Andrew Flores

With heavy hearts, our family announces the passing of our loving father and husband, Andrew Flores. He was born on March 6, 1946, to Santiago and Ester Flores, growing up with loving brothers and sisters.

Our father grew up with many influences in his life, inspiring him to join the Navy at 19 years old. While attending The Fleet Sonar School in Key West, he joined the school’s choir and toured around the keys of Florida to perform.

He served on the USS Gurke in the Vietnam War, assisting as escort for the amphibious group into the danger zones. While serving, Dad got the chance to visit Hong Kong, China, finding souvenirs for his family and future wife (whom he’d not yet met).

After the Navy, Andy came to study at BSU in Criminal Justice Administration, graduating with his B.S.

While at BSU, he came across a beautiful woman and fell in love. Andy Flores and Peggy Swann married on June 21, 1972, in the Salt Lake City Utah LDS temple, sealing our family together forever. A bond that we believe goes beyond the grave and into the eternities.

Two years after they married, they started their family. Together they bore five children; Antonio Garcia Flores, Joseph Andrew Flores, Amelia Gwen Flores (Barry), Michael James Flores, and Jeanna Marie Flores (Herbert).

He treasured time with his children, dancing alongside them, or listening to Bill Cosby records on the old player we owned. We went on adventures to Disneyland, Disneyworld, camping, and to Arizona to see family. Everyone excitedly piled into the big white van prepared for the places we’d go, making memories we can all remember with fondness.

He served his children until the very end of his life. He worked, sacrificed, and loved us with a depth of soul only a father could show, and a wish to give us a better life than he had, succeeding in that goal. His sacrifice to us kids almost took his life during the transplant between him and his youngest daughter. Anyone who spoke to my father knew the unconditional love he showed us.

Andy loved to watch us children grow up, making note of our involvements with him to joyfully reflect on later. He rejoiced with us as we ventured out to find our way, viewing our accomplishments with loving fatherly pride and celebrated with us as we built our lives or gained accomplishments.

Our father worked hard to support our family, working both as a “weekend warrior,” or as the public calls it, The Idaho National Guard. This gave him an opening to work full time as a Medical Administrator to the soldiers that served from Gown field. He served at least 1,300 soldiers in his time, and it took three men to take his job when he retired in 2006.

A lifetime of service to our country instilled in him a love of our country, and he showed everyone that love in his service, speech, and the veteran’s hat he wore.

After retirement, Andy picked up golfing and loved to play with men in his ward. Above golfing, he loved his grandchildren with his whole heart, making them giggle and laugh as they grew up. They loved him in return with a deep love that he’ll carry into the heavens.

Our father served in the Boise Idaho LDS temple for 7 ½ years, working three times a week for all but a few short months. Even though his dementia took hold of his mind, he continued to serve until 19 days before he died, loving the work until the end.

A small family viewing will be held in his honor on Friday, April 3. Because of the CoVid-19, the family feels that it would be best to throw a celebration of life gathering later in the year. Our Mother knows that if someone got sick in honoring him, my father would be saddened. We’ll make sure that it’s announced for those who wish to honor Andrew Flores when we’ve planned it.

Andrew will be buried at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery.

Andrew Flores is preceded in death by his parents, father-in-law, sisters, brothers, and Andy, a grandson.

Successor is his treasured eternal companion and wife, Peggy Flores.

Those staying to continue in love and life are his children, Tony and Sherry, Joe and Darcy, Amelia, Mike, Stephen and Jeanna; along with his beloved sisters Molly, Virginia, Christina, Alice, Josie.

Grandchildren Audrey, Erin, Elena, Tony Jr, Melissa, Anna, Ellie, Elsie, Allison, Reid, Andrea, Nicolas, and Gabriel, as well as the many nieces and nephews who he loved dearly but couldn’t see often.