Obituary of Anita Mae Lazenby Westmoreland

Anita Mae Lazenby Westmoreland passed away unexpectedly from this life but peacefully into eternal life on September 29, 2021.A fan of PBS, NPR, Southern Gospel Music, Newsprint, Books, Facebook, Weather conditions, Ole Miss Football, Charles Schultz’“Peanuts”, Mister Rogers, Iced Tea and most importantly diligent faithful prayer,Anita was born July 30, 1943 in Grenada, Mississippi, the only child of Reverend Claude and Winnie Henson Lazenby.She grew up in Courtland, MS, graduated from Batesville, MS High School and was a proud alumnae of Blue Mountain College where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Bible and music.An accomplished pianist, she began playing in churches at age 8 and continued faithfully for 5 decades in church services, choir rehearsals, weddings, funerals and as solo/ensemble accompanist for both daughters high school bands.She moved to Fort Worth in Fall 1968 to attend Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where she graduated in December 1970 with a Masters of Religious Education.A few months before graduation she met Malcolm Jan Westmoreland on a blind date. They were married March 6, 1971 after a 4-month whirlwind courtship and this year celebrated 50 years of marriage.Her career path took her through the music/youth ministry of Southcliff Baptist Church, the admissions counselor halls of SWBTS, the donor relations halls of TCU Brite Divinity School, the Chaplain’s Office of Texas Wesleyan University and finally through the halls of hospitals as a Chaplain.She was great-hearted for ordination as a woman minister through the Alliance of Baptists.Most recently a member of Broadway Baptist Church, she was also a longtime member at Western Hills Baptist Church, University Baptist Church and Wheatland Baptist Church.She was an extremely active and involved high school band parent for her daughters which would only be shadowed by an even more intense involvement as a band grandparent for all 3 of her grandchildren.An unabashedly avid promoter of music and the arts, she would encourage any memorial gifts on her behalf be directed toward the Broadway Baptist Church Music Ministry at broadwaybc.org or Aledo Band Boosters at aledoband boosters.org.She considered herself a “Steel Magnolia” and growing up in segregated Mississippi had a profound and everlasting effect on her and would play a pivotal role in her life as her unconditional love was unequivocal and indescribable.She championed the cause of the afflicted, addicted, disadvantaged, downtrodden, physically/mentally challenged, homeless, hopeless, hungry, injured, lonely, outcast, poor, sick, underdog, vulnerable, victim, weak, misfit, those who march to the beat of their own drum and anyone who lives, loves or colors outside the box.She is survived by her husband, Malcolm Jan Westmoreland; daughter, Missy Hargett and husband, Kirk, daughter, Katherine Novak and husband, Kevin; grandchildren, Noah, Leah and Thomas; cousins, Randy Stewart and Connie Russell; and longtime barren pet donkey, Selene.