Annie Margaret Bird Cansler

Annie Margaret Bird Cansler, known to her family and many family friends as “Momma Annie,” a local businesswoman, banker, and community figure, died early Tuesday morning following complications from Covid-19. She was 79 years old.

Momma Annie died at her home with her son, James G. Foster Jr., known professionally as Jimmie D, steadfastly by her side.

Born Jan. 28, 1942, she was the first-born child of the late Robert Calvin “R.C.” Bird Jr. and the late Annie Margaret McNabb Bird.

Momma Annie was a 9th generation Greene County native whose ancestors were pioneer settlers of the Watauga Settlement, and Washington, Greene, McMinn and Bradley counties in Tennessee.

She spent a good deal of her youth on the Isle of Pines in Cuba, where her father owned a club, casino and resort.

In later years she often spoke of the beauty of Cuba and the time she spent with her mother, father and sisters in the Caribbean island paradise before the late Fidel Castro overthrew the Cuban government in 1959 and confiscated her father’s business interests in Cuba, as well as all other American-owned business interests there.

In Momma Annie’s high school years she attended Fairfax Hall, then a boarding school for girls in Waynesboro, Va. She so enjoyed her years at Fairfax Hall, where she attended with her cousin — but more like a sister — Anne Swick Logan.

After her graduation from Fairfax Hall, Momma Annie attended business school at Webber International University at Lake Wales, Fla.

Following business school, she married James G. Foster, now deceased, who was a captain in the U.S. Army at the time. They lived in what was then West Germany (now Germany), where he was stationed for an extended period overseeing the storage and transportation of U.S. nuclear arms.

Momma Annie frequently told stories in later years about what it was like being a military wife stationed in a foreign country, and she often spoke warmly about the beautiful German countryside.

After returning to Tennessee, Momma Annie and Capt. Foster had two children: James G. Foster Jr. and Robert L. Foster. Both sons currently reside in Greene County.

Quoting from the Bible’s Book of Ecclesiastes, she regularly advised those close to her over the years that “To everything there is a season…” Such was the case with her marriage to Capt. Foster; its season came and went.

However, her season in life had really just begun in many ways, and the season that followed would last the remainder of her life.

In 1976, Momma Annie married Jimmy Jack Cansler, to whom she continued to be married until his death in January 2019.

She helped her husband with his entrepreneurial endeavors, and assisted him in raising his two children from a former marriage, Michael Allen Cansler and the late Melinda Ruth Cansler Greene.

Momma Annie was a devoted wife, a mother to her two sons, and a step-mother to Mike and Melinda.

During the last years of her husband’s life, Momma Annie gave everything she had to care for him, right up to the moment of his passing.

Their marriage had brought together two strong Greene Countians from very different backgrounds, with very different early experiences.

She grew up in Greeneville, the eldest child and daughter of a very successful Greeneville businessman.

Mr. Cansler grew up in western Greene County, as one of several children of a tenant farm family, and loved farm life.

Jimmy Jack wanted to live on a farm, and Momma Annie simply did not. She told him that she would never agree to live on a farm unless it was on Main Street.

So, in the late eighties, as a successful local businessman with numerous business interests, he bought a farm on the Newport Highway (U.S. 321), an extension of Main Street.

The two then built a beautiful home on a tall hill located on the property, and Momma Annie moved to “a farm on Main Street,” fittingly named by them “Main Street Farm.”

When Momma Annie and Jimmy Jack were first dating (or courting, as it was called in those days), he once asked her what it would take to get her to marry him. She jokingly responded, “Get me the rooster on top of the Big Top restaurant, and I’ll marry you, Mr. Cansler.”

Well, she did not know it at the time, but in later years she would often remember making that joking challenge to Jimmy Jack!

Soon after he convinced her to move to “Main Street Farm,” he bought the former Big Top restaurant (by then closed), and used heavy equipment to remove the old rooster figure from the roof.

He then had the rooster restored and repainted to exactly what it had looked like when Momma Annie first said she wanted it.

Finally, he had the restored and repainted rooster installed on the hill at “Main Street Farm.” From that day forward, the hill became known as “Rooster Hill.”

And that was just the beginning.

Following the installation of the rooster at the farm, Momma Annie’s family and friends would bring her many rooster-themed gifts: a rooster light, a painting of a rooster, rooster-themed salt-shakers, rooster-themed knick-knacks, etc. — a number that continued to grow for the rest of her days.

