During Anna’s twilight days her loving family surrounded her, sharing treasured time, memories and love with their beloved matriarch. One daughter, Lisa, asked her mother to give them a sign once she entered God’s garden that she was okay. During the early hours of the morning on July 30 after Anna had slipped away at the age of 93, Lisa took a walk in her mother’s garden down to where the Night Blooming Cereus grew. This plant had always been a special one for Anna. Lo and behold, there was a Cereus bloom in all its glory; Night-Blooming Cereus only bloom for one night and take an entire evening to open to full glory. This was truly a sign from Anna letting them know that she was at peace in God’s garden. Her family, while heartbroken by the loss of their beloved mother was immediately comforted by this. In death as in life, she reached out through nature.
At her funeral a few days later, her family gathered to celebrate Anna’s life with those whose lives she had touched.
When her family was asked what Anna’s favorite flower was, they decided to let her casket spray be made of flowers each family member saw in their own personality. “Moo loved all flowers,” they said. So, it was only fitting for this Master Gardener that the flowers adorning her coffin were made up of many different types and species, each one chosen by a different family member.
Anna was born on May 26, 1921 and grew up in the Bayou St. John neighborhood with her parents and grandparents, next door to the man that would eventually become her husband of 55 years, the late Phillip Ribbeck. Anna was a graduate of Tulane University’s College of Art and Architecture. Anna and her husband moved around somewhat due to his work in the Army Corp of Engineers and then later with Esso. During a twelve-year stint in Memphis, Anna had her own television show and was known as “The Plant Doctor.”
Returning to Louisiana in 1967 the family settled in Covington where Anna joined The Newcomers Club and several garden clubs, became a real estate agent and fulfilled her life long ambition of becoming a Master Gardner at the young age of 89.
Anna was survived by seven of her eight children, 37 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren. She also was involved daily in the lives of many dear friends and neighbors. We were blessed to have Anna write for us for over 14 years. She had a loyal following and will be sadly missed. Thank you, Anna for sharing your wisdom and knowledge of all things botanical.
