Annie Laura Hughes Orr was born in Decatur, AL on August 31, 1923, the youngest of five children of Felix Erskine Hughes and Mary Jane Hornbuckle Hughes. She became an Army wife when she married Robert Bishop Orr (d.1991), of nearby Hartselle, AL, and kept the home fires burning while he served in Alaska, the European Theater, Korea and Vietnam. In between times, she followed him with their children to Germany, France, Missouri, Louisiana and Texas. She graduated from King’s Daughters Hospital School of Nursing in Temple, TX, and worked at Doctor’s Hospital in Dallas for a quarter of a century. She loved bowling, square-dancing and video poker. An excellent “plain” cook, as she phrased it, she excelled at biscuits, fried chicken and fried apricot pies. She lived for the last three years in Lake Forest, CA, where she slipped unexpectably and peacefully, away on January 5th, 2015, at the age of 91. She attributed her longevity to a life of vigorous walking, both as a nurse and “off duty.” We would all do well to emulate her!
She leaves behind three children, Gayle McMath, of Union Grove, AL,, Barbara Orr Foster, of Lake Forest CA, and Larry Erskine Orr, of Cary, NC; six grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter.
The service will take place at noon Monday, January 12, 2015, at Restland Abbey Chapel with visitation one hour prior to the service in the chapel. She will be laid to rest alongside Robert at Restland Memorial Park
