Ann Altha Edwards

Annie Altha Harrison was born Nov. 28th, 1934 in Yard, Texas the third daughter of 7 siblings. She grew up in Anderson County, Texas, and graduated from Massey Lake High School in 1950.

She entered college at 16, one of the youngest in her freshman class at Prairie View A&M University. She graduated in August of 1955 with a degree in early childhood education and sociology. She would go on to earn her master’s degree in counseling and education, also from Prairie View, in 1963.

While in undergrad, a weekend trip to Dallas with one of her college roommates, changed her life. She met her first husband, W.D. Edwards there, and they married Dec. 21, 1952. They had two sons. They were married for 49 years until W.D’s death in 2001.

Annie earned her doctorate in education from Nova University in Florida in 1974.

Her education career started in Dallas in at George Washington Carver Elementary teaching first grade. She would also work at El Centro Community College and Mountain View Community, both in the Dallas area.

In 1981, she, along with her family, moved to Palestine, Texas, settling in Tennessee Colony. She worked as a co-op high school counselor for three rural school districts, Cayuga, Neches, and Slocum. She began working full-time for Cayuga ISD in 1984. She retired in 1992, after 42 years in education.

She may have retired, but she still worked. Annie was a licensed professional counselor with her own part-time practice and she was an education consultant for almost 10 years.

Annie was also a speaker and lecturer. She spoke at many conferences and symposiums and was often a featured speaker for many ladies’ day church programs.

Annie was a devout Christian. She grew up in the Baptist church, but in 1985 was baptized into the church of Christ. She was a member at Salt Works Road in Palestine, Broadway Church of Christ in Tyler, Clark Road in Duncanville, Cameron Road in Austin, and Manchester Church of Christ in Manchester, Connecticut.

Annie met La Charles Williams of Palestine and married him in 2007. He preceded her in death in 2010.

Her health failed her later in life causing her to move to Alabama and Connecticut in 2020 and 2021, respectively, to live with her son.

She died from complications of a stoke on July 10th, 2022.

She leaves behind:
Sons:  Roddey Edwards (Lucy)
Wendell Edwards (Mekio)

Grandchildren: Joshua Edwards
Aaron Montvalo
Kennedy Edwards
Adela Jhade Edwards
Kendall Edwards

Siblings:  Margie Riley
Andrew Henderson

And host of nieces, nephews, cousins extended family and friends.