Anor Richardson High School Yearbook Picture
Anor Richardson, Fall 1953 - click to enlarge
Dear Classmates,
It was three years ago today that our classmate and friend Anor Phillips passed away. At her Memorial Service on the 27th of December, I was asked to give the eulogy. Of all the speeches that I have given, a eulogy is the most difficult to deliver. It is emotionally a difficult speech to give and time to prepare comments is very limited. I thought you might like to read my comments about your classmate, Anor.
MAY THE GIFT OF PEACE BE YOURS DURING THIS JOYOUS SEASON, A HOPE FOR TODAY - A WISH FOR ALL AGES.
Billy Carlson
by Billy Carlson
Remembering Anor
A Rose Petal Falls to Earth
The Bell tolled, a life had ended. But beautiful memories of that life linger on.
Remembering that which is lost makes memories dear to us. My first memories of Anor go back some 55 years ago to the fall of 1945.
It was our junior year in high school. A new girl enrolled in our class at Winter Park High. She had moved here from Laurens, South Carolina.
She was a beautiful girl to look at, but her beauty was more than skin deep. She was a beautiful person.
Her name was Anor Richardson. She lived in Clarcona, about fifteen miles west of Winter Park.
The Richardsons had a large, beautiful, country estate in Clarcona called "Hidden Acres" with their own airport, landing strip, hangar and airplanes.
Anor drove to school each day in her Jeep or in her mother's new blue Desoto convertible.
Those years at Winter Park High School in the mid-nineteen forties were carefree and wonderful years. World War Two had just ended a month before, rationing was over and the lights had come on again all over the world.
Anor was soon very popular with her classmates and she became an integral part of our class. She joined in those golden moments of student activities at Winter Park High School.
She was an excellent student, always on the Honor Roll. She was also involved in many extra-curricular activities. She was a member of the Student Council during her junior and senior years at Winter Park High.
She played a leading role in the Junior Class play "Spring Green" and she was President of the Secretarial Club.
Anor was also on the staff and worked hard on the Class Year Book, the TOWAYAM. Its theme was The Stardust Symphony of the Class of '47.
She was a stunning beauty in her formal dress at the Junior-Senior Prom held at the Orange Court Hotel in May 1946. The theme was "Rhapsody in Blue". Her dance card was full, and she danced until 12:00 a.m. to music provided by the Jimmy Wilcox Orchestra.
There were memories of the hayride to Sanlando Springs for the glorious class picnic there. And who could forget the softball game there, playing barefoot in a field of sandspurs.
There were the weekend slumber parties for the girls in our class each year at Anor's home at Hidden Acres. The girls met at Winter Park High School and rode their bicycles in a convoy out to Hidden Acres for the slumber party. Stories of flat tires, chains that kept coming off and sore muscles dominated the conversations the following week. It was noted that they returned to their homes on Sunday evening with their bicycles in the back of Mr. Sims big truck and the girls riding in cars.
Anor loved horses and riding was one of her true loves. In the summer between her junior and senior year, tragedy struck when she fell off a horse and broke her back. For most of her senior year, Anor was in a cast or wore a steel brace and was on crutches.
It was during the latter part of our senior year that Harrop and Anor began to date each other.
Finally those best years of our lives would come to an end. On the 4th of June 1947, Anor, who was only 16 years old, walked across the stage to receive her high school diploma.
After the graduation ceremonies the Class of Œ47 celebrated its graduation with a gala party and dance in the Hanger at Hidden Acres.
Then, in the fall of 1947, at the age of 17, Anor went off to Mary Washington, a Women's College in Virginia. But after two years, she transferred to the University of Florida where Harrop and I were students. Before long Harrop and Anor were dating on a regular basis.
Besides hard work, college days were filled with fun. Anor joined the Tri Delta Sorority and enjoyed the social side of college life: the football games, spring and fall frolics, the Gator Growl, the Valentine Ball, the Military Balls, Homecoming, and the formal dances at the Orlando Country Club during the Christmas holiday season.
