Anita Irene Livsey

Born April 22, 1921 in Los Angeles, California to Marie and Walter Hartshorn. After graduating from Garfield High School she took several jobs and began enjoying life. During WWII she met her future husband James Alton Livsey. He joined the U.S. Army Air Force and became a B-26 pilot fighting in the European theater.

After some time working at the telephone company, she worked at the Willard Battery Company making batteries used in the B-26. Our parents were married in Dodge City, Kansas in 1945 and began their family. Her life in the now U.S. Air Force took the family around the world and into many States. First to Guam, then back to the States, over to Japan, back to the States, finally to France before landing in Los Angeles, California. While in Japan she joined the bowling team. In France, the family traveled north through Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and Holland.

After the Korean war, the military was downsized, a Reduction in Force (RIF), that saw our father, a Major, let go with five years left in his 20 year enlistment. After a series of jobs outside he rejoined the Air Force to finish up his five years but had to take the rank of E-3. This proved a hardship on the family as we were all still relatively young. As a result our mom took a series of jobs winding up working for Goodwill Industries in Los Angeles heading up the jewelry department. “Jimmy” retired in Texas while the family stayed in L.A. for the six months it took for him to finish his enlistment.

Our folks were able to buy a house near her parents. After her parents died, the family was old enough to start their own lives so she and dad returned to East Texas where he was born. They lived in the country near Henderson, Texas. The quiet landscape and wildlife seemed to suit them. Our mom soon found work in Henderson in the hospital and library. As a volunteer in the library she worked in the genealogy section helping people with their searches as she had many years of experience with her own search. As was usual in her life she made many friends. Back at home she did gardening, fed the many birds in the area and worked on their house.

Our father died in 1992 in the Henderson hospital. After a period of time she sold the property and moved in with her youngest daughter in Oregon to be followed later by a move to Jacksonville, North Carolina to live with her youngest son.

She died there in Onslow Hospital on January 24, 2018. She is survived by her five children, nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Family services were held in Jacksonville, North Carolina with burial at the family plot in Peatown, Texas. Friends can sign the online guestbook at johnsonfunerahomes.com