Obituary for Annette Scott Brister
Annette Scott Brister, 90, of Waco, died peacefully on Thursday, July 30 in her residence at Arbor House Assisted Living.
Annette was born on March 13,1930 in Abilene, Texas as the beloved only child of Homer Hart Scott and Mattie Murphy Scott (Pat). She graduated from Abilene High School and earned her bachelor’s degree from Baylor University.
Annette married Miller Robbins Brister of Burleson, TX in 1950 and they raised 5 children together. Once all the children were school age, Annette returned to Baylor and earned a Master’s degree in Education.
Her 40-year-long career in education began as an English teacher at University High School in 1968. Due to her deep interest in developing students’ academic and social skills, Annette became a counselor, serving young people at South, University, and Lake Air Junior High Schools, and Midway and Reicher High Schools. Through the Region 12 Education Service Center, Annette also counseled students in surrounding communities including Buckholts, Jonesboro, Hubbard, Hallsburg, Mt. Calm and Penelope.
Annette was an active member of Lake Shore Baptist Church for more than 50 years, where she was a deacon and the driving force behind the congregation’s food ministries, particularly the food pantry. Until just a few months ago, she continued volunteering at the food pantry after it moved to Carver Park Baptist Church. Annette ministered in many ways through Lake Shore, raising funds to support the Song for Shalom Children's Center (Ghana) and participating in mission trips to New York, New Orleans, San Francisco and El Salvador. She practiced contemplative prayer and studied the teachings of Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, and Richard Rohr. Retreats at Laity Lodge in Leakey and the Christ in the Desert Monastery in New Mexico grounded her life of activism and justice.
She developed relationships with non-profits in the Waco community and particularly loved her work with Habitat for Humanity. For over a decade, she spent countless hours providing hands-on labor for building projects (even with roofing, until her doctor advised her against it at age 75) and assisting with administrative tasks in the office.
Annette loved travel and the outdoors. While her children were young, most school vacations were spent on the road throughout the state and country, camping in the family’s travel trailer in various national parks along the way. Later in life, she became an active backpacker, spending many nights under the stars in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona with friends in the Waco Outing Club. Never one to say no to an adventure, she even took a hot air balloon ride with family members at age 85.
She truly loved her children and grandchildren and would often travel with them throughout the US and Europe. Throughout her life, a favorite destination was the Texas Hill Country and she loved stopping in Stonewall on the way to enjoy a scoop of ice cream with fresh peaches on top.
Annette passed down her love of reading to her children and grandchildren, especially mysteries. She also greatly enjoyed attending the performing arts, especially opera (Ft. Worth, Santa Fe), the Waco Symphony, and various chorale groups (Turtle Creek Chorale, Conspirare).
Annette found great fellowship in the dear friends she made through regular meetings with her prayer group and outings with her wine club. She also loved the constant companionship of her cats Molly and Callie, to whom she could never say “no.”
Survivors include her children, Robin Leigh Brister of Traverse City, MI; Scott Andrew Brister and wife Julie of Georgetown; Susan Catherine Brister of Georgetown; Michal Ann Adams and husband Paul of Atlanta, GA; and Steven Miller Brister and husband Carmine Salvucci of Austin; and grandchildren: Caitlyn and husband Jay, Michael and partner Claire, Lizzie, Susannah, Sarah, Mattie, Janelle and husband Tim, Rachel, Baltazar, and Andrew.
May Annette, who worked so hard on this earth for the things she believed God called her to do – the things to which she gave her passion, her energy, her whole heart, her whole mind – rest in God's peace.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, only a private family funeral will be held.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts may be made to Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco or to the Shalom Childrens Center in Ghana (www.songforshalom.org).
Annette was born on March 13,1930 in Abilene, Texas as the beloved only child of Homer Hart Scott and Mattie Murphy Scott (Pat). She graduated from Abilene High School and earned her bachelor’s degree from Baylor University.
Annette married Miller Robbins Brister of Burleson, TX in 1950 and they raised 5 children together. Once all the children were school age, Annette returned to Baylor and earned a Master’s degree in Education.
Her 40-year-long career in education began as an English teacher at University High School in 1968. Due to her deep interest in developing students’ academic and social skills, Annette became a counselor, serving young people at South, University, and Lake Air Junior High Schools, and Midway and Reicher High Schools. Through the Region 12 Education Service Center, Annette also counseled students in surrounding communities including Buckholts, Jonesboro, Hubbard, Hallsburg, Mt. Calm and Penelope.
Annette was an active member of Lake Shore Baptist Church for more than 50 years, where she was a deacon and the driving force behind the congregation’s food ministries, particularly the food pantry. Until just a few months ago, she continued volunteering at the food pantry after it moved to Carver Park Baptist Church. Annette ministered in many ways through Lake Shore, raising funds to support the Song for Shalom Children's Center (Ghana) and participating in mission trips to New York, New Orleans, San Francisco and El Salvador. She practiced contemplative prayer and studied the teachings of Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen, and Richard Rohr. Retreats at Laity Lodge in Leakey and the Christ in the Desert Monastery in New Mexico grounded her life of activism and justice.
She developed relationships with non-profits in the Waco community and particularly loved her work with Habitat for Humanity. For over a decade, she spent countless hours providing hands-on labor for building projects (even with roofing, until her doctor advised her against it at age 75) and assisting with administrative tasks in the office.
Annette loved travel and the outdoors. While her children were young, most school vacations were spent on the road throughout the state and country, camping in the family’s travel trailer in various national parks along the way. Later in life, she became an active backpacker, spending many nights under the stars in Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona with friends in the Waco Outing Club. Never one to say no to an adventure, she even took a hot air balloon ride with family members at age 85.
She truly loved her children and grandchildren and would often travel with them throughout the US and Europe. Throughout her life, a favorite destination was the Texas Hill Country and she loved stopping in Stonewall on the way to enjoy a scoop of ice cream with fresh peaches on top.
Annette passed down her love of reading to her children and grandchildren, especially mysteries. She also greatly enjoyed attending the performing arts, especially opera (Ft. Worth, Santa Fe), the Waco Symphony, and various chorale groups (Turtle Creek Chorale, Conspirare).
Annette found great fellowship in the dear friends she made through regular meetings with her prayer group and outings with her wine club. She also loved the constant companionship of her cats Molly and Callie, to whom she could never say “no.”
Survivors include her children, Robin Leigh Brister of Traverse City, MI; Scott Andrew Brister and wife Julie of Georgetown; Susan Catherine Brister of Georgetown; Michal Ann Adams and husband Paul of Atlanta, GA; and Steven Miller Brister and husband Carmine Salvucci of Austin; and grandchildren: Caitlyn and husband Jay, Michael and partner Claire, Lizzie, Susannah, Sarah, Mattie, Janelle and husband Tim, Rachel, Baltazar, and Andrew.
May Annette, who worked so hard on this earth for the things she believed God called her to do – the things to which she gave her passion, her energy, her whole heart, her whole mind – rest in God's peace.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, only a private family funeral will be held.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial gifts may be made to Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco or to the Shalom Childrens Center in Ghana (www.songforshalom.org).