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Andrew Joseph Repka was happiest when he was with his family or surrounded by his friends. And his family and friends felt the same about him. Andrew was one of those individuals who could make even an ordinary day seem like a special event — you wanted to be there simply because he was there. He earned the laughs of all who listened and was always there for anyone who needed help; no one was a stranger to him. The Ole Miss alumnus had many friends and all of them would say they were one of his best friends because he made everyone feel loved, welcomed and respected. Andrew was wise and big-hearted...and he left us far too soon.
Andrew grew up in the town of Pleasanton, Texas, alongside his brothers, Michael and Jonathan. His dirty blonde hair and blue eyes mimicked family members before him, but his signature smile radiated a country mile. He earned his high school degree at Pleasanton High School, where he played football and made many lifelong friends. He loved to hunt and fish and was a huge fan of the Star Wars series. While he was a senior in high school, he earned the “Best Hair” superlative and graduated in the same class as his cousin Alexi Repka.
Andrew moved to Oxford, Mississippi, to begin his college career at the University of Mississippi. He thoroughly reveled in the classic “Ole Miss” atmosphere and especially loved Rebel football. Andrew’s “signature look”— a pair of black and gold Ray Ban sunglasses and his favorite Ole Miss hat — was just one way people knew at a glance that it was Andrew Repka. His other distinct characteristics included his infectious laugh, his charming wit and his loud banter toward the opposing teams (and their fans).
Andrew enjoyed cheering for his favorite sports teams, including the Ole Miss Rebels, the Texas Longhorns, and of course, Chelsea Football Club. If all of his teams were playing at one time, he would position three television screens in the same room and cheer loudly, even if he knew one might fall short of winning. If someone dared to cheer against his favorite team in his presence, Andrew would stand up and cheer even more enthusiastically. Thankfully, he was able to tour England while studying abroad for college credit and watch his favorite soccer team, Chelsea F.C.
Andrew received a Bachelor of Accountancy degree in 2011, although he did not earn that degree without overcoming adversity. He struggled with his studies as an undergraduate, but after pleading with the Accountancy School’s administration, he was able to enroll in the Master of Accountancy program. With a promise of better academic performance fulfilled, he graduated with a master’s degree and was working on earning his CPA certification at the time of his passing.
With his newly-minted master’s degree in hand, Andrew received a job offer at Silas Simmons, LLP in the beautiful town of Natchez, Mississippi. It was there he was happy and content — he loved his job, his co-workers and the Natchez community. It was the perfect place for a person like Andrew to finally settle down.
Our family’s goal is to build a scholarship endowment expanding Andrew’s legacy and offering assistance to other students like him — those who possess the potential to make it in the real world. Please join this campaign to build the Andrew J. Repka Memorial Scholarship Endowment, paying tribute to Andrew’s life and encouraging students who don’t have a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. It is designed for Ole Miss students who care to learn, want to reach their full potential and pursue what they love.
Andrew was a huge Chelsea fan and Lampard was his favorite soccer player.
If you watched Andrew playing football at PHS, you were cheering for number 60.
Led Zeppelin was Andrew's favorite band and he could sing along to all 87 songs!
Anyone who knew Andrew knew him for his favorite Ray Bans. His signature shades cost $150 today.
Andrew loved living in Natchez and working with Silas Simmons. Natchez recently celebrated the 300th anniversary of its founding.
As a two-time graduate of Ole Miss, Andrew was a proud alumnus of the Patterson School of Accountancy which was founded in 1979.