Ann Elizabeth Furlow

Ann Elizabeth (ne ́e Allen) Furlow-Nelson, aged 93, passed away peacefully in the presence of her family on September 20, 2025. Secure in the belief that all of her questions would finally be answered by the God who loved her.

She was a loving mother, devoted grandmother, tender great-grandmother, generous friend, and gregarious audience. Ann’s life was defined by strength, adventure, travelling, unconditional love, and an unapologetic laugh that could be heard across a room when she was enjoying the company of her family and friends.

Born on November 14, 1931, in Christopher, Illinois, Ann was the only child to Harry and Lydia Allen (ne ́e Busby). Her childhood consisted of running with the kids in the neighborhood, meeting her dad in the railyard as he got off his train, and acting as the “big sister” to her cousins in St. Louis and Enfield, IL.

She graduated from Christopher Community High School, class of 1949, as her class valedictorian. In her junior year, she saw her husband-to-be during his senior talent show. A few weeks later, she tracked Stanley Furlow down for a date, and the two were inseparable.

They married in 1950 when Stanley returned from Air Force training, and during 10 years of service, were transferred to bases in Maine, Colorado, Illinois and finally to Randolph AFB. With Ann’s blessing, he left active duty enlisted service, took a civil service position at the Military Personnel Center and was commissioned as a Captain in the Reserves. During their Air Force years, they welcomed their first son Stanley Jr. and later their last son Allen.

They set deep roots in the Universal City area and participated in various school events, sports leagues, Boy Scouts, Eastern Star and DeMolay Chapters under Randolph Masonic Lodge #1268. Ann served many years as an election judge for Universal City. After her youngest started high school, Ann returned to the work force and later retired from the accounting firm of Peat-Marwick Mitchell after over 20 years as a business tax clerk. The couple also helped establish the Community Christian Church which as it grew, was later located on Nacogdoches Road. This period of her life, she was simply known as “Mom” to many of her kids' friends as they tumbled through her house. Or being the only female handy, simply addressed as “She” by the family males just to tweak her for a reaction.

In the mid 1970’s Stanley’s kidneys stopped functioning, so to keep him from driving to the VA hospital in San Antonio 3 times a week, Ann attended training on how to set up and run a dialysis machine at the house. Many family friends would come over to chat while Stanley did his 6 hour stint. As important as the dialysis was, on warm Sunday afternoons, it was designated party time in the backyard pool with the usual suspects bringing food and beverages.

A few years after Stanley died, Ann travelled around the world to Europe, Hawaii, Hong Kong and sailed on various cruise lines. She was active, but tired of keeping herself company. That’s when she met her second husband, Ray. Ray wasn’t chased off by her kids, and they formed a loving couple and great travel team. Ray introduced Ann to travelling by motorcycle, camping in tents and small trailers to finally months of trailer park “resort” living out their 5th wheel.

Ann and Ray began to see the need to remain more local as the grandkids came along, and the kids couldn’t have loved their Granny and Grandpa Ray more, and the love was showered back on the them with overnight stays supervised by Granny and wood construction projects in the garage led by Grandpa. There were always Pop Tarts in the cupboard when the kids came over.

A few months after Ray passed, at 89 Ann decided it was worthwhile to pull up her Texas roots, pack up her cats and move to Vancouver Washington, to be close to her youngest son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters. To keep up with the family, she purchased a motorized scooter and ramp for her car, and she was chauffeured around the area to wherever the fun and food was happening. She was able to greet her first great grandson and learned of another great grandson on the way before her passing.

She was preceded in death by her first husband Stanley Furlow (Married 1950, Passed 1985); their second son Harry (Passed 1955); and her second husband Raymond W. Nelson (Married 1993, Passed 2021).

Ann is survived by her sons Stan (Jean) Furlow Jr.; Allen (Sonya) Furlow, her grandchildren Rebecca (Cory) Tofflemire; Samantha (Dakota) Tinker; Kyle Furlow, Nicole (Lorenzo) Pereira; her great grandchildren Aiden Tofflemire and Nicole and Lorenzo’s baby boy on the way.

She is also survived and loved by the extended families that Raymond brought into their relationship. His children Raymond (Sherry) Nelson, Jr. and Vronda Zumwalt. Raymond’s grandchildren Candace (Robby) Stopher; Kalia (Shane) Reece and his great grandchildren Jack Stopher; Ethan and his sister Kyleigh Reece.

A celebration of life will be held on January 11th at Colonial Funeral Home on Kitty Hawk Road in Universal City, Texas. A meet-and-greet will be held starting at 2:30pm, with the Main Service with a LIVE FACEBOOK FEED at 3:00pm. An informal reception will be occurring after the service at Ernie’s Patio Bar in Cibolo. Interment will be on January 12th at the Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, Pavilion One, gathering at 9:45am and service starting at 10:00am. Everyone is welcome at any and all events.