Ann Kathryn (Doll) Vandermillen 1935-2009

DOLL, VANDERMILLEN, COONEY, BERARDI, OCONNELL

Posted By: J. N. (email)
Date: 3/22/2009 at 21:32:33

Telegraph Herald
Dubuque, IA
Saturday, March 21, 2009

Ann Kathryn (Doll) Vandermillen

EAST DUBUQUE, Ill. -- Ann Kathryn (Doll) Vandermillen, 73, of East Dubuque, formerly of Dubuque, died Thursday, March 19, 2009, at home, following emergency surgery at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, after a fall at her home on Feb. 28, 2009.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, March 23, at St. Raphael's Cathedral, where friends may call after 9 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Key West, Iowa. The Siegert-Casper Colonial Funeral Home, 390 N. Grandview Ave., is in charge of arrangements.

She was born in Dubuque, on June 18, 1935, a birthday she shared with her husband, Ed. After graduating with the highest grade point average in her class from St. Columbkille's High School in 1953, she enrolled at Clarke College. In 1957, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in foods and nutrition from Clarke.

She worked as a home economist at Northern States Power in St. Paul while Ed was completing his degree at the University of Minnesota College of Forestry. They were married on Dec. 27, 1958.

In December 2008, Ann and Ed celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends, including Diana and Barry Carris and Bea and John Roblee, at Longfellow's Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Mass., during a monthlong stay on Cape Cod.

As they moved throughout the country with Ed's U.S. Forest Service career assignments, Ann, while primarily a "stay-at-home-mother," held a variety of jobs. Included among these were teaching high school in Oregon and New York, a position with the State Extension Home Service and as a Pike County probation officer when their home was in Milford, Pa.

She was a full partner with Ed in planning and designing a number of homes they built or remodeled. Ann was able to use her gifts and energy to make every new house and neighborhood a real home for her family and to make sure the children had the best possible education. Her computer skills and organizational sense have been invaluable to Ed's lifelong love, collection and appreciation of rare, sought-after and unique books.

With their children in a number of school settings over those years, she was a willing volunteer in both school and community activities. Volunteering continued into their retired lives in the Dubuque area. Her efforts were important to the Cancer Society's Discovery Shop and the Carnegie-Stout Public Library. An active participant in the LAFF (Life After 55) exercise program at Loras College, she enjoyed coordinating the publication of the group's newsletter. She was a member of the P.E.O., Chapter HL and served on the board of directors of Mount Pleasant Home.

Travel, both abroad and in the United States, has been a special interest in their retirement. Ann enjoyed frequent trips to the East and West Coasts to visit family and friends and to participate in their grandchildren's activities. She loved family vacations on Cape Cod and visits to Tanglewood, in the Berkshires, to listen to the Boston Symphony Orchestra and picnic on the lawn. After every trip, no matter where Ann had been, she was delighted to return home, where she loved to sit on her deck and watch the birds and read.

Surviving are her husband of 50 years, Edmund; children, Julie Ann (Robert) Cooney, of Danville, Calif., Kathryn Jean (Michael) Berardi, of Coatesville, Pa., Michael John (Heather) Vandermillen, of Groton, Mass., and James Patrick (Debby) Vandermillen, of Providence, R.I.; grandchildren, Erin and Jack Cooney, Christopher Berardi, Celeste, Henry (Heather and Michael), Thomas, Catherine, Joseph and Laura (Debby and James) Vandermillen; a sister, Jeanne Marie (Doll) O'Connell; a sister-in-law, Patricia (Mrs. Robert) Doll; and a number of cousins, nieces, nephews and many friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Rose and Joseph Doll; and brothers, William and Robert Doll.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Ann Vandermillen Memorial Fund, which will be shared with Ann's favorite charities.

Online condolences may be sent at obits@egelhofsiegertcasper.com.