Annie Laura Sumrall Stewart

Funeral services for Annie Laura Sumrall Stewart, 94, of Huntington will be held Saturday, June 22, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. in the Carroway Funeral Home Chapel in Lufkin with Reverend Cindy Doran and Reverend Martin Doran officiating. Interment will follow in the Huntington Cemetery.

Annie Laura Sumrall Stewart was born on October 13, 1924 in Fayette, Alabama to James Ethel and Morris Sumrall. As a young girl, she lived in Mississippi and Florida before moving to Texas. Annie was an accomplished concert pianist. She began studying piano at the age of 5 and continued to study most of her life. She and her twin sister, Ida McMullen, began playing the piano and singing on the Shirley Temple Radio Program in Birmingham, Alabama, at age 8 and performed together for many years to come. She and her sister also performed with the USO during WWII to entertain our soldiers. They attended Lon Morris and North Texas State University where Annie graduated with both a music and teaching degree. Having been invited to study music at Julliard in New York City, Annie began teaching in Huntington with plans to save for that endeavor.  Her plans changed when she met her husband of 55 years, Gene Stewart, Sr. They were married in 1947. Annie Laura lived in Huntington, Texas, until moving to Castle Pines Health and Rehabilitation in Lufkin where she died on June 18, 2019. Annie played piano and organ in the Huntington Methodist Church and at St. Paul’s Methodist Church for more than 40 years. She taught school in Huntington, Lufkin, and Zavalla. Annie taught hundreds of students to play the piano. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother.

Annie Laura will be missed but her love for music and for serving the Lord will live on in the hearts of her family members and friends for years to come.

Annie Laura is survived by her son, Gene Stewart Jr. and wife Ann of Lufkin; daughter, Elizabeth Springer and husband John of Sanger; daughter, Beverly Collins of Tyler; six grandchildren, Todd Douglas and wife Shawntell, Ted Douglas and wife Brittany, Jennifer Booth and husband Kevin, Laurie Fullen and husband Cary, Jeff Springer and wife Michelle, Ann Rayburn and husband Tom; 16 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Mary Stewart: and many nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Stewart is preceded in death by her devoted husband, Gene Stewart, Sr.; mother and father, James Ethel and Morris Sumrall Sr.; brother, Morris Sumrall, Jr. and wife Betty; sister, Ida McMullen and husband Julius;   mother-in-law and father-in-law, Lizzie and RA Stewart; brother-in-law, Jack Stewart; and great-grandson, Tanner Douglas.

Pallbearers include Todd Douglas, Ted Douglas, Kevin Booth, Cary Fullen, Dennis Quinn, and Skip Douglas.

The family would like to acknowledge her beloved caregivers, Donna Lee, Kacie Price, and Candice Arnold, Castle Pines, and Hospice in the Pines.

Memorial contributions may be made to Keltys United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 3354, Lufkin, Texas 75903.

The family will welcome friends and loved ones from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Saturday morning prior to the service at the funeral home.

Memories and condolences may be added at www.carrowayfuneralhome.com.

Carroway Funeral Home, Lufkin, directors.