Martha Ann Browning Bess

Martha Ann Browning Bess
DELAND - Martha Ann Browning Bess, 82, passed peacefully Nov. 29, 2021. Ann was laid to rest beside her husband, Robert "Bob" Dec. 6, and honored during a celebration of life gathering at the Lake Beresford Yacht Club in the afternoon.
Ann was born Sept. 16, 1939, in Morganton, North Carolina.
She was preceded in death in 2008 by her husband, Robert "Bob," the love of her life. She and Bob met while attending the Dell School of Medicine in Asheville, North Carolina.
Ann told the story of noticing Bob walking across campus, and he struck her fancy, so she made a snowball and threw it, hitting him on the head. That started a loving 50-plus years of marriage and two wonderful sons.
Bob and Ann moved to Florida in 1958, living in Palatka for a short stint before settling in DeLand in 1959, where they both worked in the Fish Memorial Hospital laboratory as medical technologists. At that time, technologists used Bunsen burners, flasks and beakers to perform laboratory tests, so they were true chemists.
In 1960, Ann left work to become a full-time mom to son David. She returned two years later and worked at Monaco Laboratory, where she worked until the birth of her second son, Darren.
Two years after Darren was born, she joined the West Volusia Memorial Hospital laboratory. Finally in 1989, Ann returned to Fish Hospital and worked there until she retired.
During her career as a medical technologist, Ann had witnessed amazing technological advances having worked in every department. Her contributions throughout her career have been enumerable. Everyone who had ever worked with Ann was amazed by her vast knowledge that established her as the go-to person when it came to questions about anything in the lab.
Ann was very involved in the community as a member of the Junior Service League for many years. She was also a member of the Krewe of Amalee, where she served as chairperson and ball captain in 2002, and as queen in 2005.
Ann and Bob were huge supporters of the Volusia County Fair, where Ann worked with the fair's Youth Auction Committee 1978-2008 and was Volusia County Fair Senior Queen in 2003.
Ann also co-founded a group called the LYLAS (Love Ya Like A Sister). The LYLAS are a group of women who supported each other as lifelong friends. Ann truly loved these beautiful ladies like sisters, and her family is immensely grateful for their love, support and presence all throughout Ann's life!
Ann loved tennis and played in a tennis league at Brandywine for a number of years. She also liked to play cards, and was part of a canasta group that played regularly for many years.
Ann loved to travel, going to many places within the U.S. and abroad. England was one of her favorite places to visit abroad.
She was also a fabulous cook and baker, and enjoyed blessing family, friends and co-workers with her love, delicious meals, her famous gooey cakes and other sweet treats.
Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Bob; her parents, Charles W. Browning Sr. and Nadine Clontz Browning; her brother, Maj. Charles "Bill" Browning Jr.; and her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Loy R. and Ruby Bess.
She is survived by her two sons, David Bess (Caralyn) of Washington state, and Darren Bess (Carol) of DeBary; sisters Sylvia B. Lingafelt and Victoria Houston (Wayne), both of North Carolina; sisters-in-law Lucille D. Browning of Syracuse, New York, and Faye Westbrook (Jerry) of Gastonia, North Carolina; uncle Dr. Frank Clontz (Jean) of Longwood; grandchildren Briley Bess of California, Hayley Bess Adair (Caleb) of Ocala, and Caleb Bess and Chloe Bess of Ocala; great-grandchildren Aiden Adair and Madison Rose Adair, both of Ocala; and a number of cousins, nieces and nephews.
Allen-Summerhill is in charge.