James Leroy Andrews was born in Atwood, Kansas, on May 25, 1924. After graduating from Atwood High School, he served in the United States Navy during World War II. Upon his return, he attended Kansas Wesleyan for two years and Ohio Wesleyan for two years, receiving his B.A. from the latter in 1950. He earned his B.D. from Southern Methodist University in 1956 and received his M.A. from Kansas State Teachers College (now Emporia State) in 1968. He also attended Perkins School of Theology in 1954-1955. He became a local preacher in the Ohio Conference in 1948 and served half a year at Brookville, Kansas, and two years at Warrensburg Methodist (possibly in Ohio) in 1949. In the book “Saddlebags to Satellites: Hutchinson First Church” (1997) he is listed as having been associate pastor at Hutchinson First Methodist Church in 1949-1950, serving with pastor Everette W. Freeman. He was received on trial into the Kansas West Conference in September 1950 and was admitted to full membership in the Central Kansas Conference in 1956, being ordained a deacon in 1955 and an elder in 1956. His other appointments included El Dorado, Ellsworth, Halstead, and Wichita First UMC, where he also served as minister of Christian education. He married Carolyn Cameron (born July 11, 1927) on November 24, 1946; their daughter Kristina Lyn was born November 13, 1962. Rev. Andrews relocated to the North Indiana Conference in 1970 and served at the First Wayne Street Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Note written by Sarah St. John