Shelley Victoria McCombs Andrews

Shelley "LeLe" Victoria McCombs Andrews, 51, came to peace on August 27, 2016 after a long and difficult struggle with depression and addiction. For most of her life she battled fiercely and courageously facing life with a beautiful smile and caring heart while keeping her inner turmoils well hidden from public view.

She was born September 15, 1964 to Don David McCombs and Alice Margaret Hicks McCombs in Lawton, Oklahoma. She had two older sisters, Alice and Valerie and two younger sisters MaryAnne and Dona. The family lived several places before settling in Midland, Texas in 1976.

Shelley attended school at Alamo Junior High, Robert E. Lee High School, and Midland College. At Alamo and Lee she was a member of the Rifle Corp and created lifelong friendships with her fellow members.

In 1982 she married Eddie Kirkpatrick. They had two sons, Christopher (1982) and Alec (1988). Shelley and Eddie divorced in 1991. In April 1993, there was an automobile accident that claimed the lives of her son Alec and her sister MaryAnne. This accident would haunt her for the rest of her life. In 1994 she married Jon Andrews. They had a son, Evan (1994). Shelley and Jon divorced in 2013.

Shelley worked at the Midland YMCA, Burgundy Oil and Gas, ClayDesta Bank, and Power Play skating rink before becoming the office manager for TGAAR Properties where she worked for many years. She was an exemplary employee who was diligent, attentive to detail, and very well organized; always going the extra mile to ensure her employers' best interests were protected.

Work, however, did not define Shelley. She was active in the lives of her children and step-children, Jon and Melissa (who she treated as her own). She was always room mom, leading a crusade, or participating on a committee at school - sometimes several at once. She was always their staunchest (and usually loudest) supporter in any activity in which they were involved - and there were lots of activities. Band, orchestra, baseball, football, hockey, cheerleading, soccer, more baseball, more hockey, softball, speech and debate, and more hockey - there was a lot of hockey. She spent many hours on the road in a Suburban full of hockey players traveling all across Texas as well as to Denver and Los Angeles to support her boys. She also loved hiking on nature trails, playing roller hockey, skating, biking, and even got certified for Scuba diving.

Shelley was a creative soul. She had a gift for drawing, painting, decorating, and writing. She could turn a hodge-podge of objects into a room with style and substance. And if she couldn't find just the right piece, she would make it, often converting a plain piece of furniture into a work of art. She read voraciously - with a library easily exceeding 1,000 works. Her reading interests crossed the entire spectrum but often involved science fiction, history, or both. She used her extensive knowledge of these genres to begin writing her own works. She completed one novel and worked diligently on two others. She wrote many short stories some of which were published in compilations. She took pride in being a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and explored that history in depth.

Shelley was preceded in death by her father Don David McCombs, her sister MaryAnne Flora, and her son Alec Edward Kirkpatrick.

Shelley is survived by her mother Alice Margaret McCombs, her son Christopher Kirkpatrick, his wife KC, and their son Ethan of Taiwan, her son Evan Andrews of Midland, her stepson Jon Andrews, Jr. of Austin, her stepdaughter Melissa Shelton, her husband Daniel, their daughter Kamryn, and their son Grant of Midland, and her sisters Alice Benningfield, Valerie Crook (Randy), and Dona Shaw all of Midland. She is also survived by several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Visitation and sharing of memories for friends and family will be from 1:00 to 2:30 PM on Thursday, September 1, 2016 with the memorial service immediately following at 3:00. The visitation and memorial service will be held at Ellis Funeral Home, 801 Andrews Highway, Midland, Texas. There will be no graveside service.

The family would be honored and grateful for any memorials to be directed to the International Foundation for Research and Education of Depression (ifred.org) or Shatterproof, Stronger Than Addiction (shatterproof.org).

"Peace is always beautiful" Walt Whitman