To know Ann and/or Mike is to know...

These are quotes that people wrote at the Anchorage memorial and at Denali Elementary.

To know Ann is to know "a lovely gracious friend. As a colleague, a friend, my sons teacher, she was truly a wonderful being. She will live on through us all."

To know Ann and Mike is to know "how many people one can touch in life (and I just need to keep working much harder to get close to it but I know it's very hard to touch THAT MANY)."

To know Ann is to know "you can read and feel okay with who you are."

To know Mike is to know "that my beer glass will always be full."

To know Ann and Mike is to know "the embrace of a warm hug."

To know Ann is to know "joy and patience and kindness, and to make positive out of the negative. And to accept her students for the way they are, and be ok with it."
To know Ann is to know "wonderful parents."

To know Ann and Mike is to know "how wonderful parents should be. To see their wonderful children is a reflection on their greatness."

To know Ann is to know "the powers of kindness and patience."

To know Ann is to know "more than one person could ever do!"

To know Ann and Mike is to know "Good food, good conversation, good music, good stories, good beer!"

To know Ann is to know "that she is safe in heaven and she was my teacher."

To know Ann is to know "that for 6 1/2 hours each day, my children had an example of a calm, patient person to emulate - no matter how hectic life was at home."

To know Ann is to know "Mrs. Torpy was a great teacher to me. She would always give me lessons when I needed them"

To know Ann is to know "a gentle and beautiful heart."

To know Ann is to know "fairness and happyness."

To know Mrs. Torpy is to know "peace and kindness. I loved her and I will miss her."

To know Ann and Mike is to know "their daughter Katie and the patience she has on teaching her passion to little girls, is to acknowledge how much care and love she grew up with, to acknowledge the quality of parents and family she came from, and be comfort and happy for the beautiful young she is."

To know Ann is to know "to be reassured that everything is going to be ok." -Mary Beth

To know Ann is to know "someone who had their true calling."

To know Ann is to know "the ultimate comfortable support you need and the best way to hold a baby."

To know Ann is to know "radiant kindness and presence."

To know Ann and Mike is to "have two people who were so worth knowing and to call friends."

To know Mike is to know "high adventure with a zest for trying new things."

To know Ann is to know "endless patience and beautiful quilting."

The following are from member's of Denali Staff;

To know Ann is to know "the feeling of strength, confidence and passion." - Jasmin Wilson

To know Ann is to know "someone who is cheerfully willing to take on more and complete those tasks with incredible organization." - Helen O'Harra

To know Ann is to know her soft-spoken, calm, peaceful presence, combined with a warm sense of humor and easy laugh. To know Ann is to know beauty." - Gail Somerville

To know Ann is to know "the sound of a gentle breeze caressing a Japanese Willow tree." - Patti Welch

To know Ann is to know "the demure blossoming of a vivid yellow daffodil." - Dawnmarie Riley

To know Ann is to know "the calm relief from the shade of a tree on a hot summer day." - Craig Moyer

To know Ann is to know "the kindness of a smile." - Sonya Davis

To know Ann is to know "the beauty of pastel colors on a spring day." - Tami Phelps

To know Ann is to know "that I could always count on her to turn her attendance in on time...in all my years at Denali, not once was she late! ;-)" -Angie Oathout

To know Ann is to know "I want to be like her when I grow up. :)" - Denise Demetree

To know Ann is to know "patience in the face of what ever life brings." - Shawn Horning

To know Ann is to "have your life enriched forever by her love, encouragement, intellect, down to earth realness and kind, thoughtful actions." - Kate Michaels

To know Ann is to know "her sweet sensational Aloha smile, and her tender loving heart, that cares for others." - Ardis L. Mutini

To know Ann is to know "the warmth of the sun." - Kelsey Chalker

To know Ann is to know "genuine friendship." - Marilyn Woods

To know Ann is to know "the comfortable, rich feeling of her endless wisdom." - Gretchen Nelson

To know Ann is to know "the calm strength of a deep blue ocean." - Paula Davis

To know Ann is to "be in the presence of joy and peace." - Diane Harps

To know Ann is to know "a lively calm." - Beth McKay

To know Ann is to "experience unending patience." Irene Bortnick

To know Ann is to "see a mischievous twinkle in her eye." - Brooke Hull

To know Ann is to "be enfolded ad buoyed up by the warmth in her voice." - Melissa Mathis

To know Ann is to know "the humility and gentleness of a true Montessorian." - Bev Grogan

To know Ann is to know "the true meaning of a Friend." - Jeanette Hickok

To know Ann is to know "the patience of a saint." - Eva Wissmann

To know Ann is to know "that someone is always on your side." - Laurie Sinnott

To know Ann is to know "loving kindness." - "Love is patient, love is kind." - Janice Banta

To know Ann is to know "the wisdom of well considered words." - Celia Foley

To know Ann is to know "Dedication and Compassion." - Julie Pierce

To know Ann is to know "the joy of the first spring blossom pushing through the snow." - Karen Glavinic

To know Ann is to know "that her smile was very rewarding and she always smiled. I will always miss her and that wonderful smile. Please smile for her :) and to everyone - we all need a good smile :) :) :)." - Eddy Pershing

To know Ann is to know "there are women we well all, always, be sisters with. Women who share their lives, as mothers, wives and teachers with you as if you are sisters. Women whom you feel connected to by the twinkle in her eye as she says hello, and the warmth of her soft voice as she exclaims in surprise. I can still see her glancing guiltily around before she leans in to whisper some charmingly hilarious anecdote about our husbands, in that curiously 'Irish Way.'" - Robin Walker

To know Ann is to "feel blessed." - Chris Scally

To know Ann is to know "the earth: patient, stable with some delightful surprises." - Becky Harrison-Drake

To know Ann is to know "someone very special. Every now and then someone comes into your life, like Ann, and you know you have been blessed. I feel so lucky to have worked with her." - -Louise Hagel

To know Ann is to "feel her quiet strength." - Barbara Stratton

To know Ann "was to know grace. Whenever I needed anything -- materials, advice, a laugh, chocolate , or a great place to hike -- I knew there was a woman in Room 187 who would make time for me." - Jackie Morrisey

To know Ann is to know "the 'fruits of the Spirit.' Peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control." - "Kim Robuck

To know Ann is to know "the spontaneous feeling of joy." - Lisha Fontanez

To know Ann is to know "she is a woman of her WORD. Her word is her bond. She has been faithful over all the years I've known her. " - Deborah Harris

To know Ann is to know "the gentle power of kindness." - Allison Wilson

To know Ann is to know "genuine kindness simply from her smile, her caring and her thoughtful words; Also, Ann's listening ear, her gentle touch, and her ability to inspire acceptance and compassion for fellow human being from everyone she has touched." - Deborah Aman

To know Ann "was like receiving a kiss from God." Mardena Williams

To know Ann is to "remember her kind, gentle, loving spirit." - Phyllis Anderson

To know Ann is to know "gentle peace that fills the heart. " - Keith Harjehausen

To know Ann is to know "a friendly face in the crowd." - Robynn Davis

To know Ann is to know "someone that is 'As good as it gets'...Ann made us want to be better people." - Chuck Stafford

To know Ann is to know "the gentle rhythm and peace of a soothing lullaby." - Tamara Cooke