Ann is the oldest of the five Applegate girls. She had just turned 16 when the family left Corydon, and it just about broke her heart to leave. She attended TCU in Texas, got her B.S. degree, and became a registered nurse. She practiced in Fort Stockton, Texas, for about 25 years.
While still working as an R.N., Ann returned to college and obtained her teaching certificate. She taught school for 30 years: seven years as self-contained (the kids stay with that teacher all day and she/he teaches them every subject); eight years teaching English; and fifteen years as supervisor of ISS (in-school suspension) and the JDC (juvenile detention center) school. All of this while raising a family! Some of her students stay in contact with her and all of them think the world of her.
In 2007, Ann and husband Larry moved from Fort Stockton to Lubbock. Ann was married to Larry from 1954 until his death in early 2010. They had two beautiful and accomplished children, Peter and Julie, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Ann met her wonderful Mike in December 2010, and they had several years of joy, traveling, going on cruises, going to dances several times a week and having a very busy social life. Mike died a tragic death from a devastating infection in July 2015. Ann was heartbroken, as were her family and friends, both for Mike and for her.
Ann has friends the world over and it takes her less than a minute to make a new friend. She loves life and lives it to the fullest!
1939-1944_Ann_to_Bobbie: The first 7 pages are adorable exchanges between Ann and her grandmother Bobbie, who lived around the corner and few blocks north. Pgs 8-9 were written while we were living in Ft. Bliss, where Ted was stationed for a while, before going to England. The letter is signed, ‘Your Beloved, Anne.’
09031944_Ann_to_Ted: Ann writes to her daddy, Ted, who is stationed in England during World War II.
10071944_Ted_to_Ann: Letter from Ted to daughter Ann, age 12. She had written him using ‘mirror writing’ so the censors couldn’t read it.
02111945_cartoons_by_Ann: Cartoons drawn by Ann, age 12, and sent to her daddy, Ted, when he was stationed in England during WW II.
01311951_Ted_to_Ann: Ann was in her 2nd semester, first year of college. Ted sends advice and imparts wisdom. She must learn to adapt herself to new conditions. The habits formed now must be such as to help her later.
06061951_Ted_to_Ann: ‘You are in the process of finding yourself and building your own life. Show the proper amount of confidence in your own ability whether you actually have it or feel it or not. Be thoughtful of others in every action always.’
07281951_Ted_to_Ann: Ted gives some advice regarding men. ‘You won’t find one man in a thousand who is the family man that your daddy is. Ever since I was married my first and only love has been my family. I would rather spend every evening with my family than anywhere else or with anyone else. My family has always been a life work with me. If you expect to find another man as faithful to his family as I have been, you will have to look for a long time.’ Regarding a nursing career: ‘It will be wonderful, will it not, to have a profession and be able to tell the whole wide world that you are the boss of your own destiny, that you can do whatever you will, whatever you want, whenever you want.’
08011951_Ted_to_Ann: Dad gives daughter more good advice. ‘It is so nice to be ahead of the game. You never know what opportunities may show up. With the world in turmoil you now anyone else has any time to lose in preparing for the near future.’
Applegate Sisters of Corydon, Indiana 