ANNA MARIE PHEGLEY, 80, passed away Tuesday, August 9,2022, at Houston Methodist Continuing Care Hospital in Houston after a valiant 6-week struggle with Covid, Pneumonia, and other health issues. She was a true fighter, but just 3-weeks shy of her 81st Birthday she was ready to go into Jesus’ loving arms. Anna was born in Brownsville, Texas from a Spanish/American Indian mother and a Scotch-Irish father. From her early childhood she had a vivid imagination creating stories and characters and had a true passion for singing and music. Her grade-school teachers would bring her to different classrooms to sing and she was in numerous talent shows, and even won a dance contest. After graduating from Sam Houston High School, she worked for several oil companies, a politician, the City Attorney’s office, and two senior law partners, in addition to working for Amoco in human resources. After a fated meeting at a romance writers book signing at the mall, she was invited to join Romance Writers of America and started taking classes at a community college that began her journey as a self-taught writer. In February, of 1983, she joined both the Northwest Houston Chapter (was President 1985-87), and West Houston Chapter (was Vice Pres. 1993), of Romance Writers of America. She was also a member of Mystery Writers of America, Houston Council of Writers, Golden Triangle Writers Guild, and Sisters in Crime.
An award-winning and best-selling author (under her pseudonym, Raine Hollister), Anna’s first novel, Exception To The Rule was a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Finalist in Romantic Suspense, sold after 6 weeks of submitting it and was originally published by Harlequin/Silhouette in the early 90’s. Her next two contemporary romances are The Sandera, Texas Series, (Destination: Love and Tall, Dark, and Delicious), and were published by Kensington Publishing. She would always find it hilarious when her husband Richard would tell everyone that she got her romance book plot ideas while carefully listening to him talk in his sleep. She also ghost wrote a non-fiction book for a famous pet psychic, was an extra in a movie, and played a main character in a Murder Mystery Play.
Anna was a fiercely protective mother, a loyal and devoted wife. She was generous and loving, finding joy in every moment. She always had love and compassion for everyone and had the ability to get complete strangers to open up and confide in her. She was always happy to lend a helping hand to others without expecting anything in return. She loved her children and husband with all her heart.
Her husband Richard Vincent Phegley as well as her parents Mary Louise Martinez Gonzalez and Harold Monroe precede her in death. Anna is survived by her three children; son, Michael Phegley (his wife Cherry Phegley); daughter, Anamari Phegley; son, Russell Vincent Phegley; sisters-in-law, Betty Kelley and Kathy Ford; and many more family members, cousins, and beloved friends. Our hearts are broken and we will miss her so much! Please keep Anna in your prayers and in your fondest memories.
Memorial Services will be held at 11:00 A.M., Friday, September 9, 2022, at Brookside Funeral Home – Cypress Creek at 9149 Hwy 6 North, Houston, Texas, 77095, (281) 345-6061 followed by a Graveside Service at the Veterans Memorial Drive Cemetery at 1:30 P.M. Honorary pallbearers will be Russell Phegley, Jim O’Brien, Juan Martinez, Michael Barreda, John McMillin, Gregory Brattin, and Cliff Franklin.
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