1925
Roy
2016
Roy Annis
May 30, 1925 — November 9, 2016
Born May 30, 1925, in Denver, Colorado, ROY RUSSELL ANNIS, was the son and first-born child of a Denver City fireman, George Frederick Annis, and his wife, Mildred [Mauzy] Annis. He has one sibling, sister Jacqueline "Jackie" [Cope]. Roy passed on November 9, 2016 and was preceded in death by his grandson Dylan Annis in 2001.
Roy was a prodigious student, particularly in Chemistry in which he excelled, often student-teaching classes at South High School. He set up a chemistry lab in the basement of his family's home at 1343 S. Pearl in Denver. After graduation, he briefly worked at a meat-packing plant, then he went into the armed forces, serving during World War II as a navigator, radio operator, mechanic and gunner on a B-17 in the US Army Air Force. He was Honorably Discharged at the rank of Corporal on January 8, 1946, receiving the Good Conduct Medal, the American Theater Ribbon, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was proud of having served his country in the military. After serving his country he graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Architectural Engineering.
He enjoyed drafting plans of homes and buildings, professionally and as a hobby, and was a perfectionist to the last detail in his drawings and blueprints. He passed along these skills to his young son, Michael, during the times they worked together at separate drafting tables in Roy's office. The imagination, care, and attention to detail he consistently exhibited proved inspiring and motivating, serving to mold these qualities into his children.
He worked as a district manager at Kawneer Co., an architectural windows/doors company specializing in aluminum products, for 20+ years, then went into business for himself in the same field founding A-Architectural Sales Co. During his tenure with Kawneer, first as a sales representative, then in management, he and his family lived in several states including Colorado, Michigan, and Kansas.
Roy was a natural designer, craftsman, and builder. He invested a high level of imagination and creativity in each project he initiated, and stayed-fast with it until its completion. He admired the great architects, particularly Frank Lloyd Wright, and brought his love of their work into his own creations, whether it was an entire home or just a backyard cedar fence-it had to be designed and created just right to make it original and artistically pleasing. He loved to create special things for his grandchildren, and work in his shop.
He loved boating and owned two houseboats and a house with a dock at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. One of his greatest delights was having his family and friends stay a weekend or a week on his boat, where he and his wife, Marjorie, would entertain them with music, swimming, fishing, and through sharing warm, congenial stories and reminiscences. He loved sharing time with people of all ages; he considered those younger and older than himself as close friends. He seemed a kid at heart. He possessed a sensitive and elevated sense of humor and could laugh heartily at a joke, or situation. His fondest times were the holiday gatherings of his family when everyone could be together, enjoying one another.
He deeply loved jazz music, particularly of the 30s and 40s, listening and dancing to Bird, Dizzy, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Benny Goodman, and all the greats, having opportunity to meet a few. He was a fine jitterbug and Lindy dancer, and later on he danced Country Swing. One of his greatest moments in life was when he sat at a table with Count Basie in a bar and talked jazz and music--just he and the Count. When age and infirmity caught him and he could do nothing else, he would listen to recordings of Jazz at the Philharmonic, or the greatest hits of Satchmo, or Ben Webster, or Duke Ellington, or Dave Brubeck. When he was young, he would play his wax 78s, stand his daughters on top of his feet and dance around the room with them.
He liked to maintain his fitness, swimming, running cross-country in high school, golfing, and sports in general--particularly his Kansas City Chiefs football team, who he always believed would win another Super Bowl. He found great pleasure in wrestling with his son and grandchildren.
Roy was a beautiful being, who sought to bring forth the beauty in everything around him, whether it was a place, the day in which he lived, his cherished nation, or the people in his world. He was dearly loved and esteemed by his children, grandchildren, family and friends for his magnanimous character, the depth of his heart and soul, and the breadth of what he so treasured in life, which was caring for the well being of others. Each day was "thumbs up," worth living; each day was an opportunity for courage and humility. He imparted eternal values of honor, truth, love, charity, faith, and hope to his children, which was his greatest legacy. Roy held and maintained an unwavering faith and trust in his Lord, Jesus Christ. Something that was deeply personal and shared with his wife, children, sister and mother. Even though he had a stroke, he remained confident and positive even to the end of his life, believing a better “home” awaited him. He was more concerned about the welfare of his family and relatives than about any misery life attempted to bring into his world. He continuously underplayed his own situation of hardship. He accepted people as they were, and saw the best in them, and he never "met a stranger." He was devoted to his first and only wife, Marjorie, throughout their long marriage.
To his only son, Michael, he inscribed in his own words the following in the Plato, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius volume of the Harvard Classics, which he gave to him as a birthday gift:
Dear Mike,
I hope this gift will make you happy on your 19th birthday and that you will cherish this volume of books for the rest of your life.
I would also like to pass on to you some very important philosophies on life.
1. Be true to yourself. This will ensure peace of mind and you will never betray anyone.
2. Make each day your masterpiece. You cannot change yesterday, and a better tomorrow can only come by improvement today.
3. Help others. This will bring far, far more than you can ever give.
4. Drink deeply from good books. There is none that compares to the Bible, but also read Shakespeare, Tennyson, the philosophers, biographies of great men and women, and others.
5. Make friendship a fine art. Be a friend and do not take friendship for granted.
6. Build a shelter against a rainy day.
7. Pray for guidance, count your blessings, and give thanks for them every day.
I fall short of living up to these guides, but they are very meaningful and I hope will make your future reach its highest degree.
