Ann Fisher Haffey

On Wednesday, September 2, 2020, Ann Fisher Haffey, age 99, died of natural causes peacefully in her home. Ann was born in San Diego, Calif., on October 26, 1920, the daughter of J. William (Bill) Fisher and Alice Day Fisher. Ann graduated from San Diego High School and Scripps College (1942). After graduation, she was employed in defense work at the Navy Electronics Lab. She was a member of the Zlac Rowing Club (her father was a rowing judge at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles). She did volunteer work for the Navy Aid and the Junior League of San Diego and drove for the Red Cross Motor Corps during WWII.

At a sponsored dance for military officers, Ann met John J. Haffey Jr., then a Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy. They were married in 1948 and began their happy life together in Hawaii, on the East Coast and on the West Coast, while welcoming their six children. While in Hawaii, she became active once again in the Girl Scouts. (Ann was a Golden Eaglet Scout in her youth, inspired by her mother who started the first Girl Scout Council west of the Mississippi in 1918.) Ann accompanied her husband as much as possible on all of his assignments, doing volunteer work and taking care of their growing family. In 1965, they settled in Arlington, Va., where she became involved with the Girl Scouts, church and school. Ann, a natural leader, was not afraid of new challenges and quickly rose to the top of most organizations she joined. She was St. Agnes Women’s Council President, Room Mother, May Fair Chairman, the organizer and first Chairman of the Young at Heart group, and a member of the wedding committee. She was an active member of the church Flower Committee and Arts & Crafts Group until just a few years ago.

Capt. Haffey passed away in 1986, a sad year for Ann. Grief stricken, she immersed herself in her volunteer work and in time resumed her golf and bridge playing. She was a Champion and former Chairman of the Women’s Nine Hole Golf Organization at Army Navy Country Club and was still an active member of that group until her 90s. In honor of her husband, she established the John J. Haffey Memorial Golf Tournament at Army Navy County Club in 1991 which still continues to this day.

She also became active in the DAR, which she joined in 1944, having followed in her mother’s footsteps. Ann is a former Regent and Treasurer of the Ruth Brewster Chapter of the DCDAR and a former Treasurer of the DCDAR State Officers Club. She belonged to the Crystal Spring Study Club, of which she is a Past President. Various bridge groups claimed her as a member as well. She continued her bridge playing up to her last days, even conducting bridge lessons.

Ann was very creative and resourceful: she could fix anything from clocks and lamps to car fuel-pumps; and she never threw a party without designing a clever theme to accompany it. Ann, a master at solving puzzles, relished a challenging Sudoku game or crossword puzzle and was an avid reader of murder mystery books. She also embraced technology and learned to text, email, shop and play games on her cell phone and computer – even when she was 99 years old. This past year she enjoyed an ongoing exchange of email correspondence with the St. Agnes School fourth-grade class. Ann, a loyal Redskins fan, created the Half Fee Football pool in 1991, and only gave up the reins to her 55-participant pool a month before she died.

In addition to her husband, Capt. John J. Haffey, USN (Ret.), Ann is also predeceased by two sisters, Marion (Min) Grant and Felice (Fay) Dalton, granddaughter Meghan Keedy Rothwell and son-in-law Dave Baldwin. She is survived by beloved children – Pat Baldwin, Peggy Keedy (Charlie), John J. Haffey III (Lindy), Kathleen Bova (Chris), Mary Rippert and Harriot Johnston (Jeff); 17 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.