Anna Belle Spiggle Stephens

February 25, 1932 - May 29, 2020

Anna Belle Spiggle Stephens 1932 ! 2020 Anna Belle Stephens, of Fort Valley, passed away on Friday, May 29, 2020 at home. She is predeceased by her loving husband, Calvin Timothy Stephens, Sr. Anna Belle is survived by her children; Sally Stephens Ball, Tim Stephens (Nancy), Kenny Stephens (Bonnie), Sam Stephens (Teri), Keith Stephens (Donna); her grandchildren Jessica Ball Marrow (Tim), Jennifer Ball Giles (Keith), Dagan Stephens (Kristin), Derrick Stephens (Fiance Katie Spitzer), Mark Stephens (Melissa), Matthew Stephens, Jerod Stephens (Tayler), Eric Stephens, and Hannah Stephens; her great-grandchildren Chase Marrow, Warren Giles, Calvin Giles, Calligan Stephens, Gibson Stephens, Lane Stephens, Kora Stephens, Luke Stephens, Briar Stephens, and Anna Kate Stephens, due in July; her sisters Kathaleen (Tookie) Spiggle Clem (Billy), Judy Spiggle Cook (Larry), and Sue Spiggle; her sister-in-law Maxine Stephens Pence (William). She is also survived by many, many nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and her wonderful friends at the Fort Valley Senior Center and her church family. She is predeceased by a sister, Shirley Spiggle Polk, her brothers Robert Spiggle, Sr., Samuel (Bud) Spiggle, and Claude Spiggle. Anna Belle was born February 25, 1932 in the Readus area of Edinburg to the late Samuel Lorenza and Fleta May Bowers Spiggle. She graduated from Edinburg High School in 1949. After high school she held several jobs in the area before meeting her husband Calvin whom she married in 1950 and moved to Fort Valley where she lived for the remainder of her life. During those years she worked at Blue Bell and Aileen and helped around the farm. Soon she and Calvin welcomed their five children who were her pride and joy. Anna Belle and Calvin ran St Davids Grocery and the adjoining post office. After Calvin’s death in 1975, she became the Postmaster of St Davids Church Post Office which then merged with Seven Fountains Post Office to become Fort Valley Post Office. In 2009, after 34 years, she retired from the postal service. She was a member of Oak Hill Church of the Brethren, Fort Valley Fire Department Ladies Auxillary, and a docent at Fort Valley Museum. Anna Belle was an amazing woman. She lived life to the fullest and made the most of everyday she was here with us. In her younger years, she enjoyed horseback riding and pitching horseshoes. She loved spending time at the “rivah” with her sisters or going on trips with them to visit their brother in South Carolina. She was always on the go and always had something she was working on, no matter the time of year. In the summer, she could often be found out in her beautiful flower beds, planting flowers, pulling weeds, spreading mulch and hosting Moonflower parties for her friends and family. As summer turned to fall it was time to gather walnuts so she could crack and shell them to be used in her yummy Raw Apple Cakes. And of course she would hold court over the apple butter kettles, making sure the kids and grandkids got them spiced just right. As the leaves began to fall from the trees and the weather got colder, it was time to pull out all those bags and bags of fabric. She would sit and cut fabric for hours to roll into balls which were then turned into beautiful rag rugs. When she wasn’t busy cutting rags for rugs, she could be found in her chair working on her needlepoint quilt squares, except for Tuesdays and Thursdays. Tuesdays were reserved for time at the Fort Valley Senior Center, where she and her friends would play cards, tell stories, and spend time with the children at Faith Lutheran Preschool and Thursdays were reserved for time with her Woodstock Seniors Group. Some days she could be found out checking the cows on her four-wheeler or riding the trails with her grandkids. She was even known to ride her four-wheeler to Seniors when she had a dead battery or a flat tire. The last few years she rode her four-wheeler in the Fort Valley 4th of July Parade and even rode in the Edinburg Ole Time Festival Parade. Anna Belle was full of color and life which showed in her “Skittles-colored” toe nails which matched her colorful personality. Anna Belle should not be remembered for the day she was born or the day she passed, but for the exclamation point that was her life. Pallbearers will be Jessica Ball Marrow, Jennifer Ball Giles, Dagan Stephens, Derrick Stephens, Mark Stephens, Matthew Stephens, Jerod Stephens, Eric Stephens, and Hannah Stephens. The family wishes to extend a special thank you to Blue Ridge Hospice, especially Jeanna Miller and Wanda Stephens for the loving care they provided in her last months and days. A private burial service will be held at Detrick Cemetery in Fort Valley, Virginia conducted by Pastor Duke McCaffrey of Oak Hill Church of the Brethren. A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Oak Hill Church of the Brethren, 1705 South Fort Valley Road, Fort Valley; Faith Lutheran Preschool, PO Box 132, Fort Valley,; Detrick Cemetery, 6378 Woodstock Tower Road, Fort Valley; Fort Valley Volunteer Fire Department, 7088 Fort Valley Road, Fort Valley; or a charity of your choice.