Marilyn Jean Andrews

Marilyn Jean Andrews was born on Easter Sunday March 27th, 1932 to John Raymond Moore and Bertha Lorraine Yatsko in Douglas, Arizona on her Aunt Laura’s birthday. Years later her daughter Karen was born on the same day. She grew up in Douglas and graduated from Douglas High School in 1950. Her father was a Cochise County Sheriff Posse member and taught her how to shoot and was her instructor on the girl’s high school rifle team. She was also in the drama and PEP clubs. She was an Honored Queen in the Job’s Daughters organization. In the summer of 1949 she met her future husband Jim Andrews and they began dating. In 1951 Jim went into the Navy and was stationed in San Diego. Upon returning from a tour in Japan during the Korean War, they were married at the San Diego courthouse on August 8th, 1951 in between divorce trials. They would have celebrated their “70th” anniversary this year, They made a pact after they were married that they would always call each other Mama and Daddy. After they married Jim shipped out to Japan every 6-7 months and she would meet him at the ship every time he came back. The last time she met him was in November of 1954 after three completed tours. After getting out of the Navy they settled in Inglewood, California where Karen and Brian were born in 1956 and 1958. They also enjoyed square dancing while living in Inglewood. They moved to Hesperia, California in 1965 where she lived with Jim until her death. She was a homemaker and her life centered around her family. She was active in 4-H with her children and was also a cooking instructor in 4-H. They were also members of the Hesperia Wranglers. She was the backbone of Jim’s 50 combined years of the Apple Valley Sheriff’s Posse and the Victor Valley Search and Rescue. Her favorite holiday’s were Easter, Christmas, St. Patrick’s Day and Halloween with her grandchildren. One of her favorite songs was Beauty and the Beast after watching the first movie with granddaughters Jennifer and Katee and in later years the second edition with granddaughter Rylee. She loved attending and cheering on her grandchildren at their school awards assemblies, concerts, sporting events, and especially loved family gatherings. She had an infectious laugh and always gave the best hugs. Whenever the grandchildren would visit she loved measuring them to see how much they had grown and would record it on the kitchen door jamb. Her last entry was Dominic and after she measured him Dominic and Heepaw measured her. If you ask Dominic where Grandma is he’ll tell you “in my heart”. The last thing Daddy said to Mama was “Go with the Lord Mama, I’ll catch up with you later”. When Daddy returned from the hospital the day Mama passed away a white dove flew into the backyard and sat with him for awhile. She is survived by her husband Jim, daughter Karen and her husband Rick Little, son Brian and his wife Cathy, six grandchildren, Jennifer Womack, Brian Little, Jim Little, Katee Andrews, Drew Little, and Rylee Andrews. Six great grandchildren, Alexis Otto, Abigale Otto, Remi Little, Graham Little, Guinevere Little and Dominic Cazares. She also leaves behind three sisters Bertha Rae James, Shirley Lovelady, and Bobbi Schlarb and many nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held on Thursday April 22nd at 11am.