Ann P. Willoughby

Ann P. Willoughby, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend to many, passed

away surrounded by her children at the age of 86 on Christmas Day, her favorite day of

the year.

Ann was born and raised in Georgia, the only child of Louise "Heartsie" and George

Patterson. She was an excellent student, graduating as valedictorian of her class at the

College of William and Mary, where she received the Lord Botetourt Medal, one of the

oldest academic honors in the United States. At the age of 19, she met USMA cadet

William "Bill" Willoughby on a blind date. They married the summer after their college

graduations and were devoted to each other for 63 happy years until Bill's death in

2023.

For the first four years of their marriage, Ann and Bill lived in Germany, where they had

the first two of their three children. She was a stay-at-home mom for the first 18 years of

their marriage and was a solo parent during large parts of Bill's Army career, which

included two tours in Vietnam and many extended training exercises in the field. During

those years, they moved more than a dozen times across the South as Bill's military

and civilian jobs changed, before settling in Ohio. She then worked at the Navy Finance

Center as a programmer and project manager for twenty years. In retirement she

volunteered for the Hospice of the Western Reserve and as a Court Appointed Special

Advocate assisting children in need of protection and other services.

Ann was a wise and entirely straightforward person. She was equally at ease

expressing love and sharing with her children her spot-on insights about how they could

(and should) become better people. To her great credit, she always tried to be who she

wanted her children to be. Ann developed her personal philosophies about parenting,

family life, personal integrity, and life goals as a teenager when she basically raised

herself during a long period of family turmoil. She was meticulously honest in every

aspect of her life and regularly wrote letters to elected officials to tell them her opinions,

especially during the Watergate scandal.

Ann responded to life's curveballs with the can-do attitude that challenges are to be

overcome and the children followed her example. With the family's many moves, she

taught her family to "Bloom where you are planted." She was a dedicated long-term

caregiver to her parents, aunt, and Bill's cousin. Ann made sure that she and Bill were

in regular close contact with dear extended family members.

Ann was a stylish person who took great care with her appearance. She loved to cook,

hosted fantastic parties and dinners, and always made space at the table for those who

needed it. Christmas was an extravaganza of food and celebration that is the source of

many happy memories. It is only fitting that she was reunited with Bill on Christmas Day

so that they could celebrate together this year.

Ann was the behind-the-scenes force who made Bill's achievements possible in

connection with the Army, West Point, and the railroad trackwork business he built. Her

job supported the family when he started his business and she took most home duties

off his plate so he could focus on his professional and volunteer activities.

Her final years were a significant and heartbreaking challenge as her Parkinson's and

other ailments progressed. We are very grateful to her many caregivers for their

patience and support.

She is survived by her three children, Bill (Julie), Mary (Brian), and John (Kelly) and

seven grandchildren, William, Will, Ben, Allison, Kyra, Kate, and Rhys. She is further

survived by her sisters-in-law, Martha and Christine, and many nieces, nephews,

cousins, and special family friend, Yu Li.

A funeral mass will be held at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Cleveland at 11am

on February 15, 2024. Ann will be interned with Bill at Arlington National Cemetery.

Memorials can be made to the Hospice of the Western Reserve or to a charity of your choice.