February 3, 1936 - December 12, 2024
In loving memory ~
We said farewell to Anne Fenn Langdon on December 12, 2024 at 6:15am. From the beginning of her life in the beautiful Muskoka Lakes region in rural Ontario, Anne enjoyed family, music, dancing and adventure. She was born at the family homestead on February 3, 1936, to Sarah Catherine Marcella (Sally) Ballam Fenn and Thomas Ignatius (Naish) Fenn. They were part of the original settler family in Whiteside, now known as Fenn's Point.
Anne had a sweet childhood with her 3 siblings: Joseph Fenn, Margaret Thomson (deceased) and Rosemary Agius (deceased). At secretarial college in Toronto, she had an active social life that centered around her love of music and dancing with Louis Armstrong as a lifelong favorite.
Anne worked as a secretary for several companies including Muskoka Falls Public School where she bandaged cuts and provided solace to students, lucky enough to have her attention. She pursued her love of writing at the Bracebridge Examiner and the Gravenhurst Banner and then as the editor of the Sechelt Press on the Sunshine Coast, when she moved west. Based in Sechelt, she served as an alderperson, promoting the area for economic prosperity. Anne ended her career at the Justice Institute in Vancouver before retiring to Vancouver Island.
After marrying Peter Langdon in 1955, the couple raised four children: Mary Ellen (Langdon) Walling (Donald), Theresa (Langdon) Brossard Walker (Danny), Michael Langdon (Jocelyn) and Andrew Langdon (Sam). Anne's family included many grandkids, great and great-great grandkids as well as nieces and nephews, all of whom had a special place in her heart. They will remember her fondly for her sense of fun where swimming and hiking trips were summer highlights.
Later in life, Anne met Dave Floyd who shared her love of dancing, van camping and travel. They had many wonderful cruises and adventures in Europe, Mexico and Alaska. Dave will miss her deeply.
She was an active member of the Jazz Club in the Comox Valley and the Square Dancers Club which gave her the chance to combine her love of dance with travel, music and writing. She was always so active; scored a "Hole in One" at Longlands Golf Club and penned a popular book series "Happy Trails for You" showcasing nature walks across the Comox Valley with many reprints as new trails and coffee spots were added over the years. When she received her Parkinson's Disease diagnosis it didn't slow her down. She received an Above and Beyond Certificate of Distinction award from the Parkinson's Society of British Columbia for her courage in the face of adversity and for serving as an inspiration to the Parkinson's community. Among many other actions, she was instrumental in arranging boxing lessons at the local fight club, a good way to focus her frustration on this challenging condition.
Her family, friends and colleagues will remember her fondly when the band strikes up a lively tune and they will smile in her honour. We are most grateful to the Cumberland Lodge staff who cared for her during her stay there. Anne will take a final swim off the dock at Fenn's Point along with her sister Marg who passed earlier this year.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made in her name to the Parkinsons Society of BC or d'Esterre Seniors Centre through the Canada Helps website. A gathering to celebrate her life is planned in early spring and details will be posted on her Facebook page.
Happy Trails Anne.
We love you and will miss you
until we meet again.