Anne Miller Horne

Ann Miller Horne, 88, of Gainesville died of natural causes, July 30th, 2024, at home.  Family and her two companion dogs, Tobi and Benji, were at her side.

Ann was born, Bernice Ann Miller, in her Grandmother's home in Hillsboro, Texas, on August 30, 1935.  Her parents were Reverend Leonard Miller and Pauline (Vernon) Miller.  Ann was the second oldest of four daughters.

As "Preacher's kids," Ann and her sisters changed schools as often as her father was appointed to a new church.  After High School, Ann began college at Southern Methodist University (SMU).  After her freshman year, she dropped out of college to follow her new husband (Dan Ford) to Germany on the Army plan.  Ann and Dan had a one-room apartment; they shared a bathroom with three other couples and were allowed a bath once a week.

They were stationed in Frankfurt for the two-years.  Six-weeks shy of returning to the U.S., Ann gave birth to her first daughter, Jennifer Lynn Ford (aka Lynn Ford Gibson).  Her final two daughters, Cynthia Lee Ford (Sandy Casey) and Elizabeth Ann Ford (Beth McDowell) were born at Baylor Hospital in Dallas.  In 1967, the family moved to Atlanta.  The early years in Georgia were difficult for the family and by the mid-seventies Ann and Dan had divorced.

After the divorce, Ann completed her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Business Administration at Georgia State University in Atlanta.  She was a very detail-oriented person and an excellent administrator.  She held several noteworthy jobs.  She was the Risk Manager for the City of Atlanta and later for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Hospital system in North Carolina.  She was offered but declined to be the Risk Insurance Manager at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Before breaking an ankle in the early '90's, Ann was a very active runner as well as a tennis player.  It was during this time that Ann met and fell in love with a tall, quiet, intelligent and gentle man.  His name was Bill Horne, he was from North Carolina.  They met in New Orleans at an Insurance Conference.  They were married shortly after they met and split their time between the Gainesville area in Georgia, where Lynn and her extended family lived, and Lake Norman in North Carolina, where Bill had a home on the lake.  After many happy years of marriage, Bill died after a short battle with cancer.  The couple enjoyed gardening, taking the boat out on the lake, grilling, and being with family.

Ann and Bill attended the Walk to Emmaus in North Carolina and enjoyed serving Jesus in various capacities in Georgia Foothills Walk to Emmaus.  They also loved, served and attended Oakwood First United Methodist and in more recent years, Lanier Hills Church.

In addition to her parents, Ann was predeceased by her husband William Horne Jr., a son-in law, William Carey Gibson Sr., her nephew David Bowman; and a grand-son-in-law, Mark Farrar.  Surviving are her daughters: Lynn Gibson, Sandy Casey and Beth McDowell and her husband Phil Luntz; Ann's grandchildren: Heather Farrer, Becca Smith and her husband Stephen Smith, Bill Gibson and his wife Laura Gibson; Kerry Casey and her husband Steve Konyar, Patrick Casey and Mike Casey, Kyler McDowell and Kathryn McDowell.  Ann was blessed with six great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by her sisters: Polly Bowman; Joe Biggerstaff and her husband Jim Biggerstaff; Leona Whitcomb and her husband Jay Whitcomb; and by her five nephews and nieces.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at Lanier Hills Church, 3129 Duckett Mill Rd., Gainesville, Georgia 30506 on Sunday, September 1st, 2024, at 6 p.m.  Those who wish to remember Ann in a special way may make gifts in her name to The National Audubon Society. https://act.audubon.org/a/donate

Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com

Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Georgia 30501 is in charge of arrangements.