A visitation for Anita will be held Saturday, September 25, 2021 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home, 1615 S Fort Hood St, Killeen, Texas 76542, followed by a funeral service at 2:00 PM.
“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Anita Michelle Bragg Jarmon, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.
She was the daughter of Ruby and Samuel. Raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.
As a young girl, Anita was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Anita was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Anita was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Anita also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Anita was raised with two siblings. She had a younger sister, Tonya and a younger brother, Peter. Anita was constantly involved in activities with her family. Anita and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.
Growing up, Anita was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Anita was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Anita was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Anita took part in a number of activities as a child. In her spare time she liked reading books, and camping with her sister.
Anita enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Anita was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Anita was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She graduated from Walnut Hills High School in 1987. Anita enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. Her favorite class in high school was history.
Anita had a good disposition for the challenges of college. She always enjoyed reading, so all of those lengthy required reading assignments seemed to be less of a burden for her. In fact, Anita seemed to absorb and remember everything she read. Not all things came easily to Anita, however, and she found success by being a diligent and accurate person who would dig into a project and work through until it reached its completion. She was very thorough and labored long and hard in order to reach her goals. She earned her Associates Degree in General Studies as well as an Associates Degree in Computer Programing.
Most folks would say that Anita was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Anita was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Anita best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Anita kept. While growing up, one of her best friends was Tanggie Dardy. Later in life, she became a close friend with Cheryl Seates.
Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Anita. She was totally committed to Michael and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Anita naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Anita disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.
Anita was a good mother. Anita was blessed with one child, Michael Jr. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Anita was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Anita was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule.
Anita was an Army Veteran. She seemed to thrive on the routines offered up by the military. Being a literal thinker with a calm exterior helped her handle the rigors of the military. Anita saw action in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Through her hard work and dedication, she achieved the rank of Specialist. She received several awards including a One Bronze Star, Expert Rifle Badge, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Southeast Asia Service Medal.
Anita liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Anita's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Anita preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuit was dancing. Anita was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading.
While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Anita often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was like that with sports. She also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list was watching track.
Anita was active in the community. She was practical and grounded and based her decisions on first hand experience. She was responsible and liked working to achieve results rather than just chattering about possibilities. Politically, Anita was a supporter of the Democratic Party.
Anita passed away on September 13, 2021 at Cornerstone Hospital in Round Rock, Texas. She fought a brave battle against multiple sclerosis. She is survived by her husband, Michael, her son, Michael Jr. and her brother, Peter. Services will held at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen, Texas at 2:oo PM Saturday, September 25, 2021.
It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Anita was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Anita was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Anita Jarmon was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Anita. She will be missed.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.crawfordbowersfuneralhome.com for the Jarmon family.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18