Ann Lillian Cartwright, beloved wife of Dr. Kenneth Cartwright, passed away (for reasons not related to COVID-19) on Monday, April 20th at the age of 81.
She was born in Liverpool, England on May 24th, 1938. Her parents were Lillian (Feast) and John Leslie Taylor of Liverpool.
In addition to her husband and her golden retriever Jemmy, she is survived by seven children - son Mark Cartwright and wife Karen Eldridge of West Newton, Massachusetts; daughter Helen Evans and husband Thomas Evans of Ithaca, New York; son Timothy Cartwright and wife Melissa Cartwright (Mendoza) of Apex, North Carolina; daughter Sarah Cartwright of Montreal, Quebec, Canada; son Jonathan Cartwright and wife Valerie Cartwright (Upchurch) of Walden, New York; son David Cartwright and wife Alyssa Cartwright (Mericle) of Lindenwold, New Jersey; and son Andrew Cartwright and wife Ashlee Cartwright (Keough) of Pine Island, New York. She leaves behind thirteen grandchildren whom she absolutely adored - David, Jack, Christopher, Aidan, Nicolette, Trevor, Gavin, Nalin, Kian, Sathya, Desmond, Colbie, and Rhys. Ann will be missed by her sister, Margaret C. Taylor of Gabriola, British Columbia, Canada. She is also survived by sisters-in-law Judith Cartwright and Katherine Jones of Wales, and many nieces and nephews in England.
She was predeceased by sisters-in-law Beryl West and Eileen Norman, and brothers-in-law Peter Jones and Bill Norman.
Ann went to Aigburth Vale High School for Girls and excelled at field hockey, tennis, and net ball. She had a love for adventure and chose to backpack around Europe before attending college. She studied to become a teacher and worked in her early days in a tough neighborhood near the docks in Liverpool. Ann also moonlighted as a coat check girl in a local hangout called the Cavern Club, where a little known band called the Beatles were discovered. While working at Liverpool University Medical School, Ann met Ken. After dating for a few years they married in North Wales on December 30th, 1961 and lived in Shropshire, Southampton, and Nottingham before moving to Hudson, Quebec, Canada in 1974 with their first five children. They had two more children while living in Hudson and in 1982, Ann and Ken moved their family to Blooming Grove, New York. Their last move brought them to Milford, Pennsylvania.
Ann, also known as “Queen Mum,” “Mum,” and especially “Gran,” was one of the original hockey/soccer moms. She was a dedicated parent who attended countless different sporting events, along with the occasional music recital or robotics competition, for all of her children and grandchildren. When not taking care of or taking pride in her family, Ann spent her time being a Connemara horse breeder and golden retriever breeder. She was also a ferocious tennis player, playing well into her late 70s. Ann and her tennis team placed in the Seniors National Tennis Championship in Arizona when she was in her early 70s. Ann loved spending time with her tennis ladies, her English ladies, her book group, and her eagle group. She was an avid reader, a crossword enthusiast, and a lover of games, be they on a board or with a deck of cards. She enjoyed watching professional sports (Go Liverpool!) and British television shows. She was a talented baker, a kitchen magician, an amazing knitter, a skilled seamstress, and a lover of birds and gardens.
The Cartwright Family would like to extend a special thanks to Stephanie, Nancy, Lisa, Joe, and Ann for taking such good care of Mum.
Arrangements are under the care of Millspaugh Funeral Home in Walden. Due to the current health crisis, a service will be held at a later date when all of Ann’s family and friends can come together to celebrate her life. For online condolences, please go to www.millspaughfuneralhome.com.