Annemarie Powell passed away at the Kingston General Hospital on Saturday, February 25th, 2017. Age 72 years.

Loving mother of Ondine Brandon and her husband Rodney; Alexander Thompson and his wife Catherine; and Michael Thompson. Grandmother of Emiline Willson, Nicholas Brandon, and William Thompson. Great grandmother of Gavin Willson. Beloved wife of the late Michael Cook. Dear sister of Sally and her husband Jim Adams; and the late Dick and his wife Glenna Powell. Fondly remembered by Stephen Thompson, other relatives, and friends.

Annemarie Powell was born on September 26, 1944, to mother Cecil and father Colenso, the town magistrate. The youngest of three children, she grew up in Parry Sound, Ontario, swimming at the town beach with her sister Sally and following her older brother Richard (Dick) on his youthful exploits. Young Annemarie (known to her friends as Annie) was a bright scholar, loved sports and being outdoors.

The first of Annemarie’s three children, Ondine, was born in May 1962. Ondine would be followed two years later by Michael. These early years were marked by the tragic death of Ondine and Michael’s father. Eventually, a second marriage, including the adoption of Ondine and Michael, would bring her youngest child, Alex. Life would take Annemarie and her young family away from Parry Sound, through Toronto where she graduated from York University, eventually ending up in Peterborough where she would stay until her retirement as a public health laboratory technologist in 2010.

Although a private person, she was also adventurous. In 1978, Annemarie and her then husband, Stephen Thompson, were among the first western visitors to the People’s Republic of China while on a tour of Chinese medical facilities. She later travelled to South America and Europe, and vacationed in the Caribbean. On summer long weekends, she could often be found camping alone in the woods of Killbear Provincial Park with nothing but a tent, cook stove and a trusted canine companion.

Animals were always important in her life. At various times, Annemarie’s house was home to stray and unwanted dogs and cats, including the cat that a young Ondine would swear just followed her home one day. Eventually, this love for animals and the outdoors led the family to move to a farm on the outskirts of Peterborough where they had a herd of milking goats, kept horses, and raised chickens and turkeys.

Annemarie was creative, loved arts and crafts and found comfort in music. As a home cook to a growing family, she never cut corners. There was always fresh baked bread, hand-made pasta and pies, and all manner of goods from the health food store. She was a proficient knitter and over time she learned to quilt, creating beautiful quilts and covers that adorned the beds of family and friends. In quieter times, she could be found playing classical music on the piano or belting out her favourite Anne Murray tune.

As a young, ‘hip’ grandmother to Emiline and her brother Nicholas, Annemarie would invite the kids and their friends to her house for pool parties and would lend out her cottage anytime Nick and his friends wanted a fishing trip. By the time William arrived in 2005, Annemarie was a veteran grandparent and she relished playing the role to its fullest. She was elated with the birth of her great-grandson, Gavin, on March 8, 2016.

When Annemarie retired, she moved back to the town where her life had begun, Parry Sound. There with her beloved retriever, Sunny, she could reminisce about her parents and her older brother Dick, all since departed, reconnect with childhood friends, and watch the beautiful Georgian Bay sunsets she had so often recounted to her children. Family would gather at her house on the Seguin River to celebrate holidays, share in good food and wine, and relax on her deck with good conversation and laughs. If she had regrets, it was that these family moments were too few and too far apart given the distances that separated her from her children and grandchildren.

In her retirement, as in her working life, she continued to give of herself to friends, family and her community. She volunteered as a Big Sister to a young girl seeking friendship and support; she sang with her Church choir and occasionally played the organ during services; she contributed to numerous charities and causes. And she was always there for her grandchildren. It was her deeply held values of integrity, compassion, and charity that she passed to her children and grandchildren through these quiet deeds.

In the end, when confronted with a sudden diagnosis of Leukemia, Annemarie faced her situation as she faced all of life’s challenges – with determination, grace, and dignity. Incredibly, Annemarie and Sunny would pass away within days of each other. It was, perhaps, a sign that they were both ready for their next adventure walking together on the North Shore, playing in the waters of their favourite swimming hole, and watching the sunset from the rocks of the Bay.

Friends will be received at the Logan Funeral Home, 81 James Street, Parry Sound (705-746-5855), on Saturday, March 4th from 2:00 – 4:00 & 7:00 – 9:00 P.M.,

Funeral Service in the Logan Memorial Chapel on Sunday, March 5th at 1:00 P.M. Reception to follow.

Interment Hillcrest Cemetery in the spring.

As expressions of sympathy, donations to Operation Smile, or the charity of your choice would be appreciated.