Annette was born on a family farm in Washington County, Georgia on July 17, 1938 to Raymon Rufus Tanner and Mable Anderson Tanner. As an only child she helped with all farm chores, later entertaining her family by recalling tales of syrup making, food preserving sausage making, and boiling clothes in a wash-pot.
Annette was a quilt maker, seamstress and crocheter, skills learned at the knee of her grandmother and others. Her kitchen skills were well known and she enjoyed cooking for her family until recently. Every week she prepared a gourmet country meal for them and it was always well attended. Annette was a life-long gardener and grew many of the vegetables and flowers that graced her table. She was a fateful member of the Wellness Center aerobics class and attended three times every week for over twenty years. She enjoyed many cruises, trips and walking with her husband on trails from the mountains to the seashore. Steamboat trips on the Mississippi River and its tributaries were her passion. Annette attended elementary school at Riddleville with two grades in each room, and enjoyed basketball. She graduated from Washington County High School in 1956, Georgia Southern College with a B.S. in business education in 1960 and Mercer University in1970 with a M.S. In elementary education. She taught at Mattie Wells School in Jones County for 25 years, first as a fourth grade teacher and thereafter in the Title I program. After retirement she cherished the occasions when former students approach and recalled earlier classroom days.
Survivors are her husband of 63 years John G. Kelley, Jr. and three children: Shelia K. Sanders (Ronald) of Macon, John Raymon Kelley of Eatonton, and Brenda K. Jones (Leonard) of Blairsville. Also surviving are five grandchildren: Ronald David Sanders Jr. (Holly) of Eatonton and Lauren Weaver ( Nathan) of Bluffton, South Carolina, and Kelley Thomas Sanders (Rachel) of Warner Robins, Leon Jones (Elissa), and Jonathan Jones of Atlanta. Great-grandchildren are Kennedy, Danielle, Gracie, Trace, Harrison, Sterling Sanders, and Ezra Weaver.
Annette became a member of Sisters Baptist Church in Sandersville as a teenager. Macon Memorial Park Chapel is in charge of arrangements and visitation will be 10 AM on Wednesday May 4, 2022 at Macon Memorial Park Funeral Home with funeral to follow at 11 AM. Burial to follow at the Cemetery. Revs. Lauren Weaver and Rev. Nathan Weaver officiating.
