Miguel "Mike" Andanar

Miguel Andanar was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

His parents were Gregorio and Cristita Andanar. Mike was raised in Philippines. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

Growing up in the Andanar household was a bit different than most homes. There were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, Mike was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared, and he was the one person in the family who seemed able to keep the stress at bay. Mike was raised with 11 siblings. He had 6 brothers and 4 sisters. Their names were Amada, Tereso, Feliciana, Roperto, Margarito, Gavino, Anselmo, Cristina and Magdaleno. Mike was constantly involved in activities with his brothers and sisters. Mike and his siblings may have had the typical rivalries while growing up but Mike was always consistently loyal to his family.

As a young child, Mike was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn’t pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Mike developed a variety of interests, though, and the things he enjoyed doing he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. In his spare time he liked fishing, gardening and going to the casinos. "Mike"'s memorable achievements included working for the Philippine Constabulary Army. However, what Mike enjoyed most was simply playing and spending time with his many friends.

On November 10, 1983 Mike exchanged wedding vows with Nila Bauri Andanar at the Mother of Perpetual Help Church of Collinsville, Illinois. He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment.

Mike brought the same traditional values in his marriage to bear on how he raised his children. He was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would always listen carefully and think things through before he acted, even when it was an adverse situation. Mike was also a walking schedule, always seeming to know what everyone in the family needed to do, where they needed to be and when they needed to be there. Mike was blessed with one child, Michael Melvin.

Mike greatly enjoyed what he did for a living. He was a hard worker who expected the same in return from his co-workers. He was skilled at working effectively in small groups and in one-on-one situations as well as handling solo assignments efficiently. Mike enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, Mike was excellent at meeting deadlines. He was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. His primary occupation was a CAD draftsman. He was employed for over 30 years. Mike worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

Mike was a man who was dedicated and devoted to his faith. He was a member of St. Benedict Catholic Church. He was a sympathetic man who valued his beliefs and was willing to work tirelessly for them.

Miguel Andanar passed away on October 26, 2018 at Houston, Texas. He fought a brave battle with brain cancer. He is survived by his wife, Nila and son, Michael Melvin. Services will be held at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church on 10/31/2018 at 10:00 a.m.. Mike will be laid to rest at Memorial Oaks Cemetery thereafter. Wake services will be on 10/30/2018 at 6:00 p.m. at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home.

Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Miguel Andanar. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.