Ann Richmond Jennings

Ann Richmond Jennings died peacefully in her home with her husband, Croft, of 61 years beside her after a long battle with dementia on November 30, 2023. She is in a much better place, released from her failing mind and body, free to speak, laugh and smile again.

Ann grew up in New Canaan, CT, went to The Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, New York and graduated Cum Laude from Smith College in Northampton, MA, where she majored in Art History. It was there she met her husband-to-be while he attended Trinity College in Hartford, CT. Croft and Ann married in 1962 and eventually moved south to Columbia, SC to start and raise a family. She became a member of Trinity Cathedral in 1964 and remained a lifelong member. Not one to be idle, Ann quickly got involved in the Columbia community. Many Saturday mornings, she appeared as the “Animal Lady” on the Mr. Knozit show, bringing puppies or kittens from Columbia’s SPCA to be adopted. She followed her heart as an environmentalist, working with others to preserve the Congaree Swamp and assisting in its designation by Congress as the Congaree National Park. She loved the arts and was a talented artist herself, as her home is filled with her paintings, and those of her husband. Ann and Croft helped found Workshop Theater, to which she was devoted in many ways, performing in several productions, serving on the board and raising money to support local arts and theater. She worked for many years at Chernoff Silver in the advertising business, and later moved on to become the Executive Director of the Congaree Land Trust. She retired from the Land Trust in 2005 as her disease became more observable in her work and play. Throughout her life, she held family, friendship, and the community in the highest regard, seeking to make everyone she knew and everything she touched better because she was there.

She is survived by her husband William Croft Jennings, Jr., her children and their spouses Tom and Carter Jennings of Lynchburg, VA, Courtney Jennings and Ken Badois of North Topsail Beach, NC, Gwendolyn and Bobby Chestnut, of Dallas, TX. She is survived by 8 grandchildren Alex (and her husband Nick) Sayer, Thacher (and his wife Sophie) Jennings, Sims Jennings, Bailey Jennings, Ansley Bryan, William Bryan, Croft Chestnut, and Will Chestnut. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren Jennings and Wills Sayer and Andie Jennings. Ann is survived by her 4 sisters, and their spouses; Kate and Art Trotman of Key Biscayne, FL; Carol and Peter Orgain of South Strafford, VT; Janet Richmond of N. Hollywood, CA; and Sarah and Gordon Gray of Pittsfield, VT. Through her siblings, she was an aunt to 8 nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her father, Thomas Thacher Richmond, and her mother, Eleanor Angle Richmond of Lake Wales, FL.

A funeral service is planned for December 20, 2023 at Trinity Cathedral at 11:00 am; reception in Satterlee Hall to follow the service.

Her family would like her to be remembered for the loving wife, mother, amazing grandmother, environmental steward and community servant she was. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you consider donations to Trinity Episcopal Church (https://trinitysc.org/) or the Congaree Land Trust (https://congareelt.org/) in her memory.