Anne S. Carlson

Anne Carlson left this world quietly on June 27th, 2018, passing in her sleep, and leaving behind family and friends who loved and will miss her dearly. She is survived by her daughter, Jody McNannay, son-in-law Dennis McNannay, granddaughters Milaina and Arianna McNannay, beloved family members—Sharry, Wally and Dan Vincent and the entire Pearson clan, and the many friends she made during her 92 years in this world.

Anne lived a full and robust life...

youngest child of Yugoslav immigrants,

WWII era “Rosie the Riveter”,

Jitterbug queen,

Supportive wife,

Faithful friend,

Loving mother,

Caring mother-in-law,

Even more loving grandma,

Lead-footed Auntie,

Pool technician,

and Family Matriarch.

And throughout her life, Anne taught by example, leaving behind almost a century of lessons…here are a few:

Life is imperfect, so …

Do your best. Dance. Love unconditionally. Remain faithful—to yourself and those you love. Put family (including friends who become family) first! Drive fast. Spoil grandchildren. Give unconditionally. The minimum length for a vacation is two weeks (including three weekends). Sing. Do not give your gym teacher the bird, even if he’s a chauvinist. Learn how to make a screwdriver. Hawaiian Tropic (“0” SPF) is essential. Do any and everything you can to talk your way out of speeding tickets (crying is allowed). Don’t whine. Do wine. Do not enter a store that puts up Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. Smile when you seem someone you love. Own a convertible at some point in life. When entertaining, there is no such thing as too much food. Speed limits are a guideline; pedal to the medal is a rule when you drive a Firebird. Try hard, and then, sometimes, try harder. Always dill; never sweet. It’s ok to be stubborn if you’re Croatian. Never forget that my granddaughters are the smartest, most talented and prettiest. Learn how to fix a screwdriver. Always be a lady in word and deed; your thoughts, however, are all yours. Cookies and salads have the same number of calories; when forced to choose, always choose the cookie. Don’t mess with my grandchildren. Colds can be cured with Campbell’s Chicken and Stars soup. Croatians are hot-tempered… deal with it. Life is better when the sun is shining. Be forgiving…unless someone messes with my grandchildren; when that happens, remember there’s a special place in Hell for those people. Midnight curfews are necessary. Be tolerant. It’s not a vacation unless a plane ticket is involved. Make snowballs, the best cookies ever created… but only after Thanksgiving. “Call a spade a spade”. Peel your granddaughter’s grapes. Poodles are wonderful. Sons-in-law grow on you; give them time, serve them screwdrivers and keep the kids entertained, so Dad gets a break. Rain sucks. Remember that love comes in many forms. Christmas music is not allowed until Thanksgiving is over. Zinfandel tastes like shoe leather. Smile when someone you love visits. Continue to grow throughout your life. Never forget that dancing is allowed anywhere and anytime, especially if its samba.

Though those of us left behind wish we’d had a little more time, Anne taught us the importance of unconditional love. Now it’s our turn to wish her joy in her next adventure.