February 14, 2024, 92, Goldsboro —
Anne Anderson Handley Games, 92, went to her heavenly home on February 14, 2024. She was born on October 12, 1931, in Wayne County to the late Fred and Mary Ellen Anderson. She was preceded in death by two sisters, Ethel Cox and Eva Worley, and one brother who succumbed to a childhood illness.
Anne was also preceded in death by her first husband, William Handley, Jr (with whom she had three children – Billy, Scottie, and Ruth) and by her second husband, Henry Games.
Cherishing her memories are her son, William (Billy) and wife, Becky; daughter, Scottie, and husband, Ken; along with daughter, Ruth, and husband, Butch who lovingly welcomed her in their home during these last few years of her life and her stepdaughter, Vicki, and husband, Mike (deceased).
She was blessed to have eleven grandchildren: Lori, Jackie, Amy, Wendy, Corey, Allison, Tripp, Emily, Butchie, Robert, and Joseph. She was especially proud of her nineteen great-grandchildren: Leah, Kayla, Drew, Whitney, Zach, Makayla, Rachel, Joel, Wyatt, Charlotte, Charles, Ben, Sallie, Axel, Manuel, Lucia, Landon, Conrad, and Anderson. She was so happy to meet her first great-great-grandchild, Gwyneth, and was anticipating many more in the coming months and years. She especially loved visits, seeing pictures, receiving cards and drawings, hearing about your lives, and was so proud of all of you.
Anne loved her nieces and nephews and their families as if they were her own children. She loved telling the story of how she babysat Billy and Bobby and pushed them in a stroller in Mount Olive for her sister, Ethel. Billy and Bobby and their sweet wives Kaye and Ruby took on an important role in the years after Henry died always visiting and taking her to lunch at Rita’s in Mount Olive and spending time with her. Ruby spent many hours just sitting and visiting and helping to manage and drive her to doctor’s appointments.
In later years Anne enjoyed having her nieces and nephew (her sister, Eva’s children), Linda, Mary Ann, and Marvin Ray (deceased), over for family meals.
Anne loved her many cousins and their families over the years – she was best friends with her cousin, Alice (deceased) whom she spent many hours with over the course of her life. Alice’s daughter, Lynn, and son, William made her happy in later years by attending her annual birthday celebrations.
Anne loved her many friends treating them like family. One very special neighbor was Annette – who was loved as a daughter and who spent countless hours helping and visiting and enjoying meals with Henry and Anne. Annette was there for Anne and her family to help in any way that she could.
Anne and her husband Henry grew to love a special little girl, Katie, and counted her as another ‘daughter” always looking for ways to care for and help her out in any way that they could. Katie visited often and is counted as a family in every way. Anne was proud of Katie’s many accomplishments and was happy that Katie found Paul to spend her life with – she loved Paul as well and enjoyed getting to know him and going out to supper even when Katie’s job took her out of town.
For anyone who knew Anne, they knew her family was the most important thing to her. Over the years of farming and selling Grandma Eva’s doughnuts, homemade chicken salad, and cheese straws at the Curb Market, working in retail at Belk’s, and later retiring from Sears, Anne touched many lives while making so many people feel special and loved. It wasn’t long after meeting Anne that she made you feel like family. One of her favorite pastimes was preparing meals for those she loved. You never walked into her house without being offered something to eat and sweet tea.
Anne loved gardening and growing roses and daffodils and was proud of the beautiful yard that she and Henry created together over the years. Her family and friends stepped up to help her maintain that beauty in later years which really made her smile. She loved going to thrift stores (with Henry and Ruby and anyone else who wanted to tag along) and always managed to find a new favorite teapot or cookbook or knickknack to place amongst her cherished items. She loved finding old furniture and refinishing/repurposing for her home.
Over the years, Anne generously opened her home to host family celebrations (wedding and baby showers and birthday dinners and holiday meals), always happy to have a crowd sitting at her table. She was a true Southern cook – she always prepared more than enough food so that if someone happened to stop by, there was always plenty.
Last but not least, it must be said that Anne loved Dr. Pepper, cheese grits (her breakfast of choice), fried baby shrimp and broccoli with cheese sauce, and shopping at “The Pig”!
It must be said that Anne lived a long, happy, and wonderful life facing her many challenges with grace and love. Having said that, please know that her love and hospitality touched many lives in her community – being able to recognize and memorialize all the wonderful things she brought to all our lives is impossible. Please share any fond memories you have of Anne (Mom, Grandma, Gwanny, Aunt, friend, neighbor) with her family on the Howell Funeral Home webpage or write them down to be dropped in a memory jar (made by her granddaughter, Charlotte) at the service.
A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, February 18, 2024, in the mausoleum chapel at Wayne Memorial Park beginning with a visitation from 1:00 p.m. until 1:45 p.m., followed by a memorial service in the mausoleum chapel officiated by Reverend David Pate.
Flowers are welcomed or if preferred donations can be made in memory of Anne to First Health Hospice of West End. NC.
Services entrusted to the care of Howell Funeral Home & Crematory in Goldsboro.
