Ann Isabel Thompson Reamer’s story began on May 27, 1925, as the youngest child to Earle and Eula Thompson joining two-year-old sister, Earlene. Ann was born in St. Cloud, MN. She spent her childhood playing along the Mississippi River. Ann shared stories of helping her father bottle root beer and him warning the girls to not cross the river in the winter on their way to school.
As a young girl Ann loved her dolls taking meticulous care of them and their clothes. The doll clothes were found in pristine condition after she left home. In the Depression years, she told of having one shirt, sweater, and two skirts to wear to school. During her graduation ceremony from high school, she reminisced of the chairs in the front row left for the boys serving in WWII.
While attending church camp, she met Francis (Fran) Reamer, a boy five years older. In 1944 wearing a crown of petite white flowers and pearls, she married Fran. They soon moved to Evanston, IL, followed by Missoula, MT and Cheney, WA finally rooting the family in Spokane, WA.
Ann always said she wanted four boys; this came to fruition with the births of James, John, Paul, and David. Ann was a devoted mom happily attending her sons’ games, events, and activities. She gave this same attention to her grandchildren as they played sports, concerts, and parades.
As a mom, Ann kept her family connected to her extended family with retreats at Flathead Lake in the 1950s and later Pinecrest Cabin at Twinlow United Methodist Church Camp on Lower Twin Lakes, ID with her sons and their families. One could always count on her famous banana bread, potato salad, green jello salad, and “Ann’s stew”, or fruit salad, for any family gathering.
Ann’s love only grew as she and Fran added seven grandchildren to their family. John Paul, Billy, Bobby, Michael, Megan, Bryan, and Lauren could count on Grandma’s unconditional love. Together they shared her enthusiasm for games spending hours playing dominoes, Bingo, Crazy 8’s, and Old Maid.
From an early age, Ann had an affinity for playing cards. Ann and Fran played bridge with their sons and later pinochle with their sons’ wives and grandchildren. She loved cribbage and canasta as well, but bridge was a favorite. Ann and Fran were members of a 40-year bridge club with three other couples that awarded the coveted Snoopy trophy each month.
Ann was honored for her 40 year service as a volunteer at Deaconess Medical Center.
She was devout member of the United Methodist Church. For decades Ann sang in the church choir at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church while Fran played the piano and organ. She was an established member of PEO, a United Methodist women’s organization with a primary focus on providing educational opportunities for female students worldwide. Her faith brought her along with Fran and son, John, to manage Twinlow United Methodist Church Camp in 1972-73.
All who knew Ann will remember her warmth, kindness, benevolence, charity, commitment to family, and the “twinkle in her eye”.
Ann is survived by her four sons along with their spouses: Jim (Mary Kay), John (Mary), Paul (Robyn), and David (LouAnn); seven grandchildren: John Paul (Andrea), Billy (Melissa), Bob (Vanessa), Michael (Beth), Megan (Michael), Bryan, and Lauren; great-grandchildren: Arianna, Chloe, William, Jack, Landon, Mackenzie, and Gifford as well as a numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Francis, parents, Earle and Eula Thompson, and sister, Earlene Wetzel.
Memorial services will be at 2:00PM on Friday, September 14, 2018 at Hazen and Jaeger Funeral Home at 1306 N. Monroe Street with reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Twinlow Camp & Retreat Center, 22787 N. Twinlow Road, Rathdrum, ID 83858.
