Anna Lou Randall

Anna Lou Eppler Randall was born November 30, 1931, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Hubert Benjamin Eppler and Viola Velva Grace Eppler. She died peacefully on January 11, 2019, surrounded by her family. Anna Lou’s memorial service will be held at the Perry First United Methodist Church, on January 26, at 11:00 o’clock in the morning. Visitation with family will be held from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. in the church Fellowship Hall. Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Dighton-Marler Funeral Home of Perry.
Anna Lou was the second born of seven children. The Eppler family moved many times in the 1930’s and 40’s to Oklahoma towns such as Wewoka, Holdenville, Shawnee, and Waukomis, as Hubert worked in the oilfield. After Anna Lou graduated from Waukomis High School in 1947, the Eppler family moved to Perry in 1948. Anna Lou then went on to study business for one year at Phillips University in Enid and attend Hills’ Business College in Oklahoma City for one year.
In 1950, Anna Lou got a call from the then First National Bank president, Mr. Webber, to come to work as a bookkeeper. She then began her banking career in the basement of the old First National Bank at the corner of 6th and Cedar, which is now known as the Foucart building. During her 36 years of continuous employment with the bank, she held many positions such as bookkeeper, teller, secretary, assistant trust officer, and assistant cashier. At the time of her retirement from First National Bank and Trust Company in 1988, she held the positions of Vice President and Trust Officer.
In 1951, Anna Lou met and fell in love with Max Randall. Three month later in June, they were married in Arkansas. They returned to Perry to make their home and became the parents of three children; Renee, Rodney, and Regina. Early in their marriage Anna Lou and Max were active with work, children, friends, and family and also found time to square dance with the Shooting Star Square Dance Club. The family usually made summer road trips and some of the favorite trips were to the states of Colorado, New Mexico, Minnesota, and Wyoming. Anna Lou loved to travel with and without Max, and she traveled to almost every state in the U.S. as well as to many countries abroad.
She dearly loved all children and her grandchildren and great grandchildren were her pride and joy. Anna Lou also loved quilting and found time to quilt each grandchild and most of the great grandchildren at least one quilt. Anna Lou was a longtime collector of antiques and for over 20 years, she, along with Carol Steichen, Gary Strub, and Lanora Brorsen were a driving force in the successful daily operation of the shop, Antiques on the Square. She also found time to read, cook, and until just a few weeks ago, keep up written correspondence with many, many friends and family members. Her love of people and communication was so strong that she even learned to text and use Facebook in her 80’s in order to follow her family and friends through social media.
Although Anna Lou was not born in Perry, once here, she embraced this town as her own and worked tirelessly through the next 70+ years to improve and promote the history and revitalization of Perry. At one time, she was ‘somewhat’ affectionately known as the downtown ‘beautification patrol lady,’ and she would scold any business owner not keeping their sidewalks free of weeds.
Anna Lou served Perry in many volunteer capacities, including being a charter member and a director for the Noble County Family YMCA from 1980-1984, and on the board for the Perry Chamber of Commerce from 1984-1986. In 2013, she was recognized as the Perry Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Citizen of the Year after previously being inducted into the Chamber Hall of Fame (2009).
Anna Lou was on the board of directors for the Cherokee Strip Museum and since 1993, served on the board of directors for the Centennial Cherokee Strip Centennial Corp. Her passion with this group was the Centennial project of establishing the historical Episcopal Church at CCC Lake, now known as the Centennial Church.
Anna Lou also served on the board for the Perry Development Coalition until 1994, then as a charter member of the board of directors and chairman of the design committee for Main Street of Perry until 1998.
Anna Lou was a longtime member of various Perry clubs and organizations such as the Ladies Tuesday Afternoon Club, the Petunia Garden Club, the Perry Progress Club, and the Perry Study Club. Additionally, she was a member of the Noble County Republican Women, Cherokee Strip Quilters Guild, and the Jaycee Jaynes. In the 1960’s and 70’s she even found time to play on a local bowling league and competed in the Women’s International Bowling Congress in tournaments around the country.
Other honors include being named as the 2009 Cherokee Strip Celebration Honorary Parade Marshall and named the Woman of the Year by Xi Epsilon Rho; Beta Sigma Phi chapter, in 1997.
Anna Lou joined the First United Methodist Church in 1952. As an active member, she taught Sunday school for 14 years and served as Financial Secretary and Treasurer for the church. She also found time to play on the church softball team in the mid 1960’s and later participated in two church mission trips with Tom Kirby in Alaska and Montana. Until recently, she was an active member of the church Prayer Quilters.
Anna Lou was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Max; her parents, Hubert and Viola; brothers, Thomas Eugene Eppler and David Michael Eppler; brothers in law, G. L. (Jerry) Stanislav and Bill Dorcy; sister in law, Irene Pearl Heard Eppler; niece, Leslie Ann Eppler; and nephew, Mark Andrew Eppler.
Anna Lou is mourned by her children, Beth Renee Zuelke of Houston; Rodney Owen and Arlene Randall of Mustang; and Regina Kaye and Mark McPherson of Beaumont, Texas; 10 grandchildren, Ashley Randall Motley; Adam Zuelke; Jennifer McPherson (Justin) Dancer; Peter McPherson (Nichole); Graham Zuelke (Ninfa Montano); Stephanie McPherson (Patrick) Petralie; Rebecca Randall (Paul) Greiner; John McPherson; Alexander Randall (Milainie); and Kate Zuelke; 16 great-grandchildren; her brothers, Ray and wife Paula Eppler of Ardmore and Don and wife Kathryn Eppler of Ardmore; sisters, Patsy Dorcy of Fairview, Texas and Binnie Stanislav of Norman; brothers and sisters in law, Richard and wife Elaine Randall of Perry and Neil and wife Margaret Randall of Missouri. Anna Lou was considered by many the cornerstone of the extended Eppler and Randall families and she will also be greatly missed by special nieces, nephews and their wives, husbands, and children.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Perry Main Street; Facade Grant, First United Methodist Church; Worth of a Child (support for foster children and families), or First United Methodist Church; Prayer Quilters, in care of Dighton-Marler Funeral Home, 203 Fir Avenue, Perry, Oklahoma 73077.