MIDDLEBURY — Anna Elizabeth (Cooke) Reynolds, age 96, passed away peacefully on Dec. 13, 2020, at EastView in Middlebury, Vt., surrounded by her loving family.
Anna was born Dec. 29, 1923, in Cornwall, Vt., the daughter of the late Patrick Joseph and Isabelle (Tulley) Cooke. She was raised in Bridport, Vt., and received her education at Middlebury High School, graduating valedictorian, and Becker College in Worcester, Mass.
In 1942 she married S. Seeley Reynolds Jr. of Middlebury, Vt. They started life together in Middlebury, where they operated the Reynolds family dairy business. In 1968 they moved to Lake Dunmore, Waterhouses, a seasonal property where they enjoyed the latter part of their life together. During that time Anna also partnered with Seeley as a state senator’s wife from Addison County.
Throughout her life, Anna was active in civic and community affairs, serving as Salisbury’s Assistant Town Clerk, and as a volunteer for numerous nonprofit organizations. However, her most cherished role always remained that of a loving matriarch to a large family. She is survived by seven children: John Reynolds of Brandon, Vt.; Joy and (Roch) MacIntyre of Middlebury, Vt.; James and (Nancy) Reynolds, Susan and (Peter) Mackey, and Priscilla and (Jack) Sheehan, all of Salisbury, Vt.; Janet Reynolds of Stowe, Vt.; and Pamela and (Dr. Alexander) Mamourian of Philadelphia, Pa. She was also blessed with 20 grandchildren scattered throughout the country and the Netherlands, as well as 26 great-grandchildren, all dearly loved. She was predeceased by her husband Seeley of 53 years in Sept. 1995 and their first-born daughter Katherine Anne in Dec. 1948.
A Mass of Christian burial will be privately celebrated for immediate family on Dec. 29, 2020, at St. Mary’s Church in Middlebury, Vt. Committal services will be held at Farmingdale Cemetery in Middlebury at a later date. Arrangements are under the direction of Sanderson-Ducharme Funeral Home.
The family would like to thank all of the capable and caring staff at EastView who touched Anna’s life there and made her last days comfortable. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Anna’s memory to Addison County Home Health and Hospice, P.O. Box 754, Middlebury, VT 05753.◊