Annie Avis

Annie Maud Avis, 92, of Burton, died December 6, 2011 in Brenham Rest Home. A celebration of life service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Friday, December 9, 2011 at Memorial Oaks Chapel. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, December 10, 2011 at Mt. Zion Cemetery, near Burton, with Bob Hofmann and Glen Schoeneberg officiating. Visitation will begin at 6 p.m. until service time Friday evening. Mrs. Avis was born August 30, 1919, in Burton, TX, to Ernest Don and Emma Eugene Derrick Knittel. She was baptized in Bauer Falls in the summer of 1932 at the age of 13. She was educated at St. Paul Rehburg School, Burton School and was a 1937 graduate of Brenham High School. In 1940 Mrs. Avis graduated from Seton Nursing School in Austin. Then, during World War II, she joined the Army where she received anesthesia training. Later she completed course work in Eau Claire, Wisconsin to become a certified nurse anesthetist. On April 24, 1943, she was married to Francis Roy Avis in the chapel at Camp Hood. Mrs. Avis was the first nurse anesthetist in Washington County, and served the Brenham, Giddings and Caldwell communities for over 45 years. She was also the owner and manager of Burton Nursing Home. Mrs. Avis was a member of the First Christian Church in Burton, Christian Women''s Fellowship, American Legion Post 242 Ladies Auxiliary and Burton Mother''s Club. She served as a leader for Boy Scouts, Brownies and Girl Scouts, organized the Burton Heritage Society and Mt. Zion Cemetery Association and was also a charter member of Operation Restoration Inc./Burton Cotton Gin Museum. Mrs. Avis served as president and/or treasurer in most of the organizations. She was honored in 1976 as Burton Lions Club "Citizen of the Year" and in 1986 as Washington County''s "Woman of the Year." Annie Maud Avis truly loved and enjoyed her family. Her life was dedicated to helping others in any way she could. She loved helping those who needed medical attention. When growing up she enjoyed outdoor activities such as volleyball, basketball, swimming and riding horses. She was very active in historical preservation, and wrote two volumes of the History of Burton. She worked to restore the Burton Cotton Gin, Mt. Zion Historical Chapel, Burton Railroad Depot and Burton State Bank building. She thought it was important to identify historical places in the Burton area and obtained approximately 10 historical markers. Mrs. Avis spent many enjoyable hours restoring Mt. Zion Cemetery. Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Jo Avis and Larry Garoutte of Bastrop; sons and daughters-in-law, Tommy and Gladys Avis of Burton and Steve and Judy Avis of Houston; grandchildren, Gina and Mark Marlow, Tyson Avis, Scott and Erin Avis, Stacey and Matt Kidwiler and Shara Avis; great-grandchildren, Madelynn and Bryce Marlow and Hunter, Emma and Khloe Kidwiler; and nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, grandchildren Trent Avis and Tasha and Tessa Avis, brother and sister-in-law Arnie Franklin "Buddie" and LaVerne Knittel, sisters and brothers-in-law Ora Nell and Wilfred Warmke, Lola Gene and Lawrence Eberhardt, Margie and Leon Giesenschlag, nephew Allan Don Eberhardt, and niece Patsy Eberhardt Boeker. Memorials may be directed to Mt. Zion Cemetery or Burton Heritage Society. Pallbearers will be Tyson Avis, Scott Avis, Terrence Warmke, Lawrence Eberhardt, Jimmy Eberhardt, Rocky Knittel, Quirt Knittel, Tim Foehner, Harry Lee Stark and Gayle Weeren. Considered as honorary pallbearers are her granddaughters, Gina Marlow, Stacey Kidwiler and Shara Avis; and nieces, Trebie Bruening, Bonnie Welch and Shannon Knittel. A special thank you goes to Steve Miller and his staff at the Burton Café who graciously took lunches to Mrs. Avis five days a week for approximately five years. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Memorial Oaks Chapel, 1306 W. Main St., Brenham. To post a tribute to the family, visit www.memorialoakschapel.com.