Michael Joseph Andrus

Michael Joseph Andrus passed from this world into his heavenly home on October 16, 2025. There will be a Celebration of Life Service honoring Michael on November 15th at 10 a.m., at the Four Oaks Community Church in Killearn, 4500 West Shannon Lakes, Tallahassee, FL 32309.

Michael was born to Stephen and Monika Andrus in Port Jefferson, New York and was raised on Long Island with his sister and brother Linda Norris and James Andrus, who survive him. He graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, VA with a degree in Electrical Engineering. It was here that he became a Christian and dedicated his life to following Jesus. This decision was to shape the direction of the rest of his life. For 10 years, he worked as a project engineer for the IIT Research Institute in Annapolis, Maryland, where he earned a reputation among his colleagues as a skilled and gifted engineer. During this time in Annapolis, he invested himself in the teaching and relationships of South River Bible Church, where he grew in his knowledge of the Bible and his commitment to living the Christian life.

In 1989 Michael made a major life decision to leave his engineering position and pursue a new calling in his life. He entered training with Wycliffe Bible Translators to be a literacy specialist and work overseas teaching people to read the Word of God. It was here that Michael met his life partner, Kay Harper, who was pursuing a similar calling. They married in 1990 and together they finished their training and moved to Cameroon, Africa to be part of a Bible translation team among the Noni people group. Michael had a vision for the Noni literacy program that included literacy resource centers in all six of the Noni villages. It was his great joy to see the Noni people embrace this vision and work together to see it come to pass. While working in Cameroon, God opened the door for Mike and Kay to adopt children. Flying from Cameroon to China they welcomed a daughter, Hannah Claire, into their family. Then, five short months later, they heard from an adoption agency back in the States about their son, Aaron Stephen.

The work in Cameroon continued for several more years, until it became apparent that Michael's mother was no longer capable of living on her own back in the States. Therefore, the difficult decision was made to take a leave of absence from Wycliffe and return to the states to provide care and support for his mother, and subsequently for Kay's parents as well. Michael resumed his career as a research engineer, working at the Center for Advanced Power Systems at Florida State University, for many years providing for the needs of a multi-generational household.

One of Michael's great joys was experiencing God's glory in nature. During this season, he took the family on many trips to explore the National and State Parks. Michael was also able to return to Cameroon for the dedication ceremony of the Noni New Testament, a fitting and deeply satisfying reward for him.

In the final years of his life, Michael persevered through the trauma of living with Parkinson's Disease. Though the disease ravaged his body, his strength of spirit remained vibrant until the end. Many who met him over the years expressed that his Christ-like character had a profound impact on them. Throughout each of these seasons of life, Michael remained a loving, patient, and kind husband to Kay and father to his children, who also survive him and will miss his steady presence in our lives.