When a woman like Andri White leaves us, it’s incredibly difficult to find the words to describe the impact she made and all of the lives she touched.

Both of us being in the education field, we clicked instantly. I started to cut my Christmas trips short so that I could spend time with Ron and Andri when they visited Arizona in the winter — and I always loved our trips to Hyattsville seeing glimpses of their everyday lives. No matter where we were, Andri had a way of turning every moment into something meaningful.

Although the last two years have been incredibly challenging, they also gave me a gift — the gift of time with her. Living in the same state meant I got to know her in a deeper way. In those long days at Mayo, the drives where I could tell I made her nervous w my driving, in between stores on our shopping trips, or mid-Rummy shuffle, I started to hear more and more stories about just how many people she had touched.

From McKinley Tech, to Redeemer, to stories from her childhood — I began to understand that Andri’s reach was so incredibly wide. She had a ripple effect that extended through generations of students, colleagues, neighbors, friends, and family.

Andri taught me so much, but one of the most important things I learned from her was the importance of pouring into the people you care about. She never took relationships for granted. Whether it was a handwritten note, a thoughtful card, or a small gift — She never forgot an event, never missed an occasion.

She made people feel important. She made them feel loved. She made them feel seen and empowered.

Andri was a woman who lived with deep intention and generosity. Her kindness didn’t always need to be loud, but it was steady. It was consistent. And it left a mark on everyone lucky enough to know her.

Even now, I can still hear her laughter, her words of encouragement, and that spark she carried everywhere she went. I know that the lessons she taught us — about compassion, resilience, and the power of community — will continue to guide us.

We will miss her terribly, but her light continues in the people she poured into — in her family, her friends, and all those she lifted up. So thank you, Andri, for showing us what it means to love fully and give selflessly. We’ll carry that forward, just as you would have wanted.