Anna Gagnon

Anna Maria Gagnon was an incredible woman. With her infectious personality and love for life, she not only made everyone around her feel comfortable, she made them feel great. With her optimistic personality, Anna Maria never held a grudge and her cup was always half full.

1947 was the beginning of an extraordinary era. As treaties were signed in Italy, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Finland , the world ushered in a time of peace. During this exciting era, incredible advances in science and technology led to the invention of the microwave oven, carbon dating, and the transistor radio! Although there was much reason to celebrate during 1947, for two young Italian immigrants, Orlando and Flavia, the greatest news of the year was the March 10th birth of their daughter Anna Maria.

From an early age Anna was a remarkable person. Born to Italian immigrants, she learned to speak Italian along with English and by the time she was three years old she was fluent in both languages. Anna's comfort with her parent's native language put her relatives at ease because many of them came straight over from Italy . Being able to communicate with her family was very important to Anna; she loved her family dearly and always looked up her older brother who cared for her with all of his heart. Though Anna was very proud of her family and their Italian heritage, being different from the kids at school wasn't always easy. Anna Maria recalled feeling strange because all the other little kids were carrying lunches packed with sandwiches made on Wonder bread, while her sandwiches were made with homemade Italian bread. Though she thought it was odd at the time, when she looked back on her childhood she figured out that she was the lucky one! A bright young woman, Anna Maria was always a great student. After finishing elementary school, she continued her educational career at Denby High School . At a time when many young women were leaving school after the eighth grade, Anna Maria graduated high school and attended Wayne State University were she not only received her Bachelors degree, but also a Masters degree in art history.

Early in her professional career, Anna went to work for Ford Motor Land Development, where she first met her future husband and sole mate, Ronald Gagnon. Ultimately the couple fell in love and on May 18, 1985 they were married at St. Bede Catholic Church. Though this was Anna Maria's first marriage, she immediately took to Ronald's three children: Tracy, Kevin, and Genifer. The children were impressed with her classy clothes and impeccible fashion sense. Kevin who had the joy of living with her for a short while said that he was constantly amazed. Not only was Anna Maria smart and beautiful, she was also an incredible cook and housekeeper. Ronald and Anna Maria were a great couple because they were best friends. Anna Maria and Ronald rarely disagreed, but when they did they were able to reach an agreement, because they truly respected each others views. Anna Maria was a compassionate and loving woman who enjoyed helping others. Not only was she active in the St. Fabian church for the past 19 years, together she and Ronald supported the Detroit Opera House, Detroit Symphony, the Founders society of the Detroit Institute of Art. Anna always felt that one of her greatest joys was her work with Detroit Public television. Not only did her work with these organizations bring her a great sense of fulfillment, they also allowed her to touch many wonderful people. When the Detroit Opera House had its opening, Anna met Luciano Pavarotti, who was thrilled to meet someone who spoke such perfect Italian. One of the most beautiful pictures ever taken of Anna Maria was this moment she and Pavarotti shared together. Anna Maria loved all forms of art including music and literature, and Ronald fueled her passion. It was often said that visiting a museum with the two of them was like having your own private tour guide! Anna Maria studied abroad in Florence, Italy while at Wayne State and thus gained major insight into the arts. Therefore, she could not only tell you the name of any painting, but also tell you who painted it and why.

Because of her time in Italy and her rich heritage, Anna Maria took every opportunity she could to go back. Together, she and Ronald took over a dozen trips back to Italy where they enjoyed visiting Florence and her mother's hometown. In spite of her declining condition, last summer they took their final trip to Italy and they enjoyed going to the village, mountains, drinking from a spring and meeting up with Kevin and his wife. Besides going to Italy, the couple also often visited Europe and the Caribbean . The couple bought a timeshare in Aruba , which became one of her favorite places to vacation. Though they liked to travel, Ronald and Anna Maria did not have to go far to have a good time. The couple had a favorite bed and breakfast in Saugatuck, Michigan where they stayed twice a year for the past eleven years. Anna Maria loved the "artsy' nature of Saugatuck and Ronald enjoyed the opportunity to golf. Even though Anna Maria never quite mastered the game, she wanted to support Ronald so she would dress up and go out on the course just to spend time with him. One of the reasons Anna Maria loved to vacation was because it gave her the opportunity to relax and do the things she enjoyed. An avid reader, she had novels and subscriptions to many magazines. Anna Maria thirsted for knowledge and reading helped her to stay abreast of the world around her. Perhaps that was why her family said she should have been a contestant on Jeopardy! Whenever they watched, Anna seemed to answer every question correctly.

When describing Anna Maria, Kevin once said "thing did not happen to her, she happened to them". Anna Maria continued to lead her life this way to the very end. When she was diagnosed with Cancer about five years ago, she never complained and refused to let her sickness dampen her indelible spirit. Instead, she continued to be a health nut, always eating the right food and exercising. Even when her cancer progressed to the 4th stage and she was told that only 2% live longer than two years, she remained optimistic. Despite her illness, Anna Maria maintained her intoxicating personality. Because of her natural charm, it was always said that she was the person in a room that you remembered, but she was more than just a great first impression. Anna Maria was a truly incredible person. Her keen intuition helped her to make people feel comfortable in any situation, and because she was so honest and kind, people were always pleased to cross her path.

After an extraordinary life, Anna Maria Gagnon passed away July 12, 2005. She was the beloved wife of Ronald, the loving stepmother of Tracy (Andrew) Stowell, Kevin (Jennifer), and Genifer (Steve) Tower; and the proud grandmother of Alexandra, Jessica, Paige, Zachary, Sayre, Jordan , Tanner, Alecia, and Olivia. To read Anna Maria's full life story, share a memory, or in lieu of flowers make a contribution to the Anna Maira Gagnon fund at Detroit Public Television, attention Kerry Burke, 7441 Second Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202, please visit her personal webpage at www.lifestorynet.com.