Ann L. IRELAND

IRELAND, Ann L. was born on July 31, 1930 in Douglas, Wyoming, the second daughter of Jacob Fred and Lucile Nohe Jenne. She led a remarkable life as a rancher, union member, banker, dog-lover, church woman, homeless advocate, peacenik, and mother. She died Saturday morning, October 22, 2016. Ann was raised on her family ranch. She recalls this as the happiest time of her life. (Thanks, Mom!) She graduated from Douglas H.S. in three years as valedictorian. A talented tenor saxophone player, she won the state competition in her junior/senior year. A member of the AX sorority, she studied at the University of Wyoming for two years just before she married "Tuffy" (Alfred Leon) Ireland. The jobs of her youth in Douglas included the Candy Coop, Ben Burnett's Soda Fountain, and King Cleaners. After moving to Tucson with her young family, she became a member of the Office Worker's International Union, and remained an Emeritus member until the day she died. She worked for the Laborers and the Teamsters. In 1963, she began working at Union Bank as a bookkeeper. By 1969, she became a branch manager, but made only half of her male counterpart's wages. Ann did not let this stand. She sued at a time when gender laws did not favor, or really provide, for such lawsuits. With her groundbreaking award, she returned to college at the University of Arizona, graduating in 1982. While in school, she worked at Eagle Masonry. Her final eight years of employment were at the Men's Shelter for the Primavera Foundation. She was a founding member of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Parish, the center of her spiritual life for sixty years. She was also a special friend to the Episcopal nuns at Tuller School, OTCG. Ann had five children, Jenne Lee (d. February 10, 1953), Jacob (Kathy), Joel (it's complicated), Justin (Merry), and Jeffery (Sharon). Raising her children in the sixties and seventies was a happy time for Ann, as far as we know. At least two nights a week, she did NOT cry herself to sleep from living with four boys in a 950 sq. ft. house on 3rd Street. Ann was a generous and loyal friend. She loved her lunch groups: the Nice Church Ladies and Valley Bank Women. She doted on her pets (dogs) Boris, Chloe, Argos, Boomer, and Tara, and the pets of her children, Sebastian, Lucy, Moses, Gus, Tom, Bob, Rolis, and August. Very often she could remember the names of her grandchildren, Patricia (Blaine), Aaron, Lindsay, Kirk, Samuel, Lauren, Philip, Jessie, Robert; great- granddaughter, Hailee, and niece, Karen Fischer (daughter of her sister Kay). The Funeral will be held at St. Michael's Church, 602 N. Wilmot Rd., 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 29, 2016. Reception to follow, location TBA. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Primavera Foundation. Arrangements by HUDGEL'S SWAN FUNERAL HOME.