Eggleston, Anne Marie

Mother, wife and administrative doyenne, Anne Marie Eggleston passed away on Monday, June 7 at East Kootenay Regional Hospital in Cranbrook, B.C. She was four weeks shy of her 92nd birthday.

Anne was predeceased by her husband, James, in 2008 and her daughter Moira in 1987. She is survived by her children, Warren, Nita, Lisa (Mike) and David (Noreen). And her grandchildren, Michelle (Cody) and James (Natasha) and one great granddaughter, Brynn.

Her life had humble beginnings in southern Ontario. Born in Windsor she was the last surviving member of her family of eight brothers and sisters. Part of her early life involved stays at a local orphanage as the family struggled during the Depression and required additional support. Anne and her sisters, Kit, Joyce and Sheila, were an inseparable quartet at the home, protecting and championing each other. That close and loving bond remained throughout their lives.

How different things might have been had there been no Elizabeth Taylor. Yes, in the early 1940s, there was a casting call for the lead role of a 12-year-old horse-crazy girl named Velvet, for a movie that came to be called National Velvet. Anne was among those who tried out for the role when talent agents came to Ottawa, but the role eventually went to the aforementioned Taylor. Anne carried on with her education, finishing high school at 16.

In the early 1950s, as an airwoman and teletype operator, she met a handsome and charming airman named James Alwyn Eggleston. The two married in Edmonton in 1953 and enjoyed the peripatetic military life. They moved their growing brood from Clinton, Ont., to Longueuil, Que., to Goose Bay, Labrador, to Ottawa, Ont., to Colorado Springs, Colo., and finally to North Bay, Ont.

Anne always made her children feel that their home — regardless of where they were in the world — was with one another. While in transit to each new address, Anne made sure the journey, whether it was by train or crowded car, was an adventure. Her confidence and adaptable nature made her children feel secure and excited about the adventure ahead.

After her husband retired from the military there was one more move for the family to Nelson, B.C., in 1972. Anne and James quickly settled into life in the bucolic West Kootenays. This was where Anne relaunched her own working life as an administrative assistant for local government and local members of the bar. She took pleasure in meticulously filing land title documents and legal briefs. 

Her social circle expanded and she developed friendships that endured — even after she and James moved to Vancouver Island in 1992 where new friendships were also formed. It was during this time, she was able to take a “bucket list” trip to Europe with a close friend.

After James’ passing, Anne moved to be near her daughter, Lisa, in Cranbrook. Here she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, of whom she was very proud. She settled into a quiet life of reading, playing Scrabble and listening to Norah Jones on repeat. Anne loved going on adventures with Lisa to local markets, was always up for a lively chat with her daughter Nita and welcomed her sons’ annual summer visits. 

During her last years, Anne’s dementia diminished but didn’t extinguish her spirit. She remained the same affable, adaptable woman who had always coped with change with grace and curiosity.  

The family would like to thank the staff of Joseph Creek Village for their kind and thoughtful support during the nine years that it was Anne’s home. Anne was cremated, as were her wishes, and a small family gathering was held to commemorate her full life. Donations in her memory may be made to the Children of Hope (childrenofhope.ca), which raises funds for orphans and destitute children.