Andrew David Kilcrease, 30, passed away
June 9, 2014 at 5:30 PM at the Scott White Hospital
in Temple, TX after an infection which resulted in
septic shock. He was born June 24, 1983
to Susan Shine Kilcrease and Dennis Kilcrease in Beaumont, TX. “Andy” spent his early years in Silsbee. Andy was a 9th generation
descendent of some of the earliest Anglo pioneers in SE
Texas, dating back to the 1830’s.
In 1992 at the age of 9, Andy’s family
moved to Colorado Springs,
Colorado. While in Colorado Andy’s interests turned to
hiking, mountain climbing, camping, jeeping with the family, and
technology. His father, a Network
Engineer, began to teach Andy computer technology, and by age 12 he built his
own computer. His talent and love for
technology would follow him through his life.
About the same time, he began his life-long love of aquatics and
fish. Under the tutorage of a mentor,
Andy became one of the youngest persons to become certified in Ichthyology,
which is the study and care of fish. As
a teenager, he worked in large aquariums at the Colorado Springs Zoo, and at
office and medical buildings in Colorado
Springs. While
in Colorado,
Andy contracted Lyme disease which began a 15 year battle with his health which
ultimately resulted in his death.
Andy was Senior Class President when he
graduated from the CIVA Charter School
in Colorado Springs
in 2002, a school that specialized in the sciences and the arts. He moved back
to SE Texas with his family following his
graduation. He attended Lamar University,
where he majored in Ichthyology with dreams of becoming a Marine
Biologist. While at Lamar, he wrote and
presented a paper he wrote on the Cyprinodon Variegatus (Pupfish Minnow). The topic explored his research that
determined that they could communicate through specific different sounds that
they produced. He presented his paper at
Baylor University
as a representative of Lamar
University.
Andy additionally received certification
through Texas A&M as a Life Flight Critical Care Paramedic out of the Houston Medical
Center, where among
other recues, he participated in the air rescues from the Superdome following
Hurricane Katrina. Andy was instrumental in the saving of many lives in his 5
years in Critical Care Medicine.
In 2007 Andy married Lesia Wilson, and
together they had a beautiful daughter, AlexAndrea, 7. Andy enjoyed a happy and full family life
and he was a loving father and husband.
Their family life, though tragically brief, was very special, and
together they enjoyed hiking and the outdoors, and a special and common love of
literature and movies, especially H.R, Tolkein’s “The Hobbit”. From his wife:
“He has many roles in his life, son,
brother, friend, husband, father. He has
been a pretty pretty princess, a mad hatter, genius scientist, a medic, an
exhibitionist, a dare devil, a healer, trouble maker, stubborn as a long horn,
a jokester, a puzzle-solver, riddle-answerer.”
In 2009 Andy joined the London
Broadcasting staff as a Master Controller for KBMT Channel 12 in Beaumont, TX. He was promoted by London Broadcasting to IT
Broadcast Engineer at KCEN in Temple, TX in 2013, which prompted a family move to Belton, TX.
In this position, which he loved, Andy was responsible for three TV Stations in
Killeen, Temple,
and College Station.
Andy leaves a wife, Lesia Wilson Kilcrease;
a daughter, AlexAndrea Kilcrease; his parents, Susan Shine Kilcrease and Dennis
Kilcrease; a brother, Christopher Kilcrease and his wife, Lisa Roethlisberger
Kilcrease; nephews, Joshua and David Kilcrease; aunts, Anna Beth Shine Jumper,
Betty Shine, Dawana McDougal, and Debra Nance; uncle, Darrell Kilcrease; and
scores of cousins, friends and relatives.
A gathering of Andy’s family and friends
will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday, June 13, 2014, at Broussard’s, 490 Cemetery Road,
Silsbee. His funeral service will be
10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 14, 2014, at First
United Methodist
Church, 670 N. 5th Street, Silsbee,
with interment to follow at Resthaven
Cemetery, Silsbee.
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