Obituary of Anna Stuver

Roanoke / Trophy Club, TX. Anna Lillian Stuver, 86, passed away on Sunday, November 16, 2014 at home with her family by her side. Memorial Service and Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 6, 2014 at 1130 a.m., at Fellowship United Methodist Church, 101 Trophy Club Dr. Trophy Club, TX 76262. Luncheon reception immediately following the service in the fellowship hall at the church. Associate Pastor and friend of family, Bob Turk presiding over memorial service. Anna Lillian Beard was born April 13, 1928 in the small farming community of Rock Springs, Arkansas to Selvin and Claudie Mae Beard. She was the 7th child of 8 born to the modest family. She was known to the family as "Lillian". She had 2 older sisters, 4 older brothers and 1 younger brother. Her father farmed the land and her sweet mother was a home-maker. All the kids attended school, but also worked on the farm. The cash crop for the family was cotton, but they also grew all their own fruits and vegetables and raised cows for milk, chickens and pigs to eat. When Lillian was in high school, her family moved to the "city", Monticello Arkansas which was about 20 miles away from the farm. Shortly after high school, Lillian moved away from Arkansas, to Rhode Island and married her first husband Ray Gilligan and had 2 children, Raymond and Ronald. She divorced Ray in 1947 and moved back to Monticello to be close to her family. Shortly after tragedy struck when her youngest son Ronnie was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis and he passed away in November 1948 at the age of 19 months old. As a single mom and needing to start fresh in a new place where she could make a living for herself and her 4 year old son Raymond, she headed for San Francisco, California in late 1949, where she went to work for Greyhound Bus Corporation. Early in in 1950, she met Michael Guida through a mutual friend and soon realized she had met her sole-mate. They enjoyed dancing,playing cards, fishing and spending time with friends and taking care of Raymond together. They married in May 1952 and in April 1953 she gave birth to their daughter, Julie. Then in June of 1954 they moved to Denver Colorado where Mike was originally from and where all his family still lived. They raised their children Raymond and Julie there, helped them grow to adults and watched them get married and start their own lives. Lillian continued to work for Greyhound Bus Corporation as a book-keeper for 18 years. Mike and Lillian were together happily for 30 years, they retired, bought a truck and camper trailer and traveled the states. And then in 1980 Mike died of a heart attack. Lillian was lost, brokenhearted and lonely. At the request of her daughter, Julie, she moved to Phoenix, Arizona and moved in with her family. For the next five years Lillian settled into life in Phoenix, made friends, did volunteer work at the local hospital and enjoyed helping care for her grandson. She had her own apartment and one day while visiting with friends around the pool, they introduced her to a mutual friend, Dick Stuver, who was a widower, a "snow-bird" from Utah spending the winter in Phoenix to enjoy the weather and play golf. For the next 2 years they courted and enjoyed getting to know each other. Dick taught her how to play golf, which soon became their favorite past-time, and she became quite good at it! She even scored a hole-in-one at a ladies tournament! In April 1987, she married again and became Mrs. Richard Stuver. Lillian had a very good life with Dick, a relaxing life. They lived in a retirement area of Phoenix called Orangewood Village. They enjoyed traveling, spending time with his children, grand-children in Utah and of course with her children and grand-children. They golfed almost everyday for many years, entertained friends, danced and were very active in their church. And then in 2000, Dick passed away from congestive heart failure. Lillian stayed in Phoenix after Dick died. Her life was full, she had many friends and kept busy, but in 2008 she decided as she was getting older, it was time to again be closer to family. Her daughter Julie had since moved to Texas because of her job, so Lillian moved to Texas also. To Roanoke/Trophy Club. For the last 6 years Lillian has been involved with the Roanoke Senior Center, making new friends, playing cards and dominoes. She also became a member of Fellowship United Methodist Church in Trophy Club and felt so welcomed in her church family. Lillian was preceded in death by her son, Ronald Joseph Gilligan, and husbands Michael Roland Guida and Richard Loring Stuver. She is survived by her son Raymond Edward Gilligan and wife Jackie of Arvada, CO; daughter Julie Darlene Guida Frederick and husband E. Richard Frederick Jr. of Trophy Club, TX. Grandchildren, Lisa Gilligan O'Brien (Jonathan O'Brien) of Longmont, Co.; Sherri Gilligan of Lakewood, CO,; David Gilligan of Las Vegas, NV,; Anthony Coltrin (Kimberly Coltrin) of Keller, TX; Kristin Frederick Becker (Luke Becker) and Clint Frederick (Susan Frederick) of Tulsa, OK. Great-Grandchilden, Christian Gilligan, Taylor and Emily Coltrin, Coleman and Landon Becker. She is also survived by many loving and adoring extended family members. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to StandUp2Cancer in Lillian's honor. www.standup2cancer.org The family wishes to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and affection shown for Lillian, and the comforting messages sent to us. Martin Thompson & Son Funeral Home Fort Worth, 817-292-2250