Anna J. Hough (Lebanon)'s Obituary
Anna Jean Richards Hough passed away peacefully on March 20, 2021, after a brief illness. Anna was ninety years young, born in Phoenix, Arizona to Noah Don Richards and May Scrivener Richards in 1930. She lived in the Lebanon, Missouri area most of her life.
Anna graduated from Lebanon High School in 1948. She married Tom Hough in March, 1950. They raised three children in Lebanon; Denise, Lee and Steve. They also built five houses in Lebanon, moving from each one to the next one built. While working at Jeffries Abstract and raising children, Anna attended Drury University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude with Bachelors and Masters in Education degrees. Anna worked for twenty years as a teacher and assistant principal transferring between all the Lebanon elementary schools.
One of Anna’s core values was to support her family and community with time, service, and love. She was a Girl Scout Brownie Leader, First Baptist Church Sunday school teacher, PTA leader, and Laclede County Republican Women’s Club member. Others noticed this amazing woman. She was named “Outstanding Young Woman of 1961” by the Lebanon Jaycee-Ettes. She was only 31 years old. Her commitment to community service continued throughout her life.
Anna and Tom owned the O’Neil Variety Store for sixteen years. After Tom passed in 1986, Anna retired from teaching and sold the store, which has since been transformed into the Lebanon Art Guild located on Commercial Street. Oil painting became her passion, painting portraits professionally for many Lebanon families. She co-authored, along with Kenneth R. Howe, A History of First Baptist Church Lebanon, Missouri 1891-1991. Anna traveled extensively all over Europe, the U.S., Mexico and even a cruise through the Panama Canal. She traveled to see her grandchildren in Kentucky and California as much as she could.
She had a lot of fun as a member of the Red Hat Society, and was a whiz at playing Mexican Train Dominoes with her friends and family. She loved watching the Lady Bears, University of Kentucky basketball, St. Louis Cardinals, and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Anna is survived by two daughters, Denise McClelland, and her husband, Robert, of Lexington, Kentucky, and Lee Mooney, of Oxnard, California; a son, Steve Hough, and his wife, Beth, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania; four grandchildren, Ethan McClelland, and his wife, Katie, of Washington, D.C., Luke McClelland, of Indianapolis, Indiana, Sean Mooney, of New York City, New York, and Helen Mooney, of Fargo, North Dakota; several nieces and nephews; and many other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Tom; a brother, Joel Richards; and two sisters, Bonnie Poffenbarger and Donnie Davis.
The family plans to have a private burial at Mount Rose Memorial Park in Lebanon, Missouri and will hold a public service at a later date. Arrangements for Anna Hough are under the care and direction of Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Lebanon, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations being made to the memorials established for Mrs. Hough. Memorial donations to the Lebanon Art Guild, Laclede County Literacy Council or a church of the donor's choice, may be made through the funeral home or mailed to Holman-Howe Funeral Home, 320 S. Adams Ave., Lebanon, MO 65536.
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