Anne Terry
Anne Terry
Age 100
Anne was born in Deweyville, TX, near Beaumont, in 1911. She spent her childhood in East Texas up until age 13. She had one brother, 3 years younger, who died 8 years ago. Her father was a bookkeeper and office manager and moved the family to Dallas. Anne completed high school in Dallas and trained as a teacher at Southern Methodist Univ. She then taught elementary school for 4 years in Dallas.
The family moved to Houston in 1937 and Anne began teaching in the Houston Independent School District. Anne married her first husband, who was 15 years older, and lived in Bellaire. She taught at the Horn School in Bellaire and preferred teaching the 4th grade. She had one son, Billy, who is now retired from teaching at Austin College, where he was a professor of math and computer science. She became principal of Alameda elementary school for 11 years, then Henry Peterson elementary.
Anne has been an active member of Bellaire Presbyterian Church (now Christ Church Presbyterian) for a long time.
Anne's husband died of heart disease in 1969. She retired from teaching in 1972 and started making trips around the US. Later she met a couple who loved ballroom dancing and got Anne interested as well. She became good friends with them until the wife died of Alzheimer's disease. Some time after that, in 1994, she got remarried at Age 83, to the husband, after being a widow for 25 years. Her new husband was 3 years older and had a son and daughter. They continued to live in Bellaire until 1997, when they moved to the Clarewood independent living center in Sharpstown.
Anne's second husband died in 2001, but Anne continues to live at Clarewood. She remains in touch with her church and participates in activities as she is able. She has many friends at Clarewood. She sees her stepson and stepdaughter frequently, as they live in or near Houston. Her son and daughter-in-law, Billy and Barbara, who live in North Texas, visit when they can.
Anne celebrated her 100th birthday in April 2011. Her son and daughter-in-law had a big party for her at Clarewood. It was attended by about 200 people, including relatives from South Carolina, Arkansas and Texas, friends, former teaching colleagues and former students.
Anne's favorite activities include eating, arranging for luncheons with her friends at Clarewood, reading, playing games and writing letters. Clarewood has many special events, like candlelight dinners and monthly birthday celebrations, which she likes. She enjoys writing letters in longhand (the old-fashioned way) to stay in touch with friends and family. Anne says that she keeps busy.
