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Community at Prayer, Albuquerque,
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Our Memorial Page
for
Two Most Treasured Members of Our Community
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+ Ann Bazan Poynter passed away
April 28, 2008
+ Herb Poynter
passed away March 7, 2008
Please share your comments and photos of Ann and Herb.
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Comments:
Eulogy for Ann Zurlis Bazan Poynter
Delivered
by Anita Bazan Harris May 3, 2008
God Bless Ann and God Bless all of you
for
being here.
My name is Anita Bazan Harris. Ann was
stepmom for
30 years. I
am humbled and privileged to have been asked to speak today.
You all have your own memories, affection and
reflections of Ann. I hope to give
some of them voice as we remember Ann together today.
Ann lived with great dignity, incredible courage and an all
encompassing love.
Ann
was named after the Mother of our Blessed
Virgin
and the grandmother of Jesus. Mothers give unconditional and unlimited love and Ann was all about love. Love of God, family, friends and community.
In her early years, Ann was an Ursaline nun in a cloistered convent and a school teacher. She went on to
marry my father Joaquin Bazan and then Herb Poynter.
Ann believed in connectedness and she brought together her birth family, the Zurlises, with the Bazan's and then ten years ago the Poynters. She unified us all with her love, time and energy.
Ann was
always front and center
for
our
baptisms, weddings, graduations and everything in between. And let's not forget that Ann was always the life of the party!
Ann cared for her mother Helen and her father Lou visiting them almost everyday at their nursing
home. She cared for our father Joaquin, who had Alzheimer's. Then she cared for Herb through MS and cancer. Ann had great courage. She faced these
difficult challenges with dignity. She lived with breast cancer, which eventually spread throughout her body. Yet Ann never showed any hint of self-pity.
Love is generous and so was Ann. She gave so much of herself and never seemed to slow down. She volunteered at Risen Savior
as
Director of Religious Education. She was a Eucharistic Minister. She volunteered at Queen of Heaven. She taught less advanced children how to read. And, of course, she was a proud
member of The Red Hat Society." Ann worked for Silver Burdett and was the best sales person they had ever seen. I know
how much passion and work went into her sales presentations because I went with her to
some
of them.
Ann loved to laugh and have fun. She and Joaquin
would go dancing and as much as
my
Dad loved to dance, Ann would plain wear him out. Ann and Herb played with their "Quatro Estados' motor home group, traveling every
corner
of the Southwest. She lived her life with such good cheer and a positive attitude.
In the hospital, during her last week with us, Ann continued
to think of others. Three days before Ann went to heaven, she was
still giving me
"marching orders. "Anita," she said, "There are some cases of Ensure at the house. Take
them
to
the
Oncology
Center. There are people there who can't afford to
buy nutritional
drinks. Be sure they get them."
Ann was so very sick and she was sending me on a
mission of mercy. She was always thinking of others. She believed in social justice and acted on her beliefs.
For your thoughts and prayers, hospital visits,
flowers and food -- and especially for being here today - I would like to thank all of you. I would also like to give special thanks to Liz Magee
Ramos, my Dad's goddaughter and Ann's dear friend,
who was at the hospital everyday. As a registered nurse, Liz provided not only medical advice, but also great
comfort
to Ann and to all of us.
Ann believed in the power of prayer. Please continue to pray for her. She touched all of our lives and we are better people for
having known her. This is a better world because Ann lived among us. Let us resolve to honor Ann through our own lives and
the way we go forward from here. Love one another. As I said when I began, Ann lived with great dignity, incredible courage and an all encompassing love.
In her life, Ann embraced family and friends with her
thoughtfulness and caring in both words and actions. Stay connected. It is in how we choose to live, the right choices we
make in our daily lives that we give life to Ann's legacy. Let's make
Ann's
love her living legacy. Thank you.
Note read at
Ann's funeral May 3:
Ann, My spirit knew better, but my heart broke when I heard by phone
that your illness had won, and that you had died. The sad road lies
cleared.
Ann, you loved the art of the southwest, but it takes no art to write
about how good you have been, how generous you have been.
