at youth rallies and church camps and also picking all the kids in the neighborhood up for Vacation Bible School and other activities. Andy had a memory like a vice-grip and could quote bible verses off the cuff from memory. (Not to mention memorizing the Bill of Rights, the Preamble of the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence). Andy also loved to sing, and he never hesitated to burst out in spiritual song. In fact, he loved visiting local nursing facilities and singing to the residents there, lifting their spirits. Andy would say “I’m just a nobody trying to tell everybody about somebody who can save everybody” He adopted many people into his heart and his home and considered his children’s friends as his children as well.
Not including his loving family, there were two things that were near and dear to Andy’s heart: advocacy for downtrodden and needy American veterans and being a voice for the need for honorable race relations and dialogues. Andy was very civic minded and amassed quite a dossier of community-oriented accomplishments. He served on the Church Community Services Board, the Heart City Health Center Board, the IU Labor Advisory Board, the Elkhart Community School Board (also serving as president), served as chaplain and life member for both VFW #9944 and DAV #19, was a life member of the NAACP, life member of the Black Expo, coordinated the annual letter carriers food drive, served on the chaplain’s board for the Elkhart County Justice System, and even served on BOTH Joe Donnelly’s AND Jackie Walorski’s Veteran Advisory Boards. And if all that wasn’t enough, Andy and Susie were both members of the Foster Parents Association and fostered over 150 children besides their own family over a period of about 21 years.
Andy’s home life afforded him the time and space to just be himself, which was 2 parts funny, 4 parts silly, with a heaping helping of love plopped on top. Andy officially had no middle name, but Susie would laughingly reminisce that every time he would visit the VA hospital, he would give a different middle name. Rumor has it that they knew him as Andy Zacharias Obama Biden George Tecumseh Sherman Williams. He absolutely adored his children and loved to have family night when they were younger. It was all about the wife and kids to Andy and he rejoiced in the laughter from his family as he would lip-sync to the (other) singer Andy Williams, jam to Tina Turner, or get everybody wound up listening to the Spinners singing “Rubberband Man”. He was also known to have long, meaningful conversations with his electronic Google Assistant and, to the wonderment of just about everyone in his family, enjoyed cowboy boots and hats. His kids would say that Andy was instrumental in teaching them core family values, especially to “never quit”, always believe in yourself, and give freely as God has given to you. This was the time in Andy’s life where he began to understand unconditional love and the meaning of family.
Finally, it should be mentioned that Andy was an active member of Elkhart DAV 19’s Funeral Honor Guard. That means that usually every day, Andy would report graveside to many area cemeteries, sometimes several times a day, and assist his comrades in rendering military honors to his fallen brothers and sisters. But he never limited himself to the cemetery. Whether it was at a person’s bedside, hospital, home, nursing facility or simply out on the street, Andy would make his daily rounds to all of his veteran friends to make sure that they were all taken care of. A friend to all and mentor to many, Andy will live on in the collective memory of this close-knit community for his service, his faith, his passionate love of others and his powerful life message to honor all mankind. Andy was instrumental in assisting other young men and women to serve in the military and coach many to pass the postal workers test. This is where Andy perfected everything that he learned in life.
