Ann Lange Gerstenberger, age 83, passed away in Yakima on June 4, 2023. She was born in Anchorage, Alaska, on April 10, 1940. Her parents were Alaskan pioneers of World War II era who homesteaded and developed the area of East Anchorage known as Mountain View. During grade school through college years Ann attended schools in Seattle. However she maintained a life-long Alaska connection, a happy legacy of school holidays and summer vacations spent in the land of the Midnight Sun.
Ann graduated from Seattle University in 1962, and in June 1962, married J. Brian Cullerton. She and her husband established residence in Seattle on Capitol Hill, and became parents of four children. Ann elected to make being a fulltime mother her career. She also devoted many hours to volunteer work in her children’s schools and her parish church. In 1976, the family relocated to Yakima, a move that opened up an easy, relaxed lifestyle not available in the inner city of Seattle. For the rest of her life, Ann remained a vocal fan of life east of the Cascades, the Yakima Valley in particular.
In 1984, after a time as a single parent, Ann married Clayton Gerstenberger, a retired Army officer. She joined her husband in his retirement duplicate bridge business. She became an ACBL certified bridge teacher and director. Together she and Clay built a bridge center in Yakima, and Ann assisted her husband teaching bridge classes and directing duplicate bridge games. In addition to their Bridge Center activities, she and Clay enjoyed attending duplicate bridge tournaments in the western United States and British Columbia. They also served as occasional bridge directors for cruise lines which afforded them many working vacations to exotic locales. In addition to their cruising experiences, retirement years brought other opportunities for travel in North America and Western Europe. As well as some warm Arizona sno-bird winters. At home, Ann was an active parishioner of Holy Family Church. Her most cherished Church activities for many years included serving as a religious education teacher, and heading up a Church Funeral Luncheon Committee. She and her husband also served as facilitators in the Parish’s outreach efforts with Yakima’s Extreme Winter Weather program for the homeless.
Ann was preceded in death by her parents, Norman and Ann (Roe) Lange, and her oldest son, Bruce Cullerton, who passed away in 2010, and her husband, Clay, who passed away in November 2014.
She is survived by her daughters, Maureen Cullerton Brogoitti (Butch) of Kahlotus, Washington; Kerry Cullerton Bass (Mike) of Pasco, Washington; her son, Tony Cullerton (Dawn) of Federal Way, Washington; stepdaughter, Judy Gerstenberger of Yakima, Washington; stepson, David Gerstenberger (Tina) of Yakima, Washington; grandchildren Anthony Cullerton of Seattle, Washington, Brittney Clark Hill (Adam) of Yakima, Washington, Taylor Clark of Pasco, Washington; Matt, Max and Jacqui Gerstenberger of Yakima, Washington, and great-grandchildren, Harrison, Hazel and Hughes Hill of Yakima, Washington.
A private family service will be held at a later date. Keith and Keith Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.
You are invited to share a memory of Ann by visiting www.keithandkeith.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Christ The Teacher Catholic School (CTCS) Angel Scholarship Program by going to https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z865/campaign/C-137M0 or in person at Holy Family Church or CTCS.
