Lucile Marie Turney Anderson passed on and joined the Church Triumphant on Friday, February 22, 2019, at the age of 107 years. Lucile was born on January 14, 1912, in Smithville, Texas to Ruby Eliza MacIntosh Turney – (1883-1965) and Major Marshall Turney – (1865-1934.) Lucile was the first of five girls. She had two brothers.
She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Glenn H. Anderson and by her parents, her four sisters, two brothers, her loving Aunt Lottie and longtime friend Alice Clement. Glenn and Lucile were married for 73 years before his passing in 2011.
She is survived by her daughter Nancy Lou Strane of Edna, Texas, (husband, William Schley Strane) and a son Donald H Anderson of Victoria, Texas (wife Ruth E. Anderson); four grandchildren – Kathryn Elaine Anderson of Hunt, Texas, Keri Marie Bassett of Houston, Texas (husband, Jason Boring Bassett), Michael Schley Strane of Victoria, Texas (wife, Kaitlin Strane), and William Scott Strane of Victoria, Texas, and five great-grandchildren.
She attended school in Smithville, Texas graduating from Smithville High School in 1929. She enrolled at Texas Women’s College, Denton, Texas, in the Fall of 1929, and graduated in the Spring of 1934, with a music degree and a minor in English. A rancher, O. W. Cardwell from Kimble County, Texas, came to Texas Women’s College to recruit a young teacher to move to his ranch outside of Junction, Texas, to teach all of the children of the families working on the ranch and the children of Cardwell family. Lucile moved to the ranch in the Summer of 1934 and began to organize the ranch school. The Cardwell family was big into the sport of polo. Lucile was issued her own polo pony and began to learn to ride and play polo. She was invited to travel with the polo team to San Antonio, Dallas, East Texas and on one trip to Kentucky. 1936 Lucile learned about an elementary school position in Edna, Texas. She was offered the position and moved to Edna to further her dream of teaching music, singing, and playing the piano and organ. She joined the Allen Memorial Presbyterian Church where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and worked with the youth.
It was there she met the love of her life, Glenn. They married in 1939, had one son and one daughter.
In 1948, she and Glenn moved to Victoria. Lucile continued her teaching career at the Presbyterian Day School teaching first grade. She later became a music teacher at O’Connor Elementary School in Victoria Independent School District and spent the last fifteen years as the music teacher at Shields Elementary School. After retirement she and Glenn traveled across the United States in their travel trailer and spent many summers in Gunnison, Colorado visiting with friends, collecting wild flowers, mushroom and exploring the mountains.
Lucile was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Victoria, from 1948. She served as an ordained Deacon and Elder. She and Glenn sang in the church choir where she directed the two youth choirs, taught Sunday school, they both were youth leaders, and served her church and her Lord anytime she could.
Following Glenn’s death in 2011, Lucile moved to Homewood Senior Living to be with many of her friends who lived there. She finally moved to Vitality Court Arbor Unit where she enjoyed her final days. The family extends its gratitude and thanks to the wonderful caregivers at the Arbor and to the staff of Harbor Hospice for the constant, careful, and loving care each one shared with Lucile. We also want to express our dearest thanks to Dr. Armando Diaz and his staff for their loving and constant care.
A memorial service celebrating her life will be held at 2:00 PM, Saturday, March 2, 2019, at First Presbyterian Church, Victoria.
In lieu of flowers, we ask you consider sending a memorial to First Presbyterian Church, Victoria, 2408 N. Navarro St., Victoria, Texas 77901
Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com
