ANN EDWARDS Obituary

EDWARDS ANN MARIE 63, died May 18th, 2012 with her family by her side in Commerce, Michigan. She was born on October 5th, 1948 to Andrew and Elizabeth Elmore. Ann will be remembered for her tireless devotion to helping others. Through teaching and eventually as Director of Alternative Education for Harbor High School in Highland, MI, she saw potential and cultivated learning in students that others did not. She left a legacy of changing the trajectory of countless lives for the better. She loved all things living, and spent countless hours planning and developing her garden, one of her most prized accomplishments. Over several years she created an outside living space where she found solace and could be closer to the energy of the world around her. She considered herself to be an Earth mother, in tune with the living force of the planet. Through her two year battle with advanced stage breast cancer, she showed courage and determination that inspired and moved those around her. She never defined herself by the disease, and considered cancer to be something she would defeat so she could continue to live the rest of her life. Those closest to Ann will remember an infectious laugh, a love for all things creative and beautiful in their own right, and a sense of whimsy which she wove through her life that brought a sense of joy to all who crossed her path. She is survived by her husband, Gary Edwards; daughter, Lindsay Edwards; son, Michael Edwards; daughter-in-law, Stephanie Edwards; brother, Larry Elmore; brother, Kenneth Elmore; brother, Charles Elmore; two grandchildren, Anna and Andrew; and ten nieces and nephews.