Andrew Roy Heyl

Andrew R. Heyl, Attorney at Law, while surrounded by his family and lifelong friend, Joel Athey, surrendered his last breath at home in Fort Collins, CO on January 27, 2022. Born in Junction City, KS on March 25, 1944, to Keith and LaVarne Heyl, Andrew (aka Andy aka Drew aka Dre) grew up cradled in the loving womb of family and friends. His mother and father owned the Kaw Theatre in Junction City, KS. Andrew spent much of his childhood in front of the silver screen and held an appreciation for the movies and especially for his all-time favorites, “Casablanca”, “The Maltese Falcon”, and other like movie greats.

Andy’s love for hunting, fishing, and baseball began in his early childhood under his father’s watchful eyes and sustained him throughout his life. He played all the typical high school sports; football, basketball, tennis and golf. He practiced his tennis and golf games for fifty some years. In his teen years, Andy and a friend built a sailboat and thus began his love of sailing. As an adult, he was fortunate to sail the Hawaiian Islands and the Caribbean Sea. He spent many a summer afternoon as a life guard at the Fort Riley and Junction City, KS swimming pools. When he was not pursuing his outdoor interests, his mother taught him to play bridge. In his later years, if not playing bridge, he enjoyed skiing the mountains of Aspen and Steamboat Springs, CO.

Drew was a man of many interest from sports to the arts, sciences, and history. He was surely the most well-read person one will ever know. Law, literature, mysteries, history, and biographies were high on his reading list. In the last years of his life, he took a serious interest in his ancestry and an in-depth study of the history of Germany.

Andrew is a graduate of Kansas State University (KSU) with a degree in Economics. With KSU behind him, he set his sights on the University of Kansas School of Law attaining his Juris Doctorate in 1971. A tenure as a Clerk for the Supreme Court of Kansas and later as an Assistant District Attorney in Johnson County, KS created the foundation for Andrew’s 35+ years of private law practice. He held a license to practice law in Kansas, Missouri, Hawaii, and Colorado. He tried numerous cases with a serious understanding of the true essence of the law. The last 10 years of his practice were in Colorado, concluding his career as a Deputy District Attorney in the Fourteenth Judicial District of the State of Colorado. His office was in Steamboat Springs, CO. Andrew retired from the practice of law in 2008. Thereafter, one could often find him in his study listening to the arguments of the United States Supreme Court. Andrew was a lifelong learner.

At 55, Andrew was diagnosed with a rare type of leukemia, T-Cell large granular lymphocytic leukemia. Approximately, ten years later he was diagnosed with Inclusion-Body Myositis (IBM). Both diseases rare and both incurable. Using his drive to research and learn, he knew as much, if not more, about his diagnoses than many of the medical professionals he met along the way.

Andy is survived by his wife, Dixie, daughters, Susan (Sy) Hayes and her husband, Dan, and Sherri Jones and her husband Ceri, and son, Robert Kurtz and Katie. Each held a special place in his life and heart as did his five grandchildren: Erin Hayes, Caimin Hayes, Alexandra Kurtz, Dylan Jones, and Carys Jones. He leaves behind his sister, Penny Moss and her husband Max, nieces and nephews and many cousins and friends. Andrew has given his body to science in honor of his children and grandchildren in hopes that scientific advancements will benefit those he loved so dearly.

Throughout his life Andrew kept in contact with many circles of friends. At times a quiet man, yet always a problem solver, thoughtful, fair, fun loving, humorous, and active in both mind and body.

A memorial will be held on Saturday, May 28, 2022 at 2:30 pm at the Kansas State University Alumni Center: 1720 Anderson Avenue, Manhattan, KS.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pathways Hospice, 305 Carpenter Road, Fort Collins, CO [email protected]

One of Drew’s favorite poems, recited often in his night’s sleepless hours.

Sea Fever by John Masefield

I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky,

And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by,

And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,

And a gray mist on the sea’s face and a gray dawn breaking.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide

Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;

And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,

And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the seagulls crying.

I must go down to the seas again to the vagrant gypsy life,

To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted knife;

And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,

And a quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.