Anna Louise Adams, 95, of Jackson passed from her earthly life on Sunday, July 3, 2016, four days after suffering a massive stroke at her home.
Anna Louise, affectionately known as "Poodle" by her family and friends, was born on the family farm south of Millersville on Oct. 19, 1920, to Carl Albert Overbeck and Bessie Wise Overbeck.
She resided with her parents on the family farm until her father passed away in 1953.
Soon after, she and her mother moved to Jackson, living together on Bast Street until her mother passed away in 1966. Poodle then lived alone a few years when a young widower, Woodrow Adams, came calling.
After a lot of persistence, Woodrow convinced Poodle to marry him at the ripe young age of 52.
They built a house on Dallas Street in Jackson and had nearly 16 happy years together when Woodrow passed away on his Adams/Borgfield farm in 1989.
Poodle lived alone her last 27 years but was rarely alone. She had made many friends over the years and never ran out of things to do or places to go.
After retiring from the Jackson ASCS office in 1982, Poodle enjoyed many hobbies. Until recent years, she was a weekly quilter with the women's group at New McKendree United Methodist Church. She was particularly fond of playing dominoes and cards -- usually hand-and-foot or pitch games, but she loved playing all kinds of games.
She planted flowers and a vegetable garden every year until breaking her right leg for the second time in 2012. Up until then, she was able to mow her large yard with a push mower. Her yard was too large to mow in one day. She liked to say, "I mow until I run out of gas, either me or the mower, which is usually about the same time."
In her last few years, she lost her ability to drive. This did not create a problem for her. Her sister-in-law, Bonnie Overbeck, picked her up most mornings and took her to the Senior Center for lunch. Her nieces, Donna Rushing and Judy Cozby, brought her groceries, took her to appointments and helped keep her house in order. Bernice Chastain, Ruth Barks or niece Paula Givens took her to church. And then there was nephew Roger Yancey, who drove all the way from Georgia with a truck full of generators to help Poodle and others during the big ice storm a few years ago.
Her family and friends helped her in more ways than there is time to mention. But Poodle got back because of what she gave out -- love for family and friends. She never had a bad thing to say about anyone, and no one ever said a bad thing about her.
She is survived by a sister-in-law, Bonnie Overbeck of Jackson; nieces Donna (Mike) Rushing and Judy (George) Cozby, both of Jackson; and nephews Roger (Darlene) Yancey of Evans, Georgia, Jerry Overbeck of Seattle and Jim (Renee) Jones of Indiana. Also surviving are grandnieces Carmen (Mike) Cox, Paula (Wayne) Givens, Marsha (Matt) Lewis, Becky (Roger) Hoogewerf and Priscilla (Valdes) Budrevic and grandnephews Todd (Julie) Rushing, Steven (Diane) Dow, Warren (Lauren) Yancey, Jimmy (Darolyn) Jones, Kevin (Beth) Werner, Darin (Tammy) Werner, Eric (Cindy) Dow and Curtis (Melanie) Dow.
She was preceded in death by sisters Hunter Jones, Reba Dow and Mabel Yancey and brothers Carl Overbeck and Wise Overbeck.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, with the Rev. Jimmie Corbin officiating. Burial will follow in Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson.
Memorial contributions may be made to New McKendree United Methodist Church, St. John's United Church of Christ or to Southeast Hospice.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at mccombsfuneralhome.com.
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