Shirley Isabelle Brown passed away at 11:40 a.m. on November 14, 2019, at the Wyoming Medical Center in Casper, Wyoming, from complications of pneumonia. Her family members were beside her. She’d been in the hospital for five days prior to passing. Cremation arrangements have been made at Newcomer Funeral Home and a Celebration of Life is currently being planned privately by the family and will be announced at a later date.
Shirley was born in Richmond, Indiana, to Glen and Mary Nester on August 11, 1949. She spent most of her life in Indiana, but moved to Casper in 1999. Her parents are deceased, as are her two brothers: William and Charles Nester of Indiana. All four of her children are surviving: Billy Brown of Casper, Anita Nye of Casper, Alva Brown of Indiana, and Betty Grissom of Casper. She had five surviving grandchildren: Candace Tholl of Casper, Alexandrea Nye of Casper, Jacob Brown of Indiana, Christian Brown of Casper, and Ely Trimmer of Casper. Also surviving are two great-grandchildren: Ireland Clark and Korbyn Tholl of Casper.
Many people loved her and considered her family. This was largely due to her compassionate, loving heart. She was a warrior from the womb who fiercely loved the people in her life. She showed them kindness and mercy. She was a terrific listener as well, which attracted people to her.
In lieu of flowers, the family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with her expenses. If you’d like to contribute, follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/Anita.Nye/posts/10218600004303913 or contact the family directly at icanewme@gmail.com.
Anniedeen Bateman Creel was born February 13, 1922 to Boyce C. Bateman and Pervilla Alice Roark in the small town of Joplin, MO. She passed peacefully with her family by her side on November 19, 2019. She is survived by her children, Shirley Downing (Bob), Jerry Ann Guidroz (Ron), Janie Rucker (Gary), James W. (Buddy) Creel (Jeannie), Beth Trumps (Don) and Lemuel R. (Rocky) Creel (Julia), fifteen grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband James L. Creel and her parents, Boyce and Villa Bateman.
Anniedeen graduated from Stephen F Austin in 1942 with a degree in the arts and education. She received her Master’s degree from Texas Women’s University and studied music and art at Columbia University in New York City.
After college, she moved to Baytown, TX where she taught music and art in the public schools for 25 years. She had prayed since her childhood for a large family, and God answered her prayers when she married Lemuel, a widower with children in 1964. God further answered her prayers when Rocky was born a year later.
Though she was a teacher, artist, and musician by profession, her passion was sharing the gospel. In 1971, God called her and Lemuel to a home missions work in Casper, Wyoming where they pastored a church for the next 18 years. She was also an active member in the fine arts community. After the death of her husband, she traveled to India where she taught bible, music, and art at the Scism Christian Institute in New Delhi, and traveled the region ministering in churches.
The last few years of her missionary work was spent in Sri Lanka teaching in the bible school there. At the age of 87, she finally decided it was time to settle down near her daughters, so she packed up and moved back to Conroe, Texas. But her passion for teaching bible, art and music didn’t diminish, and she was actively teaching art classes and bibles studies in her retirement community until the day she died.
Anniedeen left an impression wherever she went, and she will be missed by many. Even though our hearts are broken, we rejoice that she has received her heavenly crown. She led us, with love, by example and taught us of that beautiful heavenly city and how to get there. Her heartbeat was the Word of God and teacing others the way to the cross.
The family will receive friends for a visitation from 5:00 P.M. until 7:00 P.M., Friday, November 22, 2019 with a service to begin at 7:00 P.M. at Bethel Tabernacle, 1020 FM 1960, Houston, Texas. Interment will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2019 at 12:00 P.M., at Old Palestine Cemetery, Alto, Texas. Arrangements have been entrusted to Claire Brothers Funeral Home, 7901 Hillcroft Street, Houston, Texas 77081.
