Andrew W Creswell died February 22, 2022 at the age of 94. He was residing in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. He went home to be with his heavenly father, wife and many friends and co-workers. He was born in Pontiac, Michigan February 25, 1927. He attended Muskingham College in New Concord, Ohio. He then served his country in the US Navy. He then attended Fuller Theological Seminary and later Pitt Xenia Seminary. He married Margaret M. Mehaffey August 31, 1951. He also acquired a daughter, Mary Katherine Mehaffey. He pastored the Minneola Community church from 1952 to 1958. He and his family then served in the Sudan Interior Mission in Omderman, Sudan. There he founded the Gideon Theological Seminary that still exists today. He then served ELWA mission in Liberia. Here he preached and taught over the radio to all of Africa. His grasp of Arabic was so good the people hearing did not know he was an American. He then pastored in Jordan and then back to the Sudan. After the death of his wife he continued to go back to Sudan to work with the seminary students. He is survived by his daughter Mary Katherine Creswell Trotter and husband, R.C Trotter, MD, Dodge City, Kansas and three grandchildren, Shannon, Courtney and Seth and eight great grandchildren
In a recent face book post Courtney so aptly described Andy. She and Shannon got to visit him in Egypt and Jordan. She got to walk around the markets with him as he was dressed in their tradition dress. They looked at him like he was an American tourist until he spoke to them in their native tongue and dialect. He also spoke in many tribal dialects. He was a great letter writer and wrote everyone. It is a lost art but still is very meaningful. Courtney’s son Ike had leukemia and she knew that his grandpa prayed to God for him every day about his illness. ‘Now he and God can talk face to face’.
Through one of Andy’s travels he met Jim Fulford, a like minded Christian. Jim became Andy’s great Christian friend and in the later years his driver and care giver. Andy spent his last days in Rio Rancho, New Mexico with Jim and many other Christian friends. They all loved Andy and miss him but know that they will be with him someday.
A celebration of Andy Creswell’s life and faith will be announced in the future. Gifts could be given to Sudan Interior Mission, 14830 Choate Circle, Charlotte, North Carolina, 28273 in his name.
