Andrew David Seago's Obituary
Andrew David Seago, known to his wife as Andy, to his children as Dad, to his grandchildren as Granddaddy and to the Lord as a most faithful servant, died Feb. 21, 2008. He was 89. Although he was frail, he was able to enjoy his family to the end B a great blessing. Dad spent his final hours surrounded by loving family in hospice care. Andy, as most people knew him, was a native of Texas and a longtime resident of Tacoma. His whole life was about serving the Lord as a pastor and raising a family. Doris, his wife of 60 years, was his loyal partner in both endeavors, which proved fruitful: They established churches and raised five children. Andy was born in Big Sandy, Texas. He entered Louisiana State University but joined the Army Air Force during World War II. During this time he felt a call to the ministry. After leaving the military, he enrolled at East Texas Baptist College. He was ordained as a Southern Baptist minister and pastored at several small churches while he earned his bachelor's degree. During this time he also found his wife, the former Doris Allyene Patton. Andy then earned a bachelor of divinity degree at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. In 1955, he and Doris moved the family to Washington state, where Andy became pastor of Parkland Baptist Church. The rest of Andy's 50-year career in the ministry included service as pastor of Columbia Heights Baptist Church in Longview and Palisades Baptist Church in Dash Point. He later became associate pastor at North Auburn Baptist Church and was most recently a member of Nine Lakes Baptist Church in Federal Way. The auditorium in North Auburn's new church building was named in Andy's honor. Andy especially loved Washington's forests and mountains, which he admired as God's magnificent handiwork. Family vacations were spent camping and hiking; he gave his children many happy opportunities to fall into mountain lakes and streams. In retirement, he tended a bountiful vegetable garden. On Andy's last hike at Mount Rainier, he could barely manage the short stroll to Snow Lake. But once again he drank in the mountain vista and fields of bright alpine flowers and thanked the Lord for all of it. Unbidden from his memory came a snatch of verse that he recited: "Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear: Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air." In his last moments with his family, Dad asked someone to read verses of Scripture he had written on the flyleaf of his favorite Bible. One was Deuteronomy 33:27: "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." Without a doubt Dad now rests in those everlasting arms. Survivors, in addition to Doris, include his sons, David (Anne), of Tacoma; Howard (Lori), of Seattle, and Billy, of Vashon Island; his daughters, Dawn Seymour, of Tacoma, and Suzanne Benfield (Garry), of Kennewick; and nine grandchildren, Ainsley, Laura, Ryan, Kyle, Ruby and Tucker Seago, Nathan and Hannah Benfield and Samra Seymour. The family is grateful for the peace it found at Franciscan Hospice House, a wonderful institution. A private burial Saturday, February 23rd will be followed by a memorial service Sunday, Feb. 24, at 4 p.m. at North Auburn Baptist Church, 1039 22nd Ave. NE., Auburn. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be sent to Real Life Ministries to support its missionary relief work in India. The address is 281 Catron St N., Monmouth, OR 97361. A public viewing will be held from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at Mountain View Funeral Home and Memorial Park. Please sign online guestbook at www.mountainviewtacoma.com. Arrangements by Mountain View Funeral Home, 4100 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood, WA 98499. 253-584-0252.
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