Annon Melton Card

Annon was born in Lufkin June 22, 1919 to Henry Martin Card and Eliza Elizabeth Durden Card. He passed away Thursday, October 27, 2011. He grew up in Lufkin and graduated in the class of 1937 at Lufkin High School. Annon was Captain of the 1936 Panther football team which won the District championship for the first time in the history of LHS. It was coach Abe Martin's first year as Head Coach of the Panthers. Card went to the College of Marshall in Marshall, Texas for two years on a football scholarship. He is in the Hall of Fame (football) at the school, now the East Texas Baptist University. Annon graduated from the University of Texas in the class of 1941 with a BBA degree just prior to Pearl Harbor. He enlisted in the Navy and after pilot training was commissioned, Ensign U. S. Navy.

Annon married Francis "Fran" Holt, in 1946. He was honorably discharged from the Navy in 1947 as a LTJG at Corpus Christi, Texas. Annon commenced working as a Sales Trainee for Texaco, Inc. at Corpus Christi the next day. After extensive training, he experienced many promotions and moves to different locations. In April, 1965, Annon was named Vice President, U.S. Marketing by Texaco's Board of Directors, world headquarters, Chrysler Building New York, N.Y. In 1969 he was moved to Brussels, Belgium as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Texaco Europe. He moved back to New York in 1971 as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing. In 1980, Annon moved to Houston as Executive Vice President of Texaco, Inc. and President of Texaco USA. He moved back to NY for a short time and retired from Texaco, January, 1983. He and Fran retired in Lufkin, their home town.

After moving to Lufkin, Annon immediately became involved in community activities. These included being elected a director of Republic Bank (NCNB), president of the board of the Wilson McKewen Rehabilitation Center, and in 1985 forming the Lufkin High School Alumni Association. Annon served as president for ten years. Currently, because of Annon's initiative, the LHS Alumni Association gives over 100 scholarships each year. Annon also established the Heart of East Texas Senior Men's Golf Association and was an avid golf member in the Senior Men's Golf at Crown Colony Country Club.

Annon was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Fran Card. He is survived by sons, daughters, their spouses and grandchildren and great-grandchild-- Michael and Elizabeth Lee Card, San Antonio; Carol Card Hill, Lufkin; Cathy Card and Scott Sterling, McLean, VA; Richard Card and Nancy McAllister, New York, NY; Christopher Card, Dallas; Scott and Tonya Card, Austin; George Lord, Wilmington, NC; Annie and Chad Martin, San Diego, CA; Jay Sterling, McLean, VA; and Nick Eisenberg, San Antonio.

Also, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Wandell Card and family, Houston, Elsie Holt Redd and Vernon Redd, Tyler; Flora Holt, Lufkin; Robert Holt, David and Sylvia Holt, Alto; cousins, Robert Card and David Card, Lufkin; and numerous other family and friends.

Annon wrote his Memoirs in 1989 and he concluded with this - "...(I've experienced) many tremendous events and activities that will long be remembered if not recorded. There is enough, however, to show how one farm boy from (the) East Texas community spent his time, moved about, and now in his "golden years' has not let time and challenges deter his belief that all his life has been full of blessings."

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to The Lufkin High School Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 150837, Lufkin, TX 75915.

Condolences may be offered at www.gipsonfuneralhome.com

Services have been placed in the trust of Gipson Funeral Home