Elizabeth Ann (Jones) Varnum

Elizabeth Ann Varnum

Elizabeth Ann Varnum, age 80 of Dothan, passed away late Wednesday evening, June 10, 2020 at Flowers Hospital, following an extended illness.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 10am Saturday, June 13, 2020 at the First Presbyterian Church, officiated by The Reverend Robb Oates. A private interment will be held later. Mrs. Ann will be placed in the church at 9am and all wishing to come, sign the register book and attend the service is welcomed by the family. In lieu of flowers, the family request that memorial contributions be made to Providence Christian School, 4847 Murphy Mill Road, Dothan, AL 36303. Common sense social distancing will be observed at the church and anyone wishing to wear a facemask is asked to please do so.

Ann was born January 15, 1940 in Dothan, to the late J.P. and Elizabeth Boswell Jones. She lived the early years of her life in Geneva and graduated from Geneva High School in 1957. Later, she attended and graduated from Huntington College and Auburn University with a degree in English. In 1962 Ann moved to Dothan, where she lived for the remainder of her life. Though she never thought it herself, or liked to think about it, Ann was a local celebrity of sorts, being that she was the anchor for the WTVY-TV Morning News Show for many years, beginning in 1974 until the late 1990’s. She also was a guest columnist that wrote a weekly article for the Dothan Eagle, based upon something very near and dear to her heart; Christian values and the benefit of trusting and waiting on the Lord. She was never one to shy away from the fact that she loved the Lord and wanted everyone to know Him as their personal Lord and Savior. Ann was a long-time member of First Presbyterian Church in Dothan. She was also very active in the local Dothan community, having served as the Past-President of the Dothan Service League, the Blue Ribbon Committee, instrumental in founding the Dothan Girls Club (now known as Girls, Inc.) as well as a former board member and donor of the Southeast Alabama Child Advocacy Center. In addition, some of the local awards she received was the Arthritis Humanitarian Award, as well as the Pioneer Media Award. Ann loved being a friend to many, but nothing mattered to her as much as her family. She will be missed by many, especially her family that loved her very much.

In addition to her parents, Ann is preceded in death by a granddaughter, Cassidy McCallister. Survivors include her husband, Jerome Varnum of Webb; a daughter, Paige McCallister of Dothan; two sons and daughters-in-law, Trant and Karen Bullard of Dothan and Steve and Nina Varnum of Wilmington, NC; three sisters and two brothers-in-law, Becki and Fred Haston of Trussville, Martha and Jack Lavallet of Daphne and Paula Leatherwood of Dothan; a grandson, Nick McCallister of Atlanta; four granddaughters, Brandi Wallace (Chris), Amber Jones (Jacob), Cassie Hovey (Cade), all of Dothan and Carina Varnum of Wilmington, NC; four great granddaughters, Emily Wallace, Alicia Wallace, Neelee Wallace and Avery Hovey; one great grandson, Mac Hovey. Ann is also survived by many nieces, nephews, grand nieces, grand nephews, and a host of cousins.

Family First Funeral Care, 965 Woodland Drive, Dothan

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Elizabeth Ann (Jones) Varnum, please visit our floral store.