Annelle Waddill

Annelle Lykins Waddill was born January 23, 1941 to Terence and Marian Lykins in San Antonio, Texas. Growing up in the Hill Country, she was a strong-willed child with a mind of her own. She had two younger sisters, Kathy and Terry. Much of their early life and Annelle’s childhood revolved around her Aunt Betty’s dance studio in San Antonio, where she spent hours dancing, working, and teaching. Annelle had a chance encounter at her own 6th birthday party, which was a costume party, with a fellow 1st grader and young boy named Doug, dressed as the Lone Ranger. Annelle, dressed in her ballerina costume, looked at his cowboy hat and gun belt and said “What kind of costume is THAT supposed to be!?”, which made the young Doug cry. While just classmates then, that party would prove both coincidental and fateful.

Annelle attended grade school and high school in San Antonio, and forged her own path in many ways. She was active in church, sang in the choir and was president of the Methodist Youth Fellowship. She was a great dancer and a very good student in high school and earned a full academic scholarship to attend Trinity University. While in her hometown, Trinity might as well have been a thousand miles away - Annelle was driven and excited to start her life and build a family of her own. There, she studied and graduated with a degree in deaf education and was re-introduced to the now handsome and sharp-dressed Doug Waddill. The two of them complemented each other well, fell in love, and began a 52-year marriage while in school together. They were married December 19, 1961 in San Antonio. The young couple had their first of four children in 1963, a baby boy they named William Douglas Jr. (Bill). They later followed Doug’s jobs to Dallas in 1965, and then their biggest move to Philadelphia in November 1966. It was in Philadelphia where the rest of their young family took shape over the next 11 years, when Russell, Jeffrey, and Meredith were born. They shared many great memories together and with family that visited from Texas, as well as forged friendships that would last a lifetime. Doug and Annelle were, however, native Texans and the pull of family and heritage tugged hard, so they moved back to Texas in 1977, where they made Houston home for the next 35 years.

With four children in school, Annelle – always restless and searching for a way to be vital and productive – went back to school herself. Her love of technology, problem solving, and analytical challenges drove her to take computer and accounting classes. Soon after completion, she launched her own enterprise, Financial Services & Systems, as a bookkeeper / accountant for small businesses near her north Houston home. Some of those first client relationships forged in the early 1980’s still existed up until just a few short months before she passed away this year, which is but one amazing testament to her loyalty, integrity and competence, but also the value she places in relationships. As one would imagine, with these skills, Annelle ran more than just a business – she ran her family and house. Both Doug and Annelle worked and made money, but she kept track of it! Her early classes in technology continued as a lifelong pursuit. She embraced it as a challenge for her endlessly curious mind and became remarkably competent on her Google Droid, her Facebook page, and even on a blog about aging she began last year.

Annelle had an insatiable intellectual curiosity, and read every night for most of her adult life. She was quick to share her newly discovered knowledge of what she was learning and how she had incorporated into her daily life or how it had made her see something in a different light. She also had a passion for music, and listened to popular music during each era, but was very discriminating. She had a bias for action, physical as well as mental. She had a personal trainer into her 70’s and furiously read about nutrition and health. She loved to hike in the mountains of Colorado, walk on the beaches of Texas and Florida, and travel with Doug and her family.

Above all, however, Annelle’s pride and joy was her family. She, with her husband of 52 years, built a loving and close family that was always the very center of her attention. This dedication only became more evident with the arrival of 10 grandchildren from 1997 to 2011, who affectionately called her Nina (or Nana, if they lived in Florida). While still very active with work, volunteer activities, and friends, she always made special time for her grandchildren and scheduled much of her life around their lives, as determined as ever to be a strong influence, a guiding force, and a cherished presence in their childhood. She hit the mark.

Annelle was an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 20+ years, a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, very generous to those in need, and an avid supporter of many charities that come to aid of the most vulnerable in our society.

Annelle is survived by her loving husband Doug Waddill; her son Bill and his wife Kathy and their two daughters, Abby and Olivia; her son Russ and his wife Elizabeth and their son, Thomas, and daughter, Sarah; her son Jeff and his wife Kristin and their son, Benjamin, and daughter, Kate; her daughter Meredith Miars and her husband Chris, and their four daughters, Hannah, Emma, Alexa, and Ava; and her sister Terry.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that donations be made in her name to a charity that helps families in need. Memorial services will be held at 1:30pm, Saturday, July 12th, 2014 at First United Methodist Church, 410 East University Ave., Georgetown, Texas 78626.