My mom, Josie (Jo) Lee HARRIS Douglas was the older sister of Anna (Anne) Laura HARRIS Schmidt Dunn.  Aunt Anne was my favorite relative of all time.  Everyone in our extended family loved her so much and recognized her as a very special person, because she made all of them feel loved and special.  With just a knowing glance, a smile, or a twinkle in her eye, Aunt Anne could convey her acceptance and understanding.  She had an air of grace, wisdom, thoughtfulness, calm, and personal restraint about her that was reassuring to me.  She was very intelligent and perceptive.  Along with a lot of common sense, she had a good sense of humor.  She was mild mannered, unselfish, gentle, and kind, but was no pushover. She could be adamant about some things, like her name.  She decided in the first grade to change her name. She told her teacher that her name was not “Anna,”  but Anne, and insisted that everyone call her that.  Because of her determination, it stuck.  Aunt Anne could be firm.  As the saying goes, she walked softly and carried a big stick.  Her big stick was a stern look.  Her approval was so important to me that it struck terror in my heart to get that look from her.

I remember a time that I stayed overnight at Aunt Anne’s house as a young child, and at bedtime she told me that as soon as I got into my pajamas, and brushed my teeth, she would read me a story.  I quickly did as she said, and then picked out four children’s books, and stuck them under my pillow.  When she came into the room and sat on the bed, I pulled them all out, and she laughed that cute, unique laugh of hers that I loved so much. What she had in mind was just one quick story, but as I recall a compromise was made for two.  I loved when Aunt Anne came to our house to visit.  I remember one time sitting on her lap facing her and leaning backwards as she held onto my hands with hers and I slowly came to rest with the back of my head on her feet.  Then she would pull me back up to her and give me a hug or a tickle.  I thought that was such fun that I could do it for hours, and didn't understand why my mom would finally have to tell me to give Aunt Anne a break and leave he alone for a while.

My parents, Aunt Anne, Uncle Paul, and many other aunts and uncles were all a part of the noble World War II generation that made great sacrifices to save the world from tyranny.  They were up to the task because they were an unspoiled generation who learned at an early age to take responsibility and to face hardship without complaint.  They went by a saying, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without."  While Uncle Paul was serving in the Merchant Marines, and my dad was in the Navy, Aunt Anne helped my mom with her two little boys and saw her through her pregnancy with me and the delivery.  The war was over when I was born, but my dad was not yet discharged and didn’t make it home until a couple of weeks after my birth.  

I admired my Aunt Anne's courage and strength when Uncle Paul had heart problems and passed away leaving her to finish raising her three children on her own.  She once told me that she did not remarry while her children were still at home because she feared that another man would not love them as much or treat them as well as their father did.  I think she wanted to retain her position as the head of the household and not have any conflicts on the way to raise her children. Although it could have made her life easier to have a husband as bread winner of the family, and a companion with whom to share her life, she put what she thought was best for her children above her own needs.

Aunt Anne and Uncle Pat were very good to my mom while they still lived in Akron.  They visited her and took her to dinner regularly, and whenever I visited, we had great fun getting together to play an exasperating card game called "Murder."  I remember once we had pizza, coke, and cherry pie for dinner!  One time my mom and I and Aunt Anne and Aunt Betty, the youngest sister, had an all girl's night out and went together to play Bingo.  They were all very young at heart and lots of fun.  

My Aunt Anne was a class act.  She was beautiful inside and out.  I loved her, and I will never forget her.