Ford Thompson is my name and one of a few Rochester natives, born 5/15/37 , at 333 Linwood. My sisters were friends with all the Van Voorees family. God Bless

Prayers to the family of Ann Marie VN Voorhees. I remember Ann Marie and the Cocroft family. As a matter of fact , during WW2 we had a large garden at the Cocrofts on what is now Elizabeth St. today.  Bill and my.son Jim Thompson were high school friends.     Ford Thompson

Dear Cheryl, 
My sympathy to you in the loss of your mom.  Today while looking for another notice, the pretty picture of your mom appeared.  Please know I'm sending my best and pray you will find strength in His loving grace. 
Sincerely, Connie

My grandma passed on many of her interests to me, including going to the movies, staying up late, reading, going out to lunch, crocheting, and all things science fiction.  One time we went to see the fifth Harry Potter movie at the theater. At the end of a 2-hour-and-19-minute movie, we stand up and she turns to me and says "well I couldn't tell you what that was about."  I said, "didn't you read the books?" and she said "no"!  She would watch just about anything Sci-Fi, and her favorite TV shows were Ghost Hunters, Bones, and Monk.  We always had buttered popcorn at the movies, but she would bring us both a can of Coke with a straw so we didn't have to waste money on drinks.

She helped many people with money through the years, and often slipped me a $20 for gas before I had a good job.  For a girl born in the Depression who married at 17, she knew how to manage her money.  She always knew where every cent was, but she loved to help people, though she usually wanted something in return. For me, it was usually weeding her flower beds, which I hate more than I can say.  My mom, too, was often roped into gardening throughout her life, and we both hate it!  But Grandma loved her flowers, and strangers would stop by her house to compliment them enough that she never gave them up when she couldn't kneel down.  She just enlisted her children and grandchildren!

She spoke her mind and didn't care who heard her.  She'd insult you, insult the waitress, insult the doctor, and move on as though nothing had happened.  It was infuriating, of course, but then she'd want to go out for ice cream and you'd soon forget why you were mad.  All my friends thought she was hilarious because she wasn't insulting them, ha!  She definitely was memorable - for good or bad.

She loved my grandpa and was loyal to him for 32 years after his death, never dating or even talking about it.  They had four kids, nine grandkids, and six great-grandkids.   She will live on through all of us.

I have fond memories of  the VanVoorhees family growing up nest door to them. I look back at all the good neighbors we had at the time and the nice city to live in to me was very much like Mayberry.  Mrs. VanVoorhees was always good to us. My sincere condolences to the entire family.

Mark J. Hall

Remember both the Cocroft and VanVoorhees families. My sister, Julia Thompson, also graduated in the RHS class of 1950. My son, Jim Thompson, was a pal of Bill. Our family used to raise a large garden on Crocroft’s property o n what is now Elizabeth St. Pat Crocroft was in my class of 1955. Prayers to the family.   Ford Thompson

I’ll never forget one of the first encounters with Grandma Ann. I was helping set a table for a family dinner when she looked at Eric and said “who taught her how to set a table?” Soon after I met Grandma and Eric for lunch. Eric looked at my hair and told me it looked beautiful and said “Grandma, doesn’t her hair look amazing?” She replied, “Well it looks like everyone else’s!” Both times I laughed and still laugh about it to this day because that was Grandma. She had the ability to speak her mind with no second thoughts about it, a quality I wish I sometimes possessed. Through the last 14 years I grew fond of grandma. I loved helping her decorate her Christmas tree, our numerous lunch dates together and porch hangouts watching the birds and other wildlife. We witnessed baby birds taking flight for the first time together and she was so tickled by it. We talked about it often. When I would clean for her she would never let me get away without going out for lunch together. I’ll cherish those lunch dates forever. I’ll miss her generous heart, sassy insults and eccentric personality.

OBITUARY

Ann Marie Van Voorhees

6 January, 1933 – 7 December, 2021

Pixley Funeral Home

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