Charles Frederick Andrus

Charles “Chuck” Frederick Andrus, age 85, passed away June 3, 2025, at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center in Boise, Idaho, after a short illness.

He was born September 13,1939, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to Laurence E. and Henrietta M. Andrus (nee Veatch).

In 1958, Chuck graduated from Jordan High School in Sandy, Utah, and went on to serve in the Air National Guard between 1958 and 1961. He was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas.

In 1964, Chuck moved to California, living in Anaheim and Tustin until 1993 when he moved to Boise, Idaho, where he remained for the duration of is life.

His work as an auto mechanic, which began in 1961, became the defining vocation of Chuck’s life, and continued right up until his brief illness and death.

He worked for several prestigious General Motors Auto Dealers in Orange County, California, from 1964 to 1989, taking a two-year break from the Golden State between 1966 to 1968 when Chuck tried his trade as a mechanic in Hawaii for Sears. Later, Chuck would become a master mechanic for GM and, indeed, won many awards throughout his accomplished career in the automotive field.

Between 1989 and 1991, he owned and operated Magnolia Texaco, a full-service gas station in Garden Grove, California. After enduring some challenges in the service-station industry (Chuck had been pressed to expand his business into a mini-mart! which he declined to do) he opened California Auto Repair in Orange, California, in 1991. From then on his craft was strictly garage automotive repair and he never looked back.

In 1993, he moved to Idaho, where he opened Chuck Andrus Auto Repair in Garden City. Over time, advanced age required that Chuck reduce his working hours, and to also scale back his professional client list. Even so, he operated the auto repair business nearly six days a week to the very end. His small shop served only used car dealers in the immediate Boise area. An avowed car enthusiast, Chuck genuinely loved antique cars (no matter how neglected by previous owners) and he acquired quite a few over the years — and he always agonized at letting go of even the most ravaged and rusted automobiles in his collection. A chance passer-by who might sincerely inquire as to whether a vehicle was for sale was inevitably answered with a quiet, “No, I couldn’t sell that one,” before being politely sent on his way.

In his younger days, Chuck and his brother Byron thrilled at racing cars in the Salt Lake Valley.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Louise Andrus Lewis, brothers Ronald N., Marvin (Mike) L., Byron G., Lawrence F., and Donald N. Andrus.

He is survived by brother John (Lorilyn) Andrus, Ridgecrest, Calif., sister Susan Andrus Chilberg, Nampa, Idaho, sisters-in-law Jolene Green Andrus, Ogden, Utah, Evelyn Benson Andrus, Roy, Utah, nephews Dale (Evie), Lawrence Scott Andrus, Guy (Julie), Roger (Donna) Lewis, Shawn (Emily), Charles D. Andrus, nieces Kristine (Richard) Payne, Melanie Lynn Andrus, Donell (Cory) Arrington, great-nieces, Aspen, Abigail, Alexandria Arrington, Arianna (Shane) Riskus, Katelyn (Jake) Bingham, great-nephews, Logan Andrus, Cayden Arrington, and great great-nephew, Asher Riskus.

Funeral Services are to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Thursday June 12, 2025.

Viewing:

Larkin Mortuary

260 East South Temple

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM

Graveside services:

Mount Olivet Cemetery

1342 East 500 South

11:00 AM