Honor and Remembrance: Paying Tribute to Anna Cardwell
Family and friends gather to mourn the loss of Anna Cardwell, as her sisters Lauryn Efird and Alana Thompson join in paying their final respects at her funeral A somber occasion that honors her life and the love she shared with her loved ones
Anna Cardwell was honored by her loved ones at a funeral following her passing at the age of 29. The public visitation and private service took place at the Williams-White Columns Funeral Home in Gordon, Georgia on Wednesday, December 13. Among those in attendance were Cardwell's friends, family, her sisters Lauryn Efird and Alana Thompson, and their mother, Mama June Shannon.
At the funeral, a special video by country star Cooper Alan was shown to honor Cardwell, as reported by People. Cardwell's family also commended Shannon's husband, Justin Stroud, for his support while Cardwell was in hospice care.
"He's not even family, so it was even more amazing how he went above and beyond to show us what a good person he is," Efird told the outlet about how Stroud "carried 90 percent of the weight" before Cardwell's passing.
On Sunday, December 10, Shannon, 44, announced on Instagram that Cardwell had passed away after battling stage IV cancer for 10 months. "She passed away peacefully in my home last night at 11:12 PM, surrounded by her family, as she wished. We will provide more information as it becomes available today," Shannon wrote in the caption of a family photo that featured Cardwell's husband, Eldridge Toney.
Mama June, and daughters Lauryn Efrid, Jessica Shannon, Anna Cardwell, and Alana Thompson. MEGA
The day after, Shannon thought about grieving for her lost child.
"My emotions and thoughts are all messed up right now," she shared in a social media video on Monday, December 11. "It's so silent in here, the machines aren't running, [Anna] isn't here watching cooking shows, and it's just so quiet. The chair she used to sit in is empty, with her blanket and pillow, where she passed away."
Shannon mentioned that Cardwell expressed a desire to have a memorial live-streamed via TikTok, and shared, "At [the] White Columns funeral home in Gordon, Georgia, we are welcoming everyone to visit from 2 to 3 o’clock for visitation. Her service will take place at 3 o’clock... it will be a brief yet beautiful ceremony."
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She continued: “We’re just gonna celebrate Anna’s life and do it like she wanted to, go out with a bang. We love you guys and hopefully, we see some of y’all there.”
Thompson, 18, paid tribute to her late sister on Instagram, expressing her sorrow at having to make the post. She shared that they surrounded Anna with love before she passed away at around 11 p.m. Thompson asked for the Lord's comfort for Anna's two children and the family as they face the reality of her passing in the coming days. Thompson expressed her gratitude that Anna waited until she was home to take her last breath and expressed her commitment to keeping her sister's legacy alive. She also promised to celebrate their birthday as if Anna had never left.
