Obituary of Annie Kaye Waites

ANNIE KAYE DUNN LASSETTER WAITES Our heavenly father graced the earth with the presence of an inspiring person. The person was presented to us as Annie Kaye Dunn, who was born on January 22, 1946 in Birmingham to the late Helen Brooks Dunn and Tony Dunn. Funeral services will be held 2:00pm Monday January 18, 2021 at Usrey Funeral Home in Talladega with Burial in Pine Hill Memorial Park. Randy Howell will officiate the service. Her family will receive friend from 12:30pm until time of service at funeral home. Everyone who knew Kaye knew that she had an immovable love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and began her journey with him at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Birmingham. This journey would lead to praise to God and would be the driving force in her life helping those who needed love and support in their lives. Kaye was the product of Blessed Sacrament Elementary School, Hemphill Elementary School, and West End High School, Class of 1964. The club activities would include: library assistant, president of Home Economics Club, Civic Club, Welion school resume staff, and other activities. She majored in Business Education where she received many awards for shorthand and typing skills. Kaye's senior year was busy with senior year activities and became one of the Class Senior Beauties. She made and modeled her own dress in the yearly fashion show that was sponsored by the Home Economics Club. After graduation she worked for Shook & Fletcher Insulation; two years later, she became head bookkeeper. She married James E. Lassetter, Jr. After four years she gave birth to a son, Thomas Lee Lassetter. Kaye decided to become a stay-at-home mother so she could raise her child and spend time with him as he grew up. After Thomas entered Idalia Elementary School, she began to work inside the classroom helping other students learn to read and enjoy books. As room mother, she made games and activities to help them learn and soon she would become a substitute teacher. She joined the PTA and served in various offices. When Thomas wanted to become a Cub Scout Troop member; Kaye realized that there was not a charter for Idalia Elementary School but that did not stop her. She with others started her own Charter for the Boy Scout Troop at Idalia. She brought the scouts home and there the boys learned games, how to earn the various patches and encouraged them to earn more by enrolling her Troop in the Cub Scout Relay Race Car Derby. She was proud ofthe experiences she gained and shared in the Talladega County School System. Kaye was on the ground floor for the Chapter IlTitle I committees to help bring para-professionals into Talladega County School System elementary classrooms in the spring of 1980. Kaye was employed as a para-professional in the fall of 1980 by the Talladega County School System. While employed in this position, her unyielding spirit of achievement and her desire to help God's children forced her to overcome many odds and obstacles to obtain her Associate Degree in Elementary Education from Gadsden State University and later one year at Jacksonville State University. At Jacksonville, Kaye was inducted into Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society in Education. Kaye worked at Idalia and Jonesview Elementary Schools continued to work at Talladega County Central High School in the reading lab for ten years. Later she would change positions and moved up to the school secretary for over ten years. She gave unselfishly to her students and colleagues. She married Curtis Dean Waites during that time. Kaye retired on November, 2003, after 23 years of service from the Talladega County School System. Kaye was a member of Talladega County Employee Support Personnel (ESP) Organization, District 3. Her association involvement was extensive and relevant. She was quite outspoken and was an advocate for many years. She with others would get the first requested a Step Pay Scale Raise in Talladega County School System and changed pay raises in all support personnel jobs. She started "The Three Musketeers." As one of the "Musketeers;" she would also start the ESP newsletter, "The Three Musketeers." She served in all local offices of her local ESP more than once. As president, Kaye's top priority was to represent every member of the association and be their voice. She served as AEAlESP building representative; AEA Delegate Assembly delegate, NEA Representative Assembly delegate, member of legislative Contact Team, Leadership Conferences, ESP Conferences, AEA Elections Committee, AEA PR&R Commission, UniServ District 15 offices, and TCREA. Kaye's civic duties would include working for the United Way and serving as president of Rural Relief of North Talladega County where she continued helping the needy students to have the basic needs for clothing, power, and medicine. In her local community, Kaye served as clerk in many elections and was appointed to the City Council Election Officers for August 27, 1996, City of Lincoln election. She is survived by her son Thomas Lassetter (Dana), sisters Faye Mintz (Charles), Mary Helen Webster (Jimmy), grandchildren Kaylee and James Lassetter and a host of nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by husband Dean Waites, parents Tony and Helen Dunn and bother Joey Dunn. The family would like to thank Compassus Hospice for care given to her. Usrey Funeral Home Talladega will direct the service.