Irwyl Ann Collister

Ann was preceded in death by her husband, William David Collister, and seven siblings. She leaves a son, W. Keith Collister of Lawrenceville, GA, and daughter Sharon (Robert) Walker of Cumming, GA, one granddaughter, Nicole (Joe) Shamon, four grandsons, William D. Collister III (Mary Beth), Culleoka,TN, Timothy D. Walker Ball Ground, GA, Michael D. (Paige) Walker, Cumming, GA, and Jacob W. Walker, Cumming, GA. Ann also leaves three great-grandchildren, Benjamin William Shamon, Gabriel James Collister, Adalynn Elizabeth Walker, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Ann began working in radio in Dothan, AL in 1951 at the age of 18, and in 1957 she went to work for the Holt-Robinson radio stations, WHHY and Y-102 in Montgomery. She rose to the top of that network and served as President until 1995. She then worked for Montgomery Broadcast Properties WBAM, WRWO, WJWZ and WACV where she served as President until the four stations were sold in 2004. She served the new company, Bluewater, as National Sales Manager until 2008. She then became President of WVRV ‘The River’ and WTXK ‘The Ticket’ at Stroh Communications. With over 70 years in the radio industry, she was a true pioneer and trailblazer. Ann was named a ‘Senior of Achievement’ by MACOA in 2010, in 2014 she was inducted into the Alabama Broadcasters Hall of Fame, and in 2019, she was honored as a Top Woman in Media by Business Alabama Magazine.

Ann was a Kiwanis Club of Montgomery member and served as President of the Alabama National Fair in 2010. She also served as a member and Chairperson of the Montgomery Council on Aging and led the pledge campaign for the MACOA organization's Meals on Wheels program. She served as President of Sales and Marketing Executives of Montgomery and was a member of the Montgomery Baptist Association and Hospice of Montgomery. Ann served on the Board of the Baptist Healthcare Foundation and the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce. Ann also served as President of American Women in Radio and Television and the Montgomery Chapter of Women in Communications. She was an Alpha Gamma Delta sorority member and served as Chapter advisor for the Theta Beta Chapter at AUM for six years. Ann was a faithful member of Taylor Road Baptist Church and served on numerous committees there. She was a loving and faithful wife for 64 years.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Friday, May 17, 2024, at Taylor Road Baptist Church, 1685 Taylor Road, Montgomery, Alabama. Visitation will be from 11:00 to 12:00 with the service immediately following. A graveside service will be held at Alabama Heritage Funeral Home after the church service. Funeral services will be officiated by Pastor Daniel Atkins, Dr. Larry Wimberly, Bishop Michael Watson, and Pastor Andy Hepburn. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the building fund of the Taylor Road Baptist Church, MACOA “Meals on Wheels” program, or the Baptist Healthcare Foundation