You moved to Albuquerque having lived in Vermont, New Jersey, Missouri,
Dallas, and New Orleans. You visited many places in the United States,
in Mexico and in Europe, and now for all time you are a part of the Land
of Enchantment.
How I wish I could fly to Albuquerque to be with you, with all of you,
but on Doctor’s orders I cannot.
From the East where I live to Albuquerque where you are: May God Bless
you, Ann. You have been a blessing for so many. Now, Ann, May God Bless
You.
Monsignor Joaquin Bazan
5/6/08
My Dearest and Best Friend, Ann. I will
always miss you. Having known you for 36 years, how can I forget our
good times together, I still feel your presence. You influenced my
life in so many ways, because of you I am a better person. You were
so precious to many, You had a spirituality that made you glow. I
pray to God that we will meet again in Heaven, I’m looking forward
to it. Carmen
5/4/08
Ann Zurlis Bazan Poyntner lived her life in a
remarkable way. A woman who never judged others, a woman always willing
to give of herself over and over and over again. A woman who seemed to
liven up any room she walked into and when she did walk in, strangers
knew there was something special about her. Just something charismatic
about her…..something we all loved about her. Isn’t it something that
at her Mass, she had the last word…sending Scooch the balloon? Wasn’t
it a symbol to all of us? Even at the end, Ann had worked the room. We
will miss Ann but will never forget her and how she impacted our own
individual lives as well as so many others. Ann, thank you for sharing
your life with us. We love you and miss you. Mary and Gail
4/30/08
Ann Bazan Poynter.
She always made me feel special. Whenever we met. I had to hug her.
I thought I was helping her heal, but she was helping me.
A few years ago, after Mass, she came over to me and said: " Father
wanted me to ask you to come to a Yoga class at Toniann's". Betty
Baca and I attend the class regularly.
Last year when I wanted to become a substitute teacher for APS, Ann
was one of my references. I had to remind her that this was
strictly business, so don't give any indication that we are friends.
Carol Ann Salinas
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Comment
From The Albuquerque Journal, April 30, 2008
Ann Zurlis Bazan Poynter, 71, a long-time resident of
Albuquerque, passed away Monday, April 28, 2008. She is survived by her
siblings, Jim Zurlis (Judy) of Richardson, TX, Kathy Hamilton (Richard)
of Pagosa Springs, CO, and Marylin Buckley (Pat) of Pagosa Springs, CO;
nephews, Scott and Steven Zurlis, Sean and Bryan Buckley, and Kevin
Hamilton; and niece, Emily Hamilton; and god-daughter, Liz Ramos (Nick);
and god-grandson, Nick "Scooch" Ramos; and her very "connected families"
the Bazans and Poynters. Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Helen
F. and Louis J. Zurlis; her first husband, Joaquin Bazan; and her second
husband, Herbert M. Poynter. She graduated from Ursuline Academy of
Dallas and received her Master's degree from Tulane University of New
Orleans. After being a member of the Ursuline Order of Nuns for 19
years, she began her second career as a sales representative for Silver
Burdett Publishing Co. Before and after her retirement, Ann was always
involved with religious education and the Catholic community. Her Red
Hat/Cancer group brought joy and laughter to many. As an important part
of the Ursuline Alumnae organization of Dallas, she spent countless
hours staying in touch with her beloved friends. Ann will be remembered
with Recitation of the Rosary, Friday, May 2, 2008, 7:00 p.m., at French
Mortuary, Wyoming Blvd. Chapel. Mass will be celebrated at Prince of
Peace Catholic Church, 12500 Carmel NE, Saturday, May 3, 2008, 1:00
p.m., with Monsignor Olona, Celebrant. Private ennichement will take
place on Monday, May 5, 2008, at Gate of Heaven Cemetery. Should friends
desire, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer
Society, 10501 Montgomery NE, Suite 300, 87111 or Society of the Little
Flower, 1313 Frontage Rd., Darien, IL 60561-5340. Our "Energizer Bunny"
will never stop. She will always be in our hearts and will continue to
guide us from her heavenly home. French Mortuary, Inc. 7121 Wyoming
Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400
www.frenchmortuary.com
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