Our cherished Annie Elizabeth passed away peacefully at her home in Granbury, Texas, on May 13, 2023, while comforted by family. Only two months shy of her 100th birthday, Ann Pitts, affectionally known as Mamaw to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, lived all of her 99.9 years in Brown County Texas.
Born July 11, 1923 in Thrifty, Texas (at home) to Bera Flannigan Tompkins and Newt `Lem’ Tompkins (both of Irish descent), Ann grew up on a small farm with chickens and cows that supplied the family’s eggs, milk and meat. Their horse, which Ann was allergic to and tried her best to avoid, was often ridden by her non-allergic and fun-loving younger sister, Wanda Tompkins. As the girls got older, their father, Lem, opened a small store in Thrifty that provided the community with a variety of groceries and other necessities. They lived in a small house with dirt floors that they swept often. Ann would tell a story about how she used newspapers as wallpaper for her bedroom as part of a school homemaking project.
Ann later moved to the bigger town of Brownwood, Texas, where she and her sister worked as a waitresses and lived together in an apartment above the restaurant. One day, a handsome young Colonel Everett Pitts walked in (in his pre-Colonel years), and it was love at first sight (he claimed). After a little romance, and a little convincing, she married the Alabama Army soldier on May 16, 1942. This was during World War II, and Everett was soon shipped off to war, while Ann was carrying their first child, Gerald. She raised Gerald for four years while Everett was away. During that time, Ann lived with her sister, Wanda, who was also raising a baby boy, Blaine, while her husband was stationed away.
After Everett returned from the war, the couple quickly had another son, Robert. Then 18 years later, and the biggest surprise since Pearl Harbor (as claimed by Everett), they were blessed with one more son, Michael. Annie Elizabeth and the Alabama solider were married for over 60 years and lived in Brownwood until Everett’s passing in 2005. They were devoted members of Central United Methodist Church in Brownwood for over 30 years.
Ann will continue to be cherished by first son, the brilliant (late) Dr. Gerald Pitts and wife Marquetta Pitts, her second son (and best singer of the family) Robbie Pitts and his wife Kerri Pitts, and her youngest son (reformed hooligan) Michael Pitts, whom she lived with since the passing of her husband. Ann joked (or maybe confessed) that she had Michael later in life so he would take care of her…and that he did.
Ann’s Irish-Texan genes and strong-as-a-boot mentality continue on with her granddaughter, Paige Ann Zak and husband Thad Zak, and their three boys Kyler, Colson, and Christian; granddaughter Tori Brown and husband Bryan Brown, and their two kids Stone Brown and Piper Brown; grandson Jarrod Pitts; granddaughter Kay Dyer and her husband Craig Dyer, and their two boys Zach and (late) Hunter Dyer, and daughter Courtney; grandson Steven Pitts and his daughter Riley and son Gage.
We love you, Mamaw. We will eat your famously delicious cherry cheese pie and strawberry cake at every family gathering and think of you.
A Graveside service will be held Saturday, May 20 at 1pm at Rocky Creek Cemetery in Brownwood. Family and friends are welcome.
Services are under the direction of Heritage Funeral Home Davis-Morris Chapel.
