Ann was born to William and Irene Fehrenbach on December 30, 1922 in Oklahoma. There were five children in her family, but Ann was the only girl. Her brothers Calvin, Wesley, Marvin and Dale used to call her Tin Lizzy which might have been the reason she preferred the name Ann to Elizabeth and was known by Ann for her adult life. Being surrounded by brothers, she grew up independent and strong. Having to make her way in a world of men, she was always a believer in the equality of women.
Early in her life, Ann’s family settled in California where she spent most of her school days. She was always a good student making straight A’s. After graduating from high school she left home and moved to San Francisco. World War II loomed over all, and San Francisco, being a major port city was especially impacted. Marine vessels filled the ports to take on supplies and to get repairs. It was during a layover for repairs from a kamikaze strike that Merchant Marine Second Lieutenant Russell Pank first set eyes upon Ann. It was love at first sight, and they would be married April 26, 1945. This love would last for more than sixty-six years and the last words spoken by Russell were to tell Ann, “Honey, I love you.”
After the war Ann and Russell remained briefly in California, and it was there that their first child, Cynthia, was born. Soon after, they relocated to the Pank dairy farm just outside of Superior, Wisconsin. The move from the temperate bustling city of San Francisco to the bitter cold winters of northern Wisconsin where temperatures dropped to forty degrees below zero was at first an adjustment. The children, now four with the addition of Denny, Bobby and Debby, would look at the first flakes of snow with pure delight while Ann almost had tears in her eyes as she realized that the snow would last for six months and could get so deep that the drifts would completely obscure the doors to the barn. Snow was beautiful to look at, not to live in.
After spending thirteen years in Wisconsin, the family moved to Michigan to follow Russell while he became a Chief Engineer on the Great Lakes. The children grew up and moved away, but Michigan remained home to Ann for forty-five years. After the children left, she had time to pursue hobbies she loved. She began collecting stamps and coins in the seventies. She always had a love for flowers and her yard reflected that love even being featured one year in the town paper. She was an excellent seamstress and knitter. She also enjoyed needle point and a number of beautiful pieces still decorate the home. Cooking and baking were also her loves, and she excelled at them even when using a wood burning stove while on the farm. The smell of hot cinnamon rolls will never be forgotten.
In her eighties, Ann moved to Tennessee to be with her youngest daughter and grandson, Johnny, the apple of his Grandma's eye. She remained with them until her passing. She tried to care for herself as much as possible, but in her nineties she had to ask for help sometimes. She would never forget to say “Thank you” and express her gratitude for the care and kindness. When she could no longer pursue her hobbies, her joy was to read the Bible and be in the company of her children and grandson. As her mother, father, four brothers, husband, nephew Art, and many dear friends had passed, she was surprised that she continued to have birthdays. She was 96 on her last birthday. We had hoped to spend another one with her, but now they will be spent waiting for the return of the Lord and when she will be able to walk the streets of gold with Him forever.
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