Harrop and Anor were married on 23 December 1950, their senior year.
They both graduated from the University of Florida in June of 1951.
During our junior year at college, Harrop had joined the Senior Air Force ROTC program to continue his love of flying.
In the summer of 1950, the Korean War broke out, so when Harrop graduated from the University, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and called to active duty in the Air Force. He reported for flight training in Texas and Anor became a military wife for the next twelve years.
Their first child, Richard Kent, was born while Harrop was in Flight School in Texas.
After Flight School, Harrop was assigned to Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina. While stationed in South Carolina, their other two children, Scott and Kathy were born.
After Harrop's Father died, Harrop left the Air Force to take care of family business. He and Anor returned to Winter Park and they became active in the community
When I retired from the military in 1981, Anor volunteered to teach our son Paul, who has Down Syndrome, how to swim. Paul spent every afternoon for several months at the Phillip's pool with Anor. Paul enjoyed this special time with Mrs. Anor as he called her. From that time on he always referred to Harrop as Mr. Anor, an indication of the strong bond that Anor had developed with Paul.
In the nineteen eighties, Harrop and Anor built a new home - a log cabin. It was Anor's dream home. As a young child she had spent many nights in her grandparents' log cabin in Maine. She loved that log cabin, the smell of the pine wood and the scent of pine needles. Ever since those childhood days, Anor had always wanted to live in a log cabin and her dream finally came to fruition.
I see a number of Rotarians here today. Rotarians will remember that every year, without fail, Anor would bake her famous brownies to serve at the Hospitality Room during our Rotary Club's Tip-Off Classic Basketball Tournament.
I last visited with Anor about three days before she died. At that time she spoke of the wonderful birthday present that Scott had arranged for her - a weekend boat trip down the St Johns River with her children, her sisters Ann and Anita and their husbands. And what an unexpected and pleasant surprise it was for her when she found Ann and Ray were there at the boat waiting for her when she arrived. How much that weekend meant to her.
Beneath her picture in the High School Class Year Book was the word, "Genuine" - the word that had been selected to best describe Anor. And "Genuine" she was.
She was a gracious lady who had the polish and impeccable manners, as did her sisters, of one who had been raised in the finest finishing school - the Richardson home.
Words used by her friends to describe Anor include such words as dependable, modest, honorable, steadfast, and elegant.
Anor had a close relationship with her sisters, Ann and Anita. When the three sisters were together they were constantly talking. An outsider couldn't get a word in edgewise.
And I know Anor was a role model for her younger sister, Anita, as they were growing up.
She was a great supporter of causes she believed in, living her life in a quiet way, unobtrusively working behind the scenes. She generously helped so many people and organizations with her time, her talents and her treasure.
She was a strong supporter of the Girl Scouts donating, many hours of her time to help them, and she worked in the First Aid Clinic at the schools for many years.
She was a blood donor and had reached the ten-gallon level of giving blood, and she donated many hours of service to the American Red Cross.
She was an astute businesswoman, actively engaged in the operation of A&H Industrial Park. She was generous and provided free storage space at their warehouse for the Winter Park Historical Society, the Rotary Club and other organizations.
She loved classical music and she faithfully supported the Symphony. She also faithfully attended the London Symphony performances every other summer at Daytona. She was active in her bridge club and the Tri-Delta Sorority to the end.
My life has been enriched and is filled with many special memories and happy times because our paths of life crossed 55 years ago. I am proud and honored to have been her friend.
As we remember her today, may the special memories and the happy times that each of you shared with Anor fill your hearts and minds with joy and gladness.
As her ashes are returned to earth in the fields of Clarcona, may they bring forth flowers in their season as beautiful as the Anor that we knew that we loved and that we remember today.
William E. Carlson
Brigadier General US Army (Retired)
A Friend and Classmate
Eulogy given by William E. Carlson at 11 a.m. December 27, 2000 at the Memorial Service for Anor Phillips at the Knowles Memorial Chapel, Rollins College, Winter Park, Florida. The Chapel was filled to capacity.
