This lovely obituary has been shared by Annie's husband and children.  

Annie Laurie McAllister Whitmer Schapmann gave wonderful presents. We opened her gifts slowly, anticipating the thoughtful surprise inside. But we had to be careful not to rip the wrapping paper because she would gently fold it, then reuse it.

The gift she didn’t keep under wraps was her fun personality.

Her adventure began in 1944 when she was born in Portland, Oregon. She grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska. She died on May 5, 2026, in Homewood, Alabama, where she had recently celebrated her 82nd birthday.

Annie Laurie was the middle child, with two older brothers, Bill and Dougal, and two younger sisters, Jane and Amy.

There are three generations of Annie Lauries in the family: Mom is AL2.

In 1961, she graduated from Lincoln High School, where she was a popular cheerleader with big eyes and a big smile who loved to dance.

At the University of Nebraska, she would challenge guys to arm wrestle. Left-handed. She won a lot!

She claimed that she was pursuing an MRS degree at college to snag a husband, but it took so long that she ended up earning a real degree in Fashion Merchandising in 1965.

Annie Laurie met a fellow student, Jerry Schapmann, in front of Love Library. They married in 1966, and then they had three children: Emily, Sam, and Sara. Mom used her wedding china every day and washed the plates in the dishwasher. Everything tastes better on wedding china.

Annie Laurie was a talented seamstress. In high school, she admired the clothes in fashion magazines and would quickly produce copy-cat designs to wear. Later, she sewed clothes for her children’s prom dresses, dance recital outfits and Halloween costumes. A Smurfette outfit she made one year earned Sara first place in the Homewood Park Costume Contest. We still talk about Sam’s mummy costume crafted from Ace Bandages and the infamous clean-up incident with his elaborate homemade clown outfit. Annie Laurie herself greeted trick-or-treaters at the door wearing a bright orange rain poncho and a Planet of the Apes mask.

Her hobbies included playing bridge, playing slot machines and going to cat shows.

Over the years she had many fluffy cream Persian cats. In fact, she went through a series of allergy shots so she could tolerate their fur. Her most beloved cat was Hairy, who lived 17 years. A parade of lookalikes came after him. Some were also named Hairy, and there was a Cato and a Kramer. She gave the cats baths and dressed them as Santa Claus at Christmastime.

She stayed home to raise her three children in Homewood, Alabama. When the youngest was a toddler, she embraced a successful career delivering mail for the United States Postal Service. As a rural carrier, she drove her own car, sitting in the passenger seat. She chose bright cars for safety, including an orange Jeep and an orange Plymouth Horizon with racing stripes.

She was a proud member and local leader of the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association labor union. She was quick to point out that boring stamps and interesting stamps cost the same, so always choose the cool stamps.

Annie Laurie was an excellent cook herself but preferred to eat out. She usually had a particular request. For example, at McDonald’s she would order a Big Mac without the middle bun. At her favorite pizza place she ordered pizza with no sauce. Real butter, not margarine. And don’t break the yolk on her fried eggs because she would send them back to the kitchen. One place she enjoyed the menu as is was Tastee Inn and Out in Lincoln, where she was a fan of the onion chips with dip.

She was a stickler for good manners, a clean house and handwritten thank you notes. Her cursive was flowy and distinct.

After a stroke 13 years ago, she lived in several long-term care facilities. That’s when she reconnected with her Catholic faith and rediscovered the Rosary. She liked working complicated jigsaw puzzles, playing cards and going to her weekly hair salon appointments. Jerry spent up to 40 hours a week with her. In later years, he carefully painted her fingernails.

Jerry was her rock, the one who made her face light up, the one who claimed the top spot in her heart.

She loved her three children, their spouses, and her grandchildren: Emily and Greg Stroud, Sam and Pam Schapmann and their kids, Nate, Elisabeth, Caroline, Josh, and Lucy, and Sara Schapmann and her son, Anders.

Annie Laurie began the relentless journey into dementia, yet still kept the spark that endeared her to so many.

It’s been a long struggle, and now she is at peace.

The family plans a private Mass of Christian Burial for Annie Laurie in Tilden, Nebraska, at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church. Family and friends will gather for a celebration of life later this year.