Ann Cecile Varner was born May 22, 1960 to parents Eulah and Cecil Varner in Miami, Florida. She was the third of 4 children. Cecil was a union carpenter and loved to fish. So did her brothers Fred and Mike. She talked about how they would go fishing in the Everglades and then have a big fish fry. Growing up in Miami, her Mom’s twin sister Beulah and her kids lived nearby and she and her cousins were very close. She graduated from North Miami High School.
Sissy had a distinctive personality. She could laugh at anything, including herself. Sissy was always kind and caring to others. As she grew up, she was someone that would catch your breath and your heart.
When she was in school, Sissy was a part of the Girl Scouts of America. She enjoyed her time in the scouts and made many friends. Her brother Mike really liked the fact that she was in the scouts because he was able to spend quality time with her friends, disguising it as time with her.
During High School, Sissy was a part of the Future Business Leaders of America. She was also on the badminton team.
Her faith in God was always evident. You could see it when you looked at her face as it radiated from her soul. Sissy was not afraid to share her faith with family and friends. She is the reason that many now have a relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ.
Sissy had many friends and had a great sense of style. People were always drawn to her. It was not about the clothing, the hair, the make-up. It was about the way her smile radiated warmth. It was how she always greeted everyone with love that drew people to her. Her beauty is something that few understand and fewer possess. You can do more than see her beauty, it was felt within you. It was the expression of her soul in the light.
After high school Sissy worked at Greenland Studios with her sister Laura. She later met and married Curtis Johnson (CJ) and moved to Orlando. It was her desire to be closer to her sister Laura, her brother Fred and to help her husband CJ and brother in law, Warren with their business, Energy Saving Products of Orlando.
Years later CJ and Sissy opened Climate Control Windows Company. She worked there until she had her oldest son Christopher. Sissy enjoyed spending her days with her beautiful son at her mom and dad’s home. At that time she also worked with her brothers at American Turnkey Service.
Family was always very important to Sissy. She spent as much time as possible sharing her love with her husband, baby boy, sister, brothers and extended family. When she had her gorgeous little girl, she was overjoyed. Another adorable son, Charles completed her family.
Years after she experienced the loss of her sister Laura, her mother and the end of her marriage, Sissy was given the blessing of finding her true soul mate. Tyler came into her life and gave her the love and support that she needed. They were a match made in heaven and had a wonderful marriage together.
Sissy was a beautiful woman. She often shared your deepest personal views and understood you. When you spoke to her, you felt like she was miles ahead of you, but yet at the same time she made you feel perfect and beautiful as well. Because of who she was inside, it rubbed off on who she was outside. She simply glowed. When you looked at her eyes you could feel her love for you.
She was very family oriented. She loved, loved, loved her kids and grandkids. But her love and compassion flowed outwards as well, to touch the lives of many others, sometimes complete strangers.
She was active in church, teaching primary, then older kids, then serving in the women’s organization.
The family usually took two vacations a year, one to the Smokey mountains, and each summer to Sanibel Island. Those are wonderful memories.
Then, in June 2014, she began her battle with ovarian cancer. They had gone to the emergency room. Hours later, after many tests, they were led to a private room. A doctor walked in and said, “It’s bad. You have ovarian cancer, we have to operate immediately.”
She was a fighter. She began chemotherapy and soon her hair was falling out. She would feel yucky for days after chemo, but she kept fighting. Then, in 2017, she went into remission and life returned pretty much to normal again. She had 11 months of remission and then the cancer returned with a vengeance. She fought valiantly, and was blessed to have an incredible doctor, Robert Holloway, and wonderful nurses and caretakers to help her through this battle.
In November 2018, she had a close call and had to be taken to the emergency room. After nearly 14 days in the hospital where she was surrounded by loved ones, she was finally able to come home.
Once she was able, she began the chemo journey again.
In April 2019, she was hospitalized again with serious complications from the chemo. After about a week, a surgical procedure was scheduled so she could return home in the next day or two, but sadly it did not go well. Fortunately, by now all the family was there. So they lovingly gathered around her as she took her final journey. She went to her Heavenly home on April 21st, Easter Sunday.
She was a very special person and is greatly missed.
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