Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Honoring True Love
The Andrews – Concordia’s King and Queen, who exemplify the true heart of royalty!
In the middle of winter, it’s nice to warm our hearts with a day that celebrates love and friendship. This Valentine’s Day, the activities team at Concordia added a special touch to their holiday party – crowning the residents king and queen. The 2024 king and queen this Valentine’s Day were Lyle and Shirley Andrew, who have been married for 65 years! The loving couple was surprised but overjoyed when they were announced as the winners. I heard so many residents and staff members comment there couldn’t have been a nicer couple to receive this honor.
For most of our seniors, moving into a senior living community is the start of a brand-new adventure. We get to see their journey and contribute to making the most of their retired years. Some of my favorite moments are spent learning about their life prior to retirement years. Our seniors offer a wealth of knowledge, including stories gleaned from decades of unique life experiences – funny stories, inspiring tales about courage and relationships, or accounts that might even shock us. These fascinating stories deserve to be told. Lyle and Shirley sat down with me to share their life experiences, family history and memorable moments.
Lyle grew up in a small farming community in Cumberland, Iowa. He was born May 29, 1934. Lyle commented there were not a lot of kids to play with, so he was happy when his parents welcomed his baby brother, Loyd, to the family seven years later. In high school, Lyle enjoyed history and geography, played centerfield position on the baseball team and played the saxophone in the band. Lyle graduated from high school in 1952, laughing that it was “a big graduating class of 13.”
At age 22, Lyle was drafted into the U.S. Army. When his tour of duty was completed, Lyle moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where he established his career at the U.S. Post Office, where he remained for 31 years, until he retired.
Shirley grew up in Woodbine, Iowa. She was born Dec. 24, 1934. From a young age, Shirley loved to read. She also loved music and enjoyed playing the French horn in her high school band. Shirley graduated in 1952, chuckling as she noted it was a “little bit bigger class of 37.” Two weeks after her graduation, she had an interview with Mutual of Omaha. She was hired for the position and she moved to Omaha to start a new chapter in her life. Shirley remained with the company for 25 years, until she retired.
Shirley’s roommate had gone to high school with a gentleman named Lyle, and she thought the two should meet. I asked what their first date was and they both simultaneously said, “A movie.” They saw the movie North by Northwest. Lyle was smitten from the beginning. Shirley smiled and said it might have taken her on a date or two before she knew he was the one. Lyle and Shirley were married on Sept. 22, 1959, at Omaha Christ Community Church.
On Oct. 12, 1960, they welcomed their first little girl, Shelly Lynn. Five years later, they welcomed their second daughter, Christine Carol, on Dec. 14, 1965. This family loved to go camping together and belonged to a camping club. Lyle and Shirley both agreed their favorite trip with the girls was a trip to the Canadian campgrounds around Lake Superior.
Lyle and Shirley decided they wanted to retire to a warmer climate area. They fell in love with Bella Vista and relocated in 1993. Although Shirley and Lyle were retired, they knew retirement at home was not for them. Lyle started a job at Arvest Bank in the mail room and Shirley worked for Walmart home offices. The Andrews were involved in their local church, Village Bible Church.
In April 2021, Shirley and Lyle made the decision to move to Concordia Retirement Community. I asked Lyle what prompted him to make this move. He responded, “I loved working in my yard, but when that no longer was fun for me and became a chore, I knew it was time to make the move.”
The Andrews are very connected with Bella Vista, and chose Concordia because they had friends who already lived in our community.
Lyle said, “We looked at a few retirement communities, but at the end of the day, Concordia has the friendliest staff and residents, and this felt like home.”
Lyle comes to the coffee and doughnut social every Tuesday and enjoys the conversations he has with other residents, while Shirley loves to go to our library and pick out a book to read. She commented that the Concordia library is so beautiful and has an array of books to choose from. The Andrews love Concordia and are very well-loved by all, as well.
Most of our residents have beautiful stories to tell. When asked to name their greatest accomplishment, Shirley and Lyle lovingly looked at each other and responded without hesitation – family. The pride they have for their two children, six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren is so heartwarming to see. Shirley and Lyle have shown us how the heart’s embrace holds life’s most cherished moments. So, cheers to our new Concordia king and queen, who exemplify the true heart of royalty!