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We go back a long way with
Ann Keppel. We first met Ann in the late 1950's in Madison,
WI, when we were graduate students, along with Ralph
Stueber, Chuck Burgess & Clarence Karier. We have stayed in touch
& visited back & forth over the years, she with us
in Seattle on many occasions, we with her in Honolulu less
often, the most recent time in February, 2001. We phoned
& e-mailed to stay in touch. Ann was always a special
person & friend, from the time we shared wine &
laughs with her, while sitting on the floor of her apartment
in Madison, to her visit with us, as an honorary Tostberg,
at our family reunion at Long Beach, WA in August of 2001.
She was also a favorite of our sons, Mark & Paul, who
met her as teenagers & were impressed - & maybe
influenced - by her free & open way of dealing with
life. One of our warmest, vivid
memories is of Ann calling, without warning, from
Seattle-Tacoma airport, saying, "I'm in town. May I stay
with you for a few days?" Of course she could. It was
understood that whenever she was in Seattle, she was welcome
stay with us, & she often did. A couple of hugs, a warm
"Welcome, Annie," & she would settle in. Then to the
deck, where she would sit, or sometimes lie in the hammock,
overlooking beautiful Lake Washington. She had, of course,
brought "a few books," which she read, undisturbed, until it
was time for a drink before dinner. There we heard the
thoughts of her current favorite authors, enlivened by a few
of her own. We werenít often able to persuade her
that she didnít have it quite right, but no matter.
We learned about her & from her, in that way & in
many other ways. We learned early on that she
was passionate in her beliefs, committed to her causes &
very caring in her friendships. She was also a lot of
fun. Ann was a dear friend, &
weíll truly miss her. Bob & Sallie
Tostberg
Seattle,
WA
One of our warmest, vivid
memories is of Ann calling, without warning, from
Seattle-Tacoma airport, saying, "I'm in town. May I stay
with you for a few days?" Of course she
could.
retos@att.net