Love, your Dad --
July 9, 1968
Roy leaves behind his wife Marjorie, son Michael (Alison) Annis, daughter Debra Sue (Bob) Dunlap, daughter Patti (Kurt) Schewe and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. He will be buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheatridge Colorado on November 19, 2016.
Roy was a prodigious student, particularly in Chemistry in which he excelled, often student-teaching classes at South High School. He set up a chemistry lab in the basement of his family's home at 1343 S. Pearl in Denver. After graduation, he briefly worked at a meat-packing plant, then he went into the armed forces, serving during World War II as a navigator, radio operator, mechanic and gunner on a B-17 in the US Army Air Force. He was Honorably Discharged at the rank of Corporal on January 8, 1946, receiving the Good Conduct Medal, the American Theater Ribbon, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was proud of having served his country in the military. After serving his country he graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Architectural Engineering.
He enjoyed drafting plans of homes and buildings, professionally and as a hobby, and was a perfectionist to the last detail in his drawings and blueprints. He passed along these skills to his young son, Michael, during the times they worked together at separate drafting tables in Roy's office. The imagination, care, and attention to detail he consistently exhibited proved inspiring and motivating, serving to mold these qualities into his children.
He worked as a district manager at Kawneer Co., an architectural windows/doors company specializing in aluminum products, for 20+ years, then went into business for himself in the same field founding A-Architectural Sales Co. During his tenure with Kawneer, first as a sales representative, then in management, he and his family lived in several states including Colorado, Michigan, and Kansas.
Roy was a natural designer, craftsman, and builder. He invested a high level of imagination and creativity in each project he initiated, and stayed-fast with it until its completion. He admired the great architects, particularly Frank Lloyd Wright, and brought his love of their work into his own creations, whether it was an entire home or just a backyard cedar fence-it had to be designed and created just right to make it original and artistically pleasing. He loved to create special things for his grandchildren, and work in his shop.
He loved boating and owned two houseboats and a house with a dock at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. One of his greatest delights was having his family and friends stay a weekend or a week on his boat, where he and his wife, Marjorie, would entertain them with music, swimming, fishing, and through sharing warm, congenial stories and reminiscences. He loved sharing time with people of all ages; he considered those younger and older than himself as close friends. He seemed a kid at heart. He possessed a sensitive and elevated sense of humor and could laugh heartily at a joke, or situation. His fondest times were the holiday gatherings of his family when everyone could be together, enjoying one another.
He deeply loved jazz music, particularly of the 30s and 40s, listening and dancing to Bird, Dizzy, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Benny Goodman, and all the greats, having opportunity to meet a few. He was a fine jitterbug and Lindy dancer, and later on he danced Country Swing. One of his greatest moments in life was when he sat at a table with Count Basie in a bar and talked jazz and music--just he and the Count. When age and infirmity caught him and he could do nothing else, he would listen to recordings of Jazz at the Philharmonic, or the greatest hits of Satchmo, or Ben Webster, or Duke Ellington, or Dave Brubeck. When he was young, he would play his wax 78s, stand his daughters on top of his feet and dance around the room with them.
He liked to maintain his fitness, swimming, running cross-country in high school, golfing, and sports in general--particularly his Kansas City Chiefs football team, who he always believed would win another Super Bowl. He found great pleasure in wrestling with his son and grandchildren.
Roy was a beautiful being, who sought to bring forth the beauty in everything around him, whether it was a place, the day in which he lived, his cherished nation, or the people in his world. He was dearly loved and esteemed by his children, grandchildren, family and friends for his magnanimous character, the depth of his heart and soul, and the breadth of what he so treasured in life, which was caring for the well being of others. Each day was "thumbs up," worth living; each day was an opportunity for courage and humility. He imparted eternal values of honor, truth, love, charity, faith, and hope to his children, which was his greatest legacy. Roy held and maintained an unwavering faith and trust in his Lord, Jesus Christ. Something that was deeply personal and shared with his wife, children, sister and mother. Even though he had a stroke, he remained confident and positive even to the end of his life, believing a better “home” awaited him. He was more concerned about the welfare of his family and relatives than about any misery life attempted to bring into his world. He continuously underplayed his own situation of hardship. He accepted people as they were, and saw the best in them, and he never "met a stranger." He was devoted to his first and only wife, Marjorie, throughout their long marriage.
To his only son, Michael, he inscribed in his own words the following in the Plato, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius volume of the Harvard Classics, which he gave to him as a birthday gift:
Dear Mike,
I hope this gift will make you happy on your 19th birthday and that you will cherish this volume of books for the rest of your life.
I would also like to pass on to you some very important philosophies on life.
1. Be true to yourself. This will ensure peace of mind and you will never betray anyone.
2. Make each day your masterpiece. You cannot change yesterday, and a better tomorrow can only come by improvement today.
3. Help others. This will bring far, far more than you can ever give.
4. Drink deeply from good books. There is none that compares to the Bible, but also read Shakespeare, Tennyson, the philosophers, biographies of great men and women, and others.
5. Make friendship a fine art. Be a friend and do not take friendship for granted.
6. Build a shelter against a rainy day.
7. Pray for guidance, count your blessings, and give thanks for them every day.
I fall short of living up to these guides, but they are very meaningful and I hope will make your future reach its highest degree.
Love, your Dad --
July 9, 1968
Roy leaves behind his wife Marjorie, son Michael (Alison) Annis, daughter Debra Sue (Bob) Dunlap, daughter Patti (Kurt) Schewe and many grandchildren and great grandchildren. He will be buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheatridge Colorado on November 19, 2016.
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