Anne Patricia (VanValkenburg) Fletcher went home to be with the Lord on Aug. 3, 2020. She was born on Jan. 20, 1935, in New York City, N.Y., the third child of George B. and Catherine Ryan VanValkenburg. She grew up in Larchmont, N.Y., where she made wonderful memories of summers at the Larchmont Yacht club swimming, sailing and diving. She attended grade school at St. Augustines and graduated from Mamaroneck High School. After graduating from MHS she went on to pursue a degree in the medical field at the University of Toronto. It was there that she met and eventually married Thomas Fletcher. They finally settled in Skaneateles, where together they raised six children.
Anne loved antiquing, traveling and the beach. She also loved the Lord and was very active serving Him at her church, St Mary’s of the Lake in Skaneateles. As early as the age of three, Anne could play the piano by ear. She never studied music but was a gifted pianist and composer. In 1986, Anne returned to the University of Toronto to finish her studies. She was focused on medical research and wrote a paper on the P53 gene being the key to a cure for cancer. She graduated in 1987 with her bachelor’s degree in biomedical ethics. She spent the next years working in the field of geriatrics providing personal care and also advocacy for the aged as an ombudsman until retiring and moving to Florida in 2016. There she loved spending time on Longboat Key at the Little Gull resort watching the birds and wildlife and relaxing at the beach. She also enjoyed sipping coffee and making friends at the Thousand Hills coffee shop. If you knew Anne, you knew that she had no shortage of conversation, made friends wherever she went, loved people and helping others, would give you the shirt off her back, loved her family and she loved God.
Anne was predeceased by her parents, George and Catherine VanValkenburg; her sisters, Mary and Arlene and her brothers, George and John. Anne was mother to and is survived by six children, Thomas Fletcher, Susan (Todd) MacDonald, Lisa (Jeff) Elkins, William (Heather) Fletcher, Brian Fletcher, and Amy (Keith) Remillard; Lovey or Szah to ten grandchildren, Jonathan, Gillian, Ryan, Zachary, Amanda, Emily, Matthew, Michael, Camille, and Lorelei and G.G. to four great grandchildren, Kaleigh, Ewen, Jayden, and Isabela . She is also survived by her sister, Joan Platz; her ex-husband, Thomas Fletcher; several nieces and nephews and her beloved kitty, Honey. Anne’s greatest desire was to be involved in medical research. Her wish was realized as she asked to have her body donated to science. There will be no services. Her family will have a memorial service and lay her to rest with her family next summer.
In lieu of cards and flowers, donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Research or Heifer International. Obituary has been submitted by Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel. Condolences may be made to brownandsonsfuneral.com.
