Anna Dawson
d. January 12, 2018
Anna Dawson
Anna Faye (Albea) Silvers Dawson, a pillar of her family and community, completed her earthly journey on January 12, 2018 in her daughter's home in Little Rock, Arkansas at the impressive age of 103. She was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Lena (Overman) Albea, two sisters, Mary Ruth Fowler and Bernice Marie Taylor, her husband of over 50 years, Virvan Chesnut Silvers, and her second husband of 11 years, Clyde Dawson. She is survived by her daughter, Sonnie Baker (George) and son, J.B. Silvers (Leah) as well as her five grandchildren (and spouses), Kim Ahlgrim (David), Ned Baker (Jennifer), Daren Baker (Deanna), Brant Silvers (Gaylea) and Brooke Love (Ed) and seven great-grandchildren, Drew, Katie, Bella, Oliver, Abraham, Madeleine, and Jasper. Clyde's family also became Anna Faye's family, including his three daughters and their families, Wanda Wood (Carlton, deceased), Judy Rayburn (deceased), and Joyce Davidson (Rex) and their children and grandchildren.
Anna Faye was born on October 28, 1914 in the small town of Warrington, Indiana and was the first of three children of Earl and Lena Albea. As a baby and toddler, Anna Faye "helped" her parents run a general store. Her father soon accepted a call to ministry in the United Brethren Church (and then the Church of the Nazarene), so Anna Faye grew up in the Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio towns where Rev. Albea served the church. Anna Faye knew by age five that music was her love. She became a church pianist at age 12 and played organ and piano at church and at home until she was 100 years old. That's 88 years of continuous playing of music!
"I couldn't imagine a world without music."
Anna Faye graduated high school in 1932 in Bellevue, Kentucky. She was one of the first women in her family to graduate from college, starting at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and completing her studies at Indiana Central University where she earned her BA in music in 1937. After meeting in church, Anna Faye and Virvan Chesnut Silvers married on July 7, 1937. They were blessed with two children - Sonnie Baker of Little Rock, Arkansas and J.B. Silvers of Cleveland, Ohio.
Anna Faye's life was centered on God, family and the church. Many of her happiest years were spent raising her children and working as a piano teacher and church organist in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1986, she retired after 45 years of service as a church organist and her choir robe and gold painted shoes were hoisted to the rafters at a celebration at Indianapolis First Church of the Nazarene in her honor.
Virvan preceded her in death on November 10, 1988. On September 19, 1993 Anna Faye married Rev. Clyde Dawson, and moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where she lived another happy eleven years with Clyde until his passing on January 24, 2005. She soon moved to Little Rock, Arkansas to be with her daughter and son-in-law, where she lived out the remaining days of her life surrounded by her children and grandchildren.
Anna Faye was first and foremost a woman of deep faith who rejoiced in her steadfast love of God and identified as a servant of the Lord. She also lived a life filled with music bringing many people joy through her piano and organ playing across her 103 years on this earth. Her hands were never idle even preparing bread for communion and others until her last days.
As the last of her generation in our family, Anna Faye leaves a legacy of faith, charity and love, and we thank her for the rock solid foundation she laid for us all. She will be greatly missed, but we celebrate her secure belief that she was going home.
Memorial services will be held on Friday, January 26, at 11 a.m. at Winfield United Methodist Church. Visitation will precede the service, beginning at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Anna Faye's name be given to Winfield United Methodist Church Music Department.
20100 Cantrell Road
Little Rock, AR, 72223
20100 Cantrell Road
Little Rock, AR, 72223
Anna Faye was born on October 28, 1914 in the small town of Warrington, Indiana and was the first of three children of Earl and Lena Albea. As a baby and toddler, Anna Faye "helped" her parents run a general store. Her father soon accepted a call to ministry in the United Brethren Church (and then the Church of the Nazarene), so Anna Faye grew up in the Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio towns where Rev. Albea served the church. Anna Faye knew by age five that music was her love. She became a church pianist at age 12 and played organ and piano at church and at home until she was 100 years old. That's 88 years of continuous playing of music!
"I couldn't imagine a world without music."
Anna Faye graduated high school in 1932 in Bellevue, Kentucky. She was one of the first women in her family to graduate from college, starting at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and completing her studies at Indiana Central University where she earned her BA in music in 1937. After meeting in church, Anna Faye and Virvan Chesnut Silvers married on July 7, 1937. They were blessed with two children - Sonnie Baker of Little Rock, Arkansas and J.B. Silvers of Cleveland, Ohio.
Anna Faye's life was centered on God, family and the church. Many of her happiest years were spent raising her children and working as a piano teacher and church organist in Indianapolis, Indiana. In 1986, she retired after 45 years of service as a church organist and her choir robe and gold painted shoes were hoisted to the rafters at a celebration at Indianapolis First Church of the Nazarene in her honor.
Virvan preceded her in death on November 10, 1988. On September 19, 1993 Anna Faye married Rev. Clyde Dawson, and moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where she lived another happy eleven years with Clyde until his passing on January 24, 2005. She soon moved to Little Rock, Arkansas to be with her daughter and son-in-law, where she lived out the remaining days of her life surrounded by her children and grandchildren.
Anna Faye was first and foremost a woman of deep faith who rejoiced in her steadfast love of God and identified as a servant of the Lord. She also lived a life filled with music bringing many people joy through her piano and organ playing across her 103 years on this earth. Her hands were never idle even preparing bread for communion and others until her last days.
As the last of her generation in our family, Anna Faye leaves a legacy of faith, charity and love, and we thank her for the rock solid foundation she laid for us all. She will be greatly missed, but we celebrate her secure belief that she was going home.
Memorial services will be held on Friday, January 26, at 11 a.m. at Winfield United Methodist Church. Visitation will precede the service, beginning at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Anna Faye's name be given to Winfield United Methodist Church Music Department.
Visitation
JAN 26. 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM (CST)
Winfield United Methodist Church20100 Cantrell Road
Little Rock, AR, 72223
Service
JAN 26. 11:00 AM (CST)
Winfield United Methodist Church20100 Cantrell Road
Little Rock, AR, 72223
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