Andrew Joseph Bourgeois

Andy Bourgeois was born in New Orleans, La., on March 29, 1938, and died in San Marcos, Tx on February 8, 2026. Andy’s childhood was idyllic, with many enriching experiences. He began playing sports as a youth, and as he grew into a talented athlete he continued in the sports field for most of his life.

He graduated from St. Aloysius High School, in New Orleans in 1956. There he lettered in football, baseball, and track. His senior year he was co-captain of the football team, student body vice president, and won the Good Citizenship Award.

Andy attended Louisiana State University (LSU), where he served as a motivational speaker for people attending high school awards banquets. Not being the biggest or the fastest person, it was Andy’s determination and heart that landed him as a walk-on for the LSU football program. He became a Chinese Bandit on the 1958 National Championship team and still made time to be the captain of the 1958-59 LSU baseball team. When Andy locked in as a Chinese Bandit, he sealed his fate and became a legend.

Once asked about how he met his wife, he said he was having an ordinary day on campus that suddenly turned special. He was leaving the field house on campus and that’s when he first laid eyes on Lola White. He said she had a mouthful of braces and after she gave her best award-winning smile to him, he told a friend “I’m going to marry that girl with the grey teeth”. They married in Jackson, Miss., Lola’s hometown, on December 21, 1959.

At LSU, they were a golden couple: she a beauty queen and he a handsome, acclaimed athlete. While there, Andy and Lola quickly began their family and were blessed with their first-born son, Charles “Drew”.

Following graduation, Andy began his football coaching career that brought the family to Vicksburg, Mississippi and eventually Metairie, Louisiana. Along the way, they extended their family and added in two more beloved boys, William “Blake” and Kenneth “Troy”.

After a brief stint coaching at Tulane University, his next coaching job moved the family to Texas where he coached at Texas Christian University and then finally, he landed him a coveted coaching position with the Houston Oilers NFL Team for 11 seasons.

Eventually, Andy retired but he was not a person who sat still for long. He lived out his life with his favorite hobbies which included marshalling, volunteering as a coach, mentoring and traveling all over with the light of his life, Lola. Another favorite past time of his was spending quality time with his family. Andy got a kick out of who would walk through his back door everyday around “happy hour”.

Andy was a leader, a mentor, and an inspiring role model. He had a warm smile and the best sense of humor. He earned respect and devotion as the family patriarch, and he was admired by all who knew him. Once you were friends with Andy, you had a friend for life. When asked how he wanted to be remembered, he simply responded, “I want to be remembered as a tough but fair person who loved his family and his LSU Tigers”.

Andy is preceded in death by his parents Andrew and Billie Bourgeois, his beloved wife, Lola, grandchild Cameron, and brother-in-law Mike Thorne. He is survived by sons/spouses Drew/Cheryl Bourgeois, Blake/Laura Bourgeois, Troy/Kim Bourgeois; grandchildren Anna/Alex Liggett, Cole Bourgeois, Kaleigh/Corryn Bourgeois, Wes Bourgeois, Carson/Cait Bourgeois, Carter/Alex Bourgeois, Remy Bourgeois; great-grandchild Julia Bourgeois; devoted sister, Wanda Bourgeois Thorne, niece Erin Thorne and nephew Dean Thorne.