Andrew Pierce Thigpen

Drew Thigpen, a man of several career paths, counted his best years as a Minister of Music at Wedgewood Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas; First Baptist Church, Seminole, Oklahoma; Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, Tennessee; followed by several years as Pastoral Care Minister at The People’s Church, Franklin, Tennessee. After a year and a half of misdiagnosis, medications, multiple brain seizures, and treatments, a neurologist finally diagnosed Drew with Lewy Body Dementia six weeks ago at St. Thomas Midtown in Nashville, Tennessee. Upon diagnosis and removal of all medications, the very aggressive disease took its course. On March 11, 2020, Drew breathed his last and entered heaven restored to the gregarious, funny, people-loving man in the room--healing that eluded him in his earthly tent.

Drew is survived by his wife Mary and their three daughters, sons-in-law, and four grandchildren: Callie and Dan Waltz of Nashville, Canaan and Daniel Sanders of Oklahoma City, and Camryn and John Austin of McMinnville, Tennessee. The grandchildren are Brooklyn Wheatley and Harlan Waltz and Luke and Nathan Sanders. Drew is also survived by Mary’s sister, brother-in-law, and niece, Jenira, Ralph, and Heather Murrell of Beaumont, Texas, as well as, sister-in-law Sunnye Jones, nephews and wives, Rickey and Freda; Dennis and Kim; Terry and Patti; and Jerry and Laura Jones; Drew’s Aunt Wilma McDaniel of Zachary, Louisiana; and cousins Peggy Hollingshead, Steve and Howard McDaniel and Father Raymond McDaniel of Dallas, Texas.

With the recent outbreak of Coronavirus, we will postpone Drew’s Celebration Service until the CDC’s regulations allow. As a family, we want to be respectful as all of us join to lessen the spread of the disease. When the appropriate time comes, we will update the information at this site and use the benefit of Face Book and social media, as well. Our family looks forward to the time that we can celebrate and remember together.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association. This particular dementia needs more research to promote more accuracy in diagnosis and care. Donations can be mailed to Lewy Body Dementia Association, 912 Killian Hill Road, S.W., Lilburn, Georgia, or donations can be made online at www.lbda.org. in Drew’s memory.