Ann Hallan

Service: 9:30 a.m. Saturday in Moore Funeral Home Chapel. Interment: Moore Memorial Gardens. Visitation: 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Moore Funeral Home.

Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to UT Southwestern Medical Center Alzheimer's Research by phone (214-648-2344), mail or online at www.utsouthwestern.edu /home/giving.

Ann was born in Fort Worth on May 6, 1925, to Louise and Vaughn Brasington. She attended school locally and proved to be gifted in languages and theater, studying Latin and the arts. She progressed quickly through school, graduating early at the age of 16. She loved theater and was a talented singer and actress who performed with the Fort Worth Theatre Club. She also did clothing, shoe and hand modeling in her teenage years. After World War II, she met the love of her life, a returning soldier by the name of Charles Hallan. They were married in 1946 and had two children, Pamela Ann and J. Jeffrey Hallan. Soon, her practical nature and interest in serving others led her to business school, where she learned the skills necessary to secure a position with a predecessor agency of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Early in her career she advanced through secretarial, clerical and technical levels. By the mid-1960s she was special assistant to the director of the Urban Renewal Division of HUD's Fort Worth regional office, which had a jurisdiction of eight states.

In 1970 she began her management career as director of HUD's Administrative Division in the new Dallas area office, which had a jurisdiction of the northern half of Texas plus New Mexico. The Administrative Division served almost 600 employees in Dallas and its four subordinate field offices. She also served as the federal women's program coordinator for that office.

During her 13 years in that Dallas position, she earned the respect of the top-level managers, who often gave her outstanding awards for the highest performance rating. HUD was in a constant state of change with reorganizations, expansion of staff and programs, and then reductions of staff and programs as political administrations came and went every four or eight years. Through it all, Mrs. Hallan was a professional and a trusted civil servant. Her accomplishments set an example for many, particularly women who were only just beginning to break through the glass ceiling into more senior management roles at the time.

Another reorganization brought her back to the Fort Worth regional office in 1983, where she served as director of the Management and Budget Division until her retirement in 1989.

Ann was not only a driven professional; she was also one of the most fun-loving and witty people you could ever hope to meet. Her love of the language gave her the ability to write and communicate beautifully with humor, charm and clarity. One of her favorite things was to write humorous poetry or rewrite the lyrics of popular songs to create satirical parody. Those poems and songs became keepsakes for many of her family and friends.

Ann loved good food and socializing. She was known as a gourmet cook and regularly prepared lavish and meticulously prepared meals for her family and guests. She and her husband hosted many, many widely attended parties and events at their Arlington home. One of her great skills was her ability to cross generational barriers in social settings. She could talk to anyone and make them feel immediately comfortable. She would bring together people of all ages and backgrounds and everyone would get along and have a great time. Above all else, Ann believed her role as a wife and mother to be of utmost importance. She brought the same drive, intensity and focus from her professional life to her family responsibilities. Ann loved her children with the ferocity of a mother lion. Her family was more important to her than anything else in her life. She guided her children with a steady hand, protecting them when necessary, but allowing them the room to grow and experience life in a way that would give them the strength and knowledge to be productive and responsible adults. She led her children by example, demonstrating what could be accomplished with hard work, determination and an educated mind.

Through her dedication to her husband, Charles, and their marriage of 48 years, Ann also demonstrated to her children and others the meaning of faithfulness, devotion and commitment. They remained happily married until Charles' death in 1995.

In addition to her husband, Mrs. Hallan was preceded in death by her daughter, Pamela.

Survivors: Her son, Jeffrey, his wife, Shannan, and her beloved grandchildren, Charlie Hallan, Pierce Hallan, Treyden Hallan and Roxanne O'Neal and her husband, Robert.