Mary Shirley Meyer Annis

Mary Shirley Meyer Annis, age 87, of Carmel, Indiana (formerly of Noblesville, Indiana and before that Plano, Texas) went to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, National Teacher's Day. She was the beloved wife of the late Aldon Phillips Annis. Mary and Aldon traveled the world together and they moved over 25 times throughout their married life as Aldon progressed in his ceramics engineering career. Aldon always lived close to work so he could come home for lunch every day with Mary. They were married 46 years before Aldon passed away 20 years ago on May 7, 1992. Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Mary was the only daughter of the late Ephraim Otto Meyer and Pearl Wallace Meyer. She had many cousins. She met her future husband, Aldon, at Junior College in Kansas City. She attended Washburn University while Aldon was a pilot in the V-12 Navy College Training Program during World War II. They married in 1946 and raised four children together. Aldon and Mary enjoyed traveling, especially flying their own planes. They had several different makes and models including a Mooney and a Cessna. The only plane Mary declined to fly in was the QE2 kit airplane that Aldon built in their garage in Plano. Mary knew how to travel light, and she was always ready to pack a small suitcase for an adventure. She was an active leader in Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, PTA, and the Presbyterian Church. She liked to attend plays, movies, and concerts, and she played tennis and golf. She immensely enjoyed quilting, crocheting, and knitting, especially for Newborns in Need and anyone expecting a baby. Ellen Anne Eddy, a renowned quilting artist and lecturer, dedicates all of her books to Mary, who introduced her to the world of sewing and quilting when she lived next door to Mary as a child. Mary's first love was teaching � in and out of the classroom. She graduated from Illinois State University while raising her children and she taught elementary, junior high and high school. After retiring from full time teaching, she continued to substitute and volunteered as an exam reader. She also mentored students to successfully complete their college degrees. She was a member of P.E.O., an educational philanthropy, serving as chaplain. She transferred to the EH Chapter when she moved to Noblesville, Indiana on Mother's Day 2005. A lifelong learner, Mary enjoyed reading, book clubs, educational lectures, poetry readings, financial seminars, and clipping articles from the local newspaper. She was a knowledgeable resource for many who benefitted from her practical wisdom about mortgages and financial decisions. Mary moved to Summer Trace in Carmel in 2006, after suffering a severe stroke. However, she was a graduate of the Carmel, Indiana Police Department's Citizens Academy class after recovering from that stroke. She was an active member of the Northside Aphasia Support Group for stroke survivors led by Butler University Professor, Mary Gospel. At Summer Trace she delighted in activities arranged by the staff, who loved Mary well in the last 6 years of her life. She enjoyed Bible studies, theater and music programs, children's programs, and listening to hymns played on the piano, especially "The Old Rugged Cross." Most of all she enjoyed listening to the residents and staff and learning about their life stories and their families. She was a good friend. Mary and Aldon created a large family. Mary is preceded in death by her husband, Aldon, and her daughter, Sarah Jane (Annis) Stephenson. She is survived by two daughters and a son. Barbara Gail (Annis) Simons and her husband Bill live in Abington, Pennsylvania. Charles Patrick Annis and his wife Cyndi live in Herndon, Virginia. Mary Elizabeth "Betsy" Fladung and her husband, Phil, live in Carmel, Indiana. Mary is also survived by 10 grandchildren and their spouses and 18 great grandchildren, and their visits brought her joy. Mary will be sadly missed by her family, her many friends, and her cat, Mrs. Whiskers, who was her dear companion in her later years at Summer Trace. Mary will be kept close in their hearts forever. Mary lived out her deep faith in God by following the teaching of Jesus to love one another. She devoted her life to bringing happiness and comfort to others, especially those in need. She loved babies and animals, and she was a good friend and an extraordinary mother. Although she is no longer with us, the love she shared will bear fruit for generations. A Life Celebration Service will be held on May 19th, 2012 at 10:00 am at ManorCare at Summer Trace, 12999 N. Pennsylvania St., Carmel, IN 46032, with Pastor Gail Simons officiating. Friends may visit with the family at 9:30 am before the service. Mary's ashes will be taken to Kansas City to be buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, on the south end of Swope Park, 8251 Hillcrest Rd., Kansas City, Mo. Her committal service will be Monday, June 18, 2012 at 10 am. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in her memory to The Northside Aphasia Support Group at a local PNC Bank branch (or mail to 4775 E. 126th St, Carmel, IN 46033), or to the P.E.O. educational philanthropy (attach a note "in memory of Mary Annis, Chapter EH Indiana," make check payable to P.E.O. Foundation, and mail to P.E.O. Executive Office Treasurer's Dept, 3700 Grand Ave., Des Moines IA 50312). An endowed "Aldon and Mary Annis" scholarship has been established at P.E.O.'s Cottey College with preference for students going into teaching or ministry or descended from Mary Shirley Meyer Annis. If you would like to contribute to this scholarship, go to web site is http://www.cottey.edu/ and specify "DESIGNATION: Aldon and Mary Annis Scholarship." Cottey College is supported by the P.E.O. Sisterhood. Please check the Life Images tab to enjoy videos of Gram and Papa flying their airplanes, courtesy of Mike Stephenson. "She was such a good loving mother, my best friend; oh, who was happier than I when I could still say the dear name 'mother,' and it was heard, and whom can I say it to now?" ~ Ludwig van Beethoven "Most of all the other beautiful things in life come by twos and threes, by dozens and hundreds. Plenty of roses, stars, sunsets, rainbows, brothers and sisters, aunts and cousins, comrades and friends�but only one mother in the whole world." ~ Kate Douglas Wiggin "The successful mother sets her children free and becomes more free herself in the process." ~ Robert J. Havighurst