A Celebration of Life Service will be held on  Saturday, 11/15/2025 at 2:00 PM at Fellowship Church-Grapevine, 2450 State Hwy 121 Grapevine, TX 76051

972-471-5700 or 214-458-8509.

Weather permitting, service will be outdoors.

Andrew Paul Follett was born on April 13, 1958 in Madison, WI to John and Sue (Sladky) Follett. He is survived by wife, Janice Fulkerson, and his stepdaughters from a previous marriage, Jessica Weathers (Chris) and Amanda Peraza (Jacob), whom he helped raise, greatly influenced and loved since they were two and four years old.

Andy grew up in Sioux City Iowa, where he attended East High School and graduated in 1976.  His first job during high school was at Sambo's and he used to brag that is how he learned to make "perfect" scrambled eggs!   He attended Iowa State University and earned a bachelor's degree in music education. He played trumpet for the college jazz band and had the opportunity to tour Europe performing with them.

He became a teacher and band director at Remsen Union Community High School. During this time, he took private flying lessons and became a corporate pilot for Wells Blue Bunny Ice Cream. He also discovered a love for the guitar and met Lt. Col. Les Jensen, who became a major mentor in his life. Andy was taking guitar lessons from Les, who also happened to be a flight instructor for the Iowa Air National Guard. With his influence, Andy enlisted in the Iowa Air National Guard and completed his pilot training, graduating in Columbus, Mississippi, in 1986.  His call sign was "Fender," due to his passion for Fender guitars.

Andy flew F-16s for the 185th Iowa Air National Guard until he transferred to the 162nd Air National Guard in Tucson, Arizona, where he became an F-16 flight instructor. In 1996, he became a pilot for FedEx as a Flight Engineer, and in 1998, he began his career with American Airlines as a First Officer on the Fokker 100. During this time, he continued serving part-time with the Air National Guard---how he managed all those responsibilities remains a mystery, but in true Andy fashion, he somehow made it look effortless. He proudly earned the rank of Major before retiring from the Guard in 2001. He then relocated to the Dallas–Fort Worth area, where he was based for the remainder of his career with American Airlines, retiring as a First Officer on the 737 on his 65th birthday in April 2023.

Upon retiring he embraced sailing, purchasing a Catalina 355, christened Timeless. Once confident in their sailing skills, Andy and Janice upgraded to a Catalina 425, also christened Timeless. He and Janice  loved spending time on the water and had many future voyages  planned. Every time the sails went up and the motor went quiet he would quip "Look at us! We're sailing!"

Andy's love for music began early. He played trumpet in middle and high school, earning a place in the All-State Band. His first country band, Double Standard, formed in 1989 and marked the beginning of his performing days. When he moved to Tucson, Andy formed a new band called Branded, made up mostly of fellow Air National Guardsmen. He was especially proud that when Branded's name appeared on the marquee at The Maverick, Tucson's most popular country bar, he could say he and his band had truly made it.

After moving to Texas, he became a private trumpet instructor for the girls' middle school, taught guitar lessons, joined the Southlake Community Symphony, and started a new country band, Empty Pockets, followed by another band, Timeless, which he managed for years, performing throughout the DFW Metroplex.

Throughout his life, Andy played numerous instruments including trumpet, flugle horn, guitar, piano, flute, French horn, violin, mandolin and ukulele. His musical gift was undeniable.

Andy was a man of countless talents, and he took every one of them seriously. He built his first radio-controlled airplane in 1981 and made several more over the years, enjoying every flight. His creativity extended to woodworking, where he crafted beautiful desks, cabinets, and even a large playset for his stepdaughters. After jumping a fence and measuring a store display model, he confidently declared, "I can make one of these for a third of the cost!"—and he did, involving the girls in the project. He also built each of them their own personalized oak desks.

Andy was a natural teacher who found joy in helping others learn. He taught both girls to play trumpet when they were in first and third grade and volunteered with their elementary school band. Never one to miss a chance for fun, he had the brass students wear Christmas hats and lights on their instruments to "carol" at school board members' homes during the holidays. Even on vacations, his teaching spirit followed—he'd turn each trip into a learning experience, quizzing the girls on history and culture before letting them head to the amusement rides.

He was also a terrific dancer. Andy and Janice spent many nights on the dance floor, where he was always a true gentleman—gracious, poised, and polite in every situation. In his earlier years, he even competed, turning his natural rhythm and charm into yet another art form.

He made friends easily and everywhere he went. He was witty, loyal, dependable, reliable and generous. He loved to teach and share his knowledge and skills to anyone willing to learn and listen.

When a restaurant server would ask the inevitable question "is there anything else I can bring you/do/that you need?" he would quip "a shoebox full of hundred-dollar bills" each time hoping that they would have an equally smart alec answer!

He never said "see ya later", etc., instead he would say "Take the rest of the day off!" or "Drive fast, take chances.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on  Saturday, 11/15/2025 at 2:00 PM at Fellowship Church-Grapevine, 2450 State Hwy 121 Grapevine, TX 76051

972-471-5700 or 214-458-8509.

Weather permitting, service will be outdoors.