JeRene (Jerri) Estelle Andring

Dedicated wife, involved and loving mother, adored grandmother, and great grandmother, JeRene (Jerri) Estelle Andring, age 86, of Yakima, Washington, passed into God’s hands peacefully in her sleep on October 1, 2016 at home surrounded by family and her constant companion of recent years, her dog Muffin. She was a wonderful example of love, faith, hope, and charity. She was born in Yakima, Washington on May 13, 1930 to Paul Krienke and Martha (Keller) Krienke. She grew up in the family home on North Seventh Street, attending local schools. She often visited her grandparents where she enjoyed sliding down the fire escape at the Cowiche Central School building across the road.

She attended Yakima High School, graduating in 1947. She remained quite close to many of her fellow graduates, attending “mini reunions” at local restaurants in recent years. She maintained lifelong close friendships with Pat Hoff, Betty Rohrich and many others in the Pinochle club. After high school, she worked a variety of jobs in retail and fruit packing, in addition to caring for her younger sister Lucille (Lucy) Mae Krienke, following the death of their mother after a long illness at a relatively young age.

In 1951, she packed up her possessions in a 1937 “chopped” Ford coupe and travelled to Fort Bliss, Texas where she married her high school sweetheart, Richard Joseph Andring, Sr. on July 14, 1951. They returned to Fort Lewis, Washington in 1952 where she gave birth to her first son Richard Joseph, Jr. After her husband’s discharge from the army, they moved back to Yakima. She gave birth to three more sons, Ronald Paul, James Michael, and Michael John and two daughters Susan Lynn and Linda Lee.

During the early years Jerri sewed clothes for her growing family, as well as knitting sweaters, scarves, and caps. She also canned fresh fruits and vegetables, and made fresh bread and pastries. She spent many hours teaching her children how to read and do simple math. She wanted them fully prepared when they entered first grade. She was very involved with her children by volunteering at their schools, PTA, Cub Scouts, Campfire, and youth sports groups. Jerri enjoyed taking her family camping for several weeks each summer, first to Lake Chelan and later to Crescent Bar on the Columbia River, where they enjoyed “roughing it”. As the family grew, Jerri became involved with the Independent Order of Foresters in Yakima. She held various leadership roles and enjoyed the annual camping trips.

Jerri thoroughly enjoyed entertaining her extended family for holidays. Every year, Jerri would spend months preparing for Christmas Eve. Every member of the family would receive a thoughtful, often hand-made gift from grandma. This family gathering was something that Jerri thoroughly enjoyed and looked forward to every year. Every Christmas was very special to Jerri and her excitement and anticipation of the holiday was something about her that never changed from her younger years all the way through to this last Christmas. Her home was always decorated inside and out and people driving by would often stop to admire her Christmas yard décor that her son Mike often helped put on display.

Jerri was always up for any adventure. When asked to go anywhere, her common response was, “that sounds great” and her bags were packed and she was ready to go. She travelled to Japan with her daughter Susan’s high-school class, she flew across the country several times to visit her many grandchildren and great grand-grandchildren, her sister Lucy and family in Arkansas, and went on several vacations with her grandson Mikey (Mike Andring). Her last vacation with Mikey was a trip to Germany where they explored castles in Heidelberg and toured Berlin and Frankfurt. She enjoyed cruises through the Caribbean and Mexico and day trips put together by the Harmon Center. She didn’t let age stop her from doing whatever it was that she wanted to do. In her 80’s on a cruise through the Caribbean, she participated in a shore excursion where she swam and interacted with stingrays in their own environment off the shores of the Cayman Islands.

Following the death of her husband in 2004, Jerri moved to a smaller home in West Yakima. Shortly after she moved in, her son Ron built her a deck out back and with her green thumb, that area soon became her sanctuary. She was very passionate about her garden and maintained a park-like setting outside her back door filled with colorful flowers, plants, a pond and bird feeders. She always kept busy. She loved to play Pinochle, but knew just about every card game there was to be played. Each Monday morning, she enjoyed volunteering at the Harmon Center as she greeted everyone at the door. She thoroughly enjoyed the friendships she made at the senior center and looked forward to seeing those friends each week as well as making new friendships. She attended church services and bible study regularly at the Tieton Drive Bible Chapel. She enjoyed the fellowship dearly and loved sharing the message of her Lord and Savior. She continued to bake, sew and craft up until her last days. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren all have quilts that she created for them with love. Jerri had a very giving heart and she would give the shirt off her back for anyone in need. She prepared food baskets for the hungry at holidays and she also sponsored several children for years in Central America and Africa through World Vision.

Jerri will be sorely missed by many, but we rejoice knowing that she earned her angel wings and is reuniting with loved ones lost before her. Jerri is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Richard Andring Sr., her daughter Linda Lee Andring, her son James Michael Andring, and her sister Lucille May Krienke –Galyean. She is survived by her sons Richard Joseph Andring, Jr. (wife Kathy) of Selah, Ronald Paul Andring (wife Rita) of Tieton, Michael John Andring (wife Debbie) of Yakima and daughter Susan Lynn Gordon (husband Brian) of Yakima. She has fourteen grandchildren; Kristi, Mike, Malissa, Annie, Paul, Jimi, Brook, Shannon, Sierra, Rachel, David, Ben, Ofelia and Luke. She is also survived by eighteen great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 6, 2016 from 4-8 pm at Keith and Keith Funeral Home in Yakima.

A celebration of Jerri’s life will be held on Friday, October 7th at 10:30 a.m. at Tieton Drive Bible Chapel in Yakima followed by burial at Calvary Cemetery and Mausoleum - Diocese of Yakima.

Upon commencement of the graveside service, a gathering for friends and family will occur at Tieton Drive Bible Chapel with refreshments and a light meal.

A warm thank you is extended to all those who have shown care and kindness to Jerri and her family during this difficult time. A special thank you to the Memorial Hospital Hospice team who demonstrated great compassion to both Jerri and the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tieton Drive Bible Chapel or the Yakima Harmon Center in Jerri’s name.

Please send condolences to Keith and Keith Funeral Home at 902 W Yakima Ave, Yakima, WA 98902, phone: (509) 453-9155 who is caring for the family.

To share a memory of Jerri, please visit www.keithandkeith.com .