Annie Jean Gasbarri

Annie Jean Gasbarri, 91, born on June 06, 1933, in Gallant/Greasy Cove, northern Alabama, United States, and after several years of declining health passed away April 27th 2025 in San Juan Capistrano, CA at a board and care in hospice, just down the street from her loving daughter Terry Lynn Ross. Funeral arrangements are under the care of Forest Lawn, Glendale, CA.
She is survived by her loving children; Terry Lynn Ross and Steven Ray Tarnoff, and her loving grandchildren: Robert Herrera, Moira Leibowitz, and Erin Tarnoff. Those that knew Ann knew her kind nature, giving heart, love for her children, extended family, and friends. Her parents were Ellis Murphree and Lorena McCay Murphree, they were a farming family. Her parents had 10 children the first 2 died at infancy. Annie the youngest of 8 siblings, and the last living link of her childhood family household. Annie's ancestry goes back to the early 1740's to the colony of North Carolina, then South Carolina, Tennessee by the 1790's, and Northern Alabama around 1817, to what became known as Murphree Valley. Her childhood in Alabama was full of loss and chaos after her mother died during WW2 and her 5 brothers were away to war. With the boys gone to war farming wasn't working, her father left for California to find work, they all came back but not to a home that they left. All the kids had nicknames, Annie was called Angiebelle by her brothers. Although her extended family did their best to take care of her it was a lonely time for her. She went to live with her Aunt "Lucibelle", but her aunt also shortly passed away. These tragedies may have made her the empathetic person she became, and for which she is so remembered. Her father Ellis brought Annie and her sister "Bonnie" to Colusa in Northern California. Although she passed away in Orange County Ann(ie) loved and missed Los Angeles where she spent most of her productive adulthood and healthy long life. She embarked on a complete makeover of herself in Los Angeles. She went to modeling and drama school, voice lessons, singing the blues at the USO during the Korean war, and sang at the renown Hollywood Athletic Club. However she gave up the performing career to dedicate herself more to her children. She involved herself in politics as well. She was on a committee of then Governor Edmond G. Brown (father of governor Jerry Brown). JFK's sister Patricia Lawford and husband actor Peter Lawford were also on that committee. Annie had truly left the farm. She moved back to Alabama with her two children twice, during the JFK years but Los Angeles always called her back. Overall in Los Angeles she lovingly raised her children Terry Lynn and Steven Ray as a struggling single parent. Ann(ie) met Ezio Gasbarri, a native of Italy, while her children were still in grade school and junior high school. But she remained independent and never married him until her youngest child finished high school. With Ezio Ann(ie) became "Anna". They bought a house they lived in for decades, Ezio died in that house and she lived there until her failing health. She loved that house so much, Anna became an honorary Italian. Mama mia! What great Italian cooking she produced!
There is so much to be said about Ann(ie) and her varied life. We all have so many memories of the wonderful person that she was and is in our hearts. We had her for a long time, and are grateful for that, but loss is hard at any age and she will be greatly missed with sadness and remembered for her warmth, understanding, compassion, love, and empathy.