“Andy” and/or “Danté” to his family and friends – was born Tuesday, December 3, 1985, in Lansing, MI.

Andanté was a perpetually happy child who slept the nights through from the age of two weeks and woke the house with laughter and giggling. Throughout his life he radiated a warmth that instantly transformed a room of strangers into familiar friends.

He had a great sense of humor, a great love of the outdoors, enjoyed disc golf, and maintained eclectic tastes in music throughout his life.

Prior to graduating from Eastern High School in 2005, Andanté secured his first job at the age of 14 at MSU’s Wilson Hall dormitory cafeteria. After graduation, he spent many years in the construction field, with his final position at Foundation Specialist in Grand Rapids, MI, from 2013 until the time of his death, where he helped build the company to an 8.1 million dollar per year business. There, he was much-loved and treasured by his employer and many coworkers.

In his final months, he made strides to further improve his life and that of his children – his most important and greatest loves. Due to the timing of his unexpected death, he was unable to fulfill these goals.

Andanté is preceded in death by several family and friends: most significantly, Dominique K. Sturdivant, the mother of his three oldest children; along with several companion animals, most notably “Diamond,” “Juice,” and “Sandy.”

He is survived by: his children, Dee M. Smith (Diajhrion K. Sturdivant), Aiden M. DeVaney, Eliyah T. DeVaney, Kayin L. A. White, and Kamden M. DeVaney; his goddaughter, Jasmine M. Moore; siblings, Alaina Benda, for whom he had special and great affection, Lorenzo Mathis, Parish Perkins, and Raeann Zanger, whom he longed to have known; special honorary sibling, Markus D. Holbert; parents, L. Sabrina DeVaney and L. Terrell Mathis; and Cassie B. White-DeVaney, mother of the two youngest boys; he also leaves behind his maternal and paternal grandparents, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, and other extended family and chosen family.

Andanté left this physical world at the age of 39 in the early morning hours of Friday, June 13, 2025.

A Celebration of Life will be held on September 12, 2026. Watch this page for details.