George Anne Monger

1925 - 2025

George Anne Monger, formerly of Beaumont, TX, died peacefully December 11, 2025, at her Austin retirement community - six months after celebrating her milestone 100th birthday. She leaves behind two daughters, a son-in-law, a grand-daughter, an angel circle of caregivers, and an extended family who cherished her and admired her many gifts.
An only child born June 27, 1925, to Virginius "Mac" and Neva McCune, George Anne grew up and lived most of her adult life in Beaumont, TX. She distinguished herself in piano contests from age nine, winning a baby grand piano in one such competition. She earned a Bachelor of Liberal Arts in English from Baylor University in 1946 and a Bachelor of Science in Library Science from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH, in 1947.
George Anne was order librarian at the University of Texas library in Austin in 1947-48, leaving to become reference librarian at Tyrrell Public Library in Beaumont from 1948-1950. An article in the Beaumont Enterprise described the young librarian as "a brunet information bureau in high heels" who was tasked with answering such queries as - "How far would the Empire State Building in New York City sway in a strong wind?" While at Tyrrell library, she also drove the book mobile to check out books at Beaumont parks and read a children's story early weekday afternoons over local radio so that a soothing voice could help put children down for their naps.
During this period, George Anne met Gene Monger who would become her best friend and loving husband of more than 70+ years. Together, they raised two children, pursued meaningful careers (banking for him, library work for her), grew large gardens and an even larger circle of friends.
In 1951, George Anne took charge of the engineering division library at Lamar State College of Technology. For the next 36 years, until her retirement in 1987, George Anne saw Lamar transition into a university and the Beaumont campus into the flagship of the Lamar University System. Her roles at Lamar's main library likewise grew - from government documents librarian, to head of the Reference Desk, and ultimately to Assistant Library Director.
But her priority was always family and, until her daughters left for college, she sandwiched her career into the hours her children were in school. She and Gene reserved Sunday afternoons for taking both children and their friends for bike rides, picnics, beach trips, and fishing on the Neches River. She was always welcoming and could find the fun in everything.
A longtime volunteer at Calder Baptist Church in Beaumont, George Anne helped create the church's beautiful library. She supported Buckner Children's Home and was a member of Beaumont's oldest book club. She and Gene traveled widely overseas and made a dozen trips to house sit on the Big Island of Hawaii where they volunteered to work the finish line at the Ironman Triathlon.
At George Anne's retirement from Lamar University, Maxine Johnson - then library director and her longtime friend and mentor - wrote her children to compliment George Anne's "setting high standards for public service in all of the departments she supervised."
In closing, Maxine wrote: "When I was much younger, I used to wish I had the best qualities of some of my friends. I wanted to look like this one, or have some specific talent of another. I always wanted George Anne's personality and brains. Unfortunately, wishing doesn't help. The real message here is: you have a terrific mother!" Yes, we did - and we will love and cherish her always.
George Anne is survived by daughters Janis Monger Mason (Tom) of Austin and Dinah Monger of Plano; grand-daughter Kate Mason of Denver, CO; three sisters-in-law; and her four nephews, five nieces, and their children. She is predeceased by her husband, Gene; grandson, Thomas Hart Mason; two brothers-in-law; and two sisters-in-law. She loved and greatly appreciated her circle of caregivers and "her hero" Javier - and delighted in regular visits from her favorite dog Hank.
There will be no service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Calder Baptist Church, 1005 N 11th St., Beaumont, TX 77702 or to Some Other Place, 590 Center St., Beaumont, TX 77701 to help meet emergency needs of low-income people.