Annie Masek Luman

Annie was born on Nov. 18, 1926, to Frank Masek and Aurelia Branecky Masek in Praha, Texas. She spoke Czech as a young girl and picked cotton on the family farm every summer. During World War II, Annie signed up to become a Navy nurse and after graduating from East Bernard High School she enrolled at St. Joseph’s School of Nursing in Houston. The war ended that summer, however, and the Navy did not call her to serve.

After nursing school, she lived and worked at Houston’s Veterans Hospital, where she met her husband, Johnnie Cleburne Luman. Annie and Johnnie married in 1951 and raised three children, Betty, Joyce and Michael. She was a devoted mother whose support was a constant in their lives.

When her children were older, she returned to full-time work as a registered nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital, where she had made lifelong friends as a student.

Annie’s passions included gardening, travel and annual visits to the slot machines. She made many new friends and was a regular at the bingo games at The Terrace of West University, her home for the past six years. She was known for her sweet smile.

She is survived by her daughter Betty Luman of Houston; son and daughter-in-law Michael and Julie Luman of The Woodlands; granddaughter and grandson-in-law Elizabeth Ashabranner Avants and Shaun Avants of Taylor; grandson Frank Luman of The Woodlands; granddaughter Anna Luman of The Woodlands; great-grandson Arlo Avants; and siblings Hattie Hlavinka of La Grange, Joe Masek of Wharton and Mary Macha of Sugar Land. Annie is preceded in death by her parents, husband, two brothers and daughter Joyce Luman Ashabranner.

Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Sunday at Forest Park Westheimer. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home chapel, with burial immediately following.

For those wishing to make a contribution in Annie’s name, the family would be grateful for donations to the American Cancer Society.