Wilma “Jean” Frye Gann, 85, of Hamilton, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022, peacefully surrounded by her family.
She was born on Oct. 20, 1936, in the Burleson community to William Albert “Haude” and Sarah Jane “Sallie” Howell Frye. She was the youngest of four children. She attended Hamilton High School and married her sweetheart, Olen Gann on May 12, 1953. She worked at Munsingwear for many years and at a daycare. For many years she worked local, state and national elections, and was very active in her church: First Baptist Church of Hamilton.
As the Gann family matriarch, she loved her family dearly, raising five children, extremely proud of her 12 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. She loved weekend trips to Smith Lake, camping in the Great Smoky Mountains and dragging kids to ballfields all over the state. Alongside PopPop, she loved to entertain her grandchildren playing games in the floor, cheering on all kinds of sports in the front yard and many, many trips to the family farm, fishing for hours and exploring the outdoors.
With the Lord’s help, Mrs. Gann bravely defeated breast cancer after a double mastectomy in 1988 and volunteered for the American Red Cross for many years. She was devoted to her husband Olen and they were married 63 years before his death in 2016.
She is survived by her daughters - Jeanne (Butch) Wright and Libby (Harry) Northington; sons - Michael (Ginger) Gann and Richard Gann; grandchildren - Jerry Wright, Sarah Wright Downey, Betsy Northington Doss, Emily Northington Burton, Lyle Northington, Christopher Gann, Kennedy Gann Davis, Sarah Gann, Maggie Gann, Savannah Gann and Olen Gann; great-grandchildren - Brittney Carter Irwin, Brandon Carter, Chloe Tucker, Parker and Hadley Northington, Sawyer Burton, Owen Dickinson, Madelynn and Charlotte Downey and Kyra Gann; great-great-grandchildren - Kaiden Irwin and Weston Carter; and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents - W.A. and Sallie Frye; her husband - Olen; sons - Timothy and Allan; her brothers - Bobby, Burl and J.T. Frye; and her grandson - Mark Wright.
The funeral service for Mrs. Gann was held Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, at the First Baptist Church in Hamilton with burial following at the Gann Cemetery in Bexar.
Hamilton Funeral Home
161 Falcon Circle
Hamilton, Ala. 35570
205-921-3197
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