Born on June 15, 1931, on the family farm in Cost, Texas, she was the daughter of Albert John Fink and Annette Lindemann Fink. She received her lifelong nickname, “Lady,” from her oldest brother Marvin, who lovingly called her his “Little Lady.”
Annette married the love of her life, Leslie A. Pfeil, on December 27, 1951, at Monthalia United Methodist Church. She attended SWTSTC in San Marcos for one year, where she met Leslie. She often joked that she went to college to earn her “MRS,” which she accomplished, and the two enjoyed 72 years of marriage until Leslie’s passing on June 1, 2024.
Annette lived her belief that a healthy life was rooted in home, community, and church. Annette served as a successful and trusted insurance agent with Hochheim Prairie Insurance, the agency she built with her husband. A lifelong Methodist and a member of the Port Lavaca congregation for 68 years, she was deeply committed to her church. She sang in the choir for 60 years and was active in the United Methodist Women, holding officer positions at the Conference, District, and Local levels.
In 1983, Annette was honored as Calhoun County Woman of the Year. She earned her American Red Cross swimming instructor certification in 1968 and went on to teach countless children across the county—including in Point Comfort, Port Lavaca, Port O’Connor, Seadrift, and at a local school’s above-ground pool used for sixth-grade lessons. She also taught at her home, helping children learn to swim and giving many teenagers their first summer jobs. Her mission was to ensure all youth in Calhoun County knew how to swim and stay safe around the water, recognizing the importance of water in the community’s environment.
Annette served as Vice President and Treasurer of the American Red Cross and was a member of the United Way Board for eight years, acting as Director, Secretary, and Treasurer. She also served on the committee that organized the Calhoun County Day Care Center, helping provide educational care for children of low-income families. In 1964, she began her work with the Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC), serving as Treasurer and sponsoring the high school youth group, Teens Aid the Retarded (TARS).
She coached Special Olympics track and field athletes, taking students to Local, District, and State competitions in Austin. Annette also served for 25 years on the Board of the Gulf Bend MHMR Center in the roles of Secretary and Trustee.
In 1983, she joined the Port Lavaca Study Club and was active at both the district and local levels, serving as First Vice President of the Alamo District and President locally. She was named the Study Club’s Woman of the Year in 1988 and received Delta Kappa Gamma’s Outstanding Citizen of Port Lavaca award for her significant contributions to education. Annette also helped organize and served as Treasurer of the Civic Chorus of Calhoun County and volunteered with Meals on Wheels for fourteen years.
Annette is survived by her daughters Cheryl Denise Foster and Nancy Walraven (Harold), and her son David Pfeil (Barbara), all of Port Lavaca; foster daughter Benita Turley Baker of Midland, Texas; and AFS student son Gernot Langs of Austria. She is also survived by six grandchildren—Jennifer Johnson (Jeff), Sarah Spencer (Robert), Cody Walraven (Risa), Amanda Moore (John), Kara McGuire (Jonathan), and Jacob Pfeil—and ten great-grandchildren: Jackson Nunley, Mason Taylor, Kolton Taylor, Clayton Spencer (Sara), Nicholas Spencer, Addison Walraven, Blake Walraven, Claire Moore, Garrett Johnson, and Jessa Johnson.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Leslie; her parents; and her brothers Marvin Fink, William Fink, and her twin brother, Allan Fink.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to her caregivers for the love and support they provided.
Funeral services will be held at Richardson Colonial Funeral Home in Port Lavaca on Sunday, December 7, with visitation beginning at 1:00 p.m. and services to follow at 2:00 p.m. A private burial will follow.
Her grandsons, grandsons-in-law, and great-grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers include her granddaughters, great-grandchildren, Benita Baker, and Gernot Langs.
Memorial contributions may be made to Clayton’s Angels Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Calhoun County Meals on Wheels.
Thoughts and memories may be shared at www.richardsoncolonal.com.
