October 22nd, 1938 – January 13th, 2017
Anne passed away peacefully in her home in Windermere on Friday, January 13th, 2017.
Anne Picton (nee Haselton) was born in London, England and lived there during the fearsome bombing of the blitz in WW II. When her father was demobilized from the RAF the family moved first to Hastings then to Hayle in Cornwall. She attended Goldsmiths’ College, London University gaining a B.A. in 1960 and a Dip. Ed. in 1961. She was very athletic, captaining the London University Netball team, and was a starter for the All-England Universities Netball team. She also became the first female Athletics Union President of her College.
After 4 years of successful teaching in a London Academic Grammar school, she emigrated to Canada to teach French in Northern Alberta. She met and married her future husband Ray in
Grouard in 1967 and they moved to Invermere to teach at David Thompson Secondary School.
In 1971 she resigned from her position (as one had to do then) to have twin sons, Owen & Evan, and be a stay at home Mum. In 1981 she resumed her teaching duties at DTSS and became head of the English Dept. in 1986. Anne and Ray taught in Perth, Australia in 1992 and in 1994 she accompanied Ray to Papua New Guinea but returned after 2 years being unable to find a teaching position being a white female.
She was committed to her family, and the community. She was very proud of her sons and forever grateful that they did nothing during their time at DTSS to embarrass her, and acknowledged their difficulties of being students in a school where both parents taught. Her service to the community was rewarded with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Commemorative Medal.
She leaves behind Ray, her beloved husband of 49 years, her sons Owen, and Evan (Lisa), and grandchildren Cassandra, Braden, and Rhett.
If you wish to remember Anne, please donate to the Royal Canadian Legion Branch #71, or the Cranbrook branch of the Salvation Army.
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