Annette Brannan

Annette Brannan, of Groesbeck, went to her Heavenly home on Easter Sunday, April 21, 2019, at the age of 79.

Visitation will be Tuesday, April 23, 2019 from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 in the Groesbeck Funeral Home Chapel, with Brother Richard Williams of the Church of Christ officiating.  Burial will follow in Cobb Cemetery.

Pallbearers will be Robert Rader, Doug Rader, James Clay, Scotty Lenamon, Tyler Rader, and Jordan Rader.    Terry Don Roach will be an honorable pallbearer.

Annette was born May 10, 1939 to John Alton Rader and Ina Mel Banks Rader in Groesbeck.    She grew up on the family farm where she learned to work hard with the family.  They raised the family’s food and picked cotton crops.  This is where she learned to hate sweet potatoes because she ate too many as a child.    She always said while her friends were in town driving the streets, she had to be home in the country working.   One thing she did love to do was go dancing, on the weekends, at the Fort Parker Pavilion with her friends.   Her mother decided she had to stop picking cotton when she graduated from high school because she did not want her to go to work in the “city” with her hands all scratched-up. 

Annette graduated from Groesbeck High School in the Class of 1957 and went to work the same year for the Texas Department of Transportation.  At that time, the office was in the Courthouse at Groesbeck.    The office later moved to Forest Glade. She moved with her family to Ennis in 1972 and continued to work for the Highway Department in the Dallas District at Hutchins and then eventually in Ennis. 

Annette transferred from the Ennis office to the Waco office in 1985.  Her daughter LeAnn began her career at TXDOT when she replaced Annette at the Ennis office. Annette retired in 1992 after 35 years of dedicated service at the Texas Highway Department. 

Annette was united in marriage to Warren G. Brannan in 1985 and made their home in Marlin. Soon after, Annette and Warren built a home in Groesbeck at Oak Creek Estates. 

Annette was very involved in the Groesbeck community. She was a member of the Groesbeck Women’s Club, the Groesbeck Study Club, where she served as Secretary for a period of time, the Cynthia Ann Garden Club, and she also volunteered weekly at the hospital as one of the Groesbeck LMC Volunteers.  She was a vital worker in all the organizations of which she was a member.  She kept in touch with her high school friends and helped organize their class reunions.   

Annette was a devoted fan of the Fighting Texas Aggies Her love for A&M began with her first date with Warren which was to an Aggie game.  She attended every home game she could. After Warren passed away, she and her dear friend Anna Steele from Marlin, made those trips together. As long as she had grandchildren at A&M she prepared their favorite sandwich for tail-gating before the games.  There was a grandchild or two beside her at every game. 

Annette loved to travel, and made many trips with Warren, including trips to Hawaii, Australia, Alaska, Europe, and the Panama Canal.  She took many bus tours to New England and Branson, MO.  Or anywhere the “bank” was going. She spent many weekends with her friends in Canton or at Canyon Lake. She always traveled anywhere the grandchildren were participating in activities to watch and support them.

Annette was organized and neat in everything she did.  Although she enjoyed her plants, the thing she loved to do the most was to iron.    She was always dressed very precise and looked beautiful. “ Pretty is as pretty does” she taught her grandchildren. Her lovely smile will be missed. 

She dearly loved all her family, and cooking special meals for them was her top priority.  Warren may have entertained the grandchildren while Annette cooked, but they wanted their Granny at bedtime.     She loved taking the grandchildren shopping for school and Easter clothes. It was usually followed by lunch at Olive Garden. 

Annette was a member of the Church of Christ all her life and a true dedicated Christian lady.   Her faith and dedication to her church was strong. She loved life and fought hard until her last breath while surrounded by family and friends. 

Annette was preceded in death by her parents: John Alton and Ina Mel Rader, sisters:  Jeanette and Frances Rader, brothers: Lee Roy Rader and John Deen Rader and sister-in-law Barbara Rader and her husband Warren Brannan. 

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Jon Pat and Karleen Henry of Scurry; daughter and son-in-law, LeAnn and Victor Kemp of Wilmer; nine grandchildren and their spouses:  Karie and Brian Wilson of Aubrey, Katie and Roderick Miller of Midland; Kaylie Henry of Austin; Lacey and Caleb Baker of Bedias; Blake Lewis of College Station; Cheryl Kemp of Ennis; Micah and Brooke Kemp of Seattle, WA; Cody Kemp of Ennis; and Colton Kemp of Ennis; four great grandchildren, Hanna Annette Miller of Midland, Lillian Baker of Bedias, Jayton Williams and Desmond Williams of Ennis; and her dear nieces and nephews, Robert and Missy Rader, Johnny Rader, Annette and James Clay, Erin and Tom Johnson, Doug and Alison Rader, and her great nieces and nephews.