Momma Annie had made the joking challenge about the rooster atop the Big Top, but the joke turned out to be on her because she actually did not like roosters.

However, she knew that she had backed herself into a corner, and she delightfully played along for the next 20 years.

In 1978, she was elected to the Board of Directors of Greeneville Federal Bank, on which she served until her death.

She took great pride in her service to Greeneville Federal Bank, which had been co-founded many years earlier by her father.

Through her work on the bank board, she was capable of helping many people in the Greeneville community with business development and growth, the purchase of homes for their families, the purchase of cars and trucks to drive and boats to enjoy, etc.

Momma Annie had a heart of gold; helping others simply came naturally to her. She enjoyed assisting other people who had a need, oftentimes without the recipient’s knowledge of her action.

In the 1990s, with her father in declining health, she took the helm of a family-owned business, Bird’s Discount Warehouse, a furniture store that operated in Greeneville for more than 50 years.

In addition, in 2001, she became a member of the Board of Directors of GreeneLawn Memory Gardens Perpetual Care Cemetery, a local cemetery that had been founded by her father. She served in that responsibility faithfully until her death.

Like her father before her, Momma Annie was a lifelong member of First Presbyterian Church, on North Main Street in Greeneville. She loved the church and the many members of its congregation.

She loved gardening, especially her roses, and she enjoyed the company of her many friends. She absolutely loved Greeneville, Tennessee, and its people.

The true highlight of her life was her grandchildren: Eleanor Anne-Marie Foster and Calvin Jack Foster.

They brought much joy to her in the latter part of her life, and she lit up like a Christmas tree every time they were around her.

In addition to being preceded in death by her parents and by her husband, Jimmy Jack Cansler, she was pre-deceased by her brother, Robert Calvin (Bobby) Bird III; a sister, Lura Brothers; and her step-daughter, Melinda Greene.

She is survived by her two sons, James G. Foster Jr. and Robert L. Foster; her daughter-in-law, Debbie Foster; her sisters, Catherine P. Bird and Linda Laughter; her special cousin, Anne Swick Logan; her special cousins, Allen W. Hooper, Bill McNabb, Elizabeth McNabb Norris, and Dr. Bill Logan; her brother-in-law, Judge Thomas Brothers; her step-son, Michael A. Cansler; her grandchildren: Monica Paige Greene, Brittany Danielle Greene, and Jordan Banner, Eleanor Anne-Marie Foster and Calvin Jack Foster; their mother, Bridgette McKinney Foster; her nephew, Tommy Bainbridge; her niece, Lura Laughter; her very special great-nephews and great-niece, Robert Tyler Laughter, Logan Ahearn, and Morgan Ahearn; and her son-in-law, Rick Greene.

In the best attempt possible to honor Momma Annie’s wishes and to provide the family with what is needed, there will be an immediate-family-only viewing at Kiser Rose Hill Funeral Home and, afterwards, a short immediate-family-only graveside service at GreeneLawn Memory Gardens Perpetual Care Cemetery.

The graveside service will be conducted by the Rev. Todd Jenkins, pastor of First Presbyterian Church, and the Rev. Dr. Dan Donaldson, former pastor of First Presbyterian Church.

Pallbearers will be Eddie Teague, Matt Rice, Walter Brumit, Tracy Gass, Coleman Gourley, and Brandon Rohr.

Honorary pallbearers will be Glennon Brown, Rick Lilly, Frank Bowman, Brandon C. Hull, Robert Thompson, Johnny Honeycutt, Laura Hull Jones, Leslie Hull, Bobby Wells and all the employees and staff of Greeneville Federal Bank and GreeneLawn Memory Gardens Perpetual Care Cemetery.

Because of the health dangers related to Covid-19, a memorial/celebration of life will not be held at this time. However, at some point in the future when it is safer to do so, a memorial/celebration of life will be held. All of Momma Annie’s family and friends will be invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, Momma Annie asked that those wishing to send memorial gifts in her name consider sending them to any, or all, of the following: First Presbyterian Church (423/638-4533, 110 N. Main St., Greeneville, TN 37743); Towering Oaks Christian School (423/639-0791, 1985 Buckingham Road, Greeneville, TN 37745); Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society (423/639-4771, 950 Hal Henard Road, Greeneville, TN 37743).

Momma Annie, as you always said, “To everything there is a season.” Your season on this earth has come to pass, but your memory will forever last. You will be missed!!!!! We love you!!!!

Online condolences may be sent to the Cansler family at www.kiserrosehillfuneralhome.com