Annette Kaiser Voorhes

Annette Kaiser Voorhes

AGE: 54 • Winchester, MA

Annette Kaiser Voorhes, 54, of Winchester, MA, was taken from us suddenly on January 29, 2014. Her two daughters, Kate and Emma, were the true love of her life. Annette's selfless and unconditional love for her girls and everyone in her life will be sorely missed forever. Born and raised in Wilmington, DE, Annette attended the Ursuline Academy and the Wilmington Friends School. She received her B.A. from Kenyon College where she was a star field hockey teammate and sung in the a capella group "Owl Creek Singers," earned her Master's in Creative Arts with a focus in Dance Therapy from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia. Her love of dance, especially modern dance, was a focal point of her life. After having suffered a major head injury over 30 years ago, she fought back and persevered every day to triumph over obstacles most people would never overcome.

Annette was a dedicated civic leader in Winchester. She was a volunteer and substitute teacher in the public schools, and a host parent of the Winchester "A Better Chance" program. She was also a tour leader of Winchester Trails. She loved introducing children to the beauty of the Middlesex Fells Reservation, an area she where she could often be found hiking with her dog Brandy. Annette was also an accomplished windsurfer, skier and sailor, and often assisted the Winchester High School Sailing team.

Growing up, Annette spent summers in Edgartown, MA, usually living on her family's sailboat, where she learned to sail and race competitively. She was active in the Edgartown Yacht Club, winning many awards and later worked as a sailing instructor. She later spent many summers on Cuttyhunk Island. In the past few years she and her beloved partner Mike Myers restored their sailboat "Serenity" and sailed in Mattapoisett, Buzzards Bay and Martha's Vineyard waters.

Annette is survived by her daughters Kate and Emma Voorhes of Winchester, MA, along with her beloved and loving partner Michael Myers of Arlington, MA and Winchester, MA. She is also survived by her former husband David Voorhes of Boston, MA; parents, John (Rex) and Claire Kaiser of Wilmington, DE; 3 brothers, John Jr. of Annapolis, MD, William of Manchester by the Sea, MA, and David (wife Jennifer) of Mattapoisett, MA, and one sister, Aimee (husband Paul) Satterfield of Nottingham, PA. Annette had 16 nieces and nephews: Ned Kaiser and Sarah Kaiser of Mattapoisett, MA; Timothy, Kieran, Brendan, Brian, Maeve, Una and Mary Satterfield of Nottingham, PA; Robert and Max Voorhes of Pacifica, CA; Emily Hauck of Paris, France and Ava Hauck of Baltimore, MD; Sam Notelovitz of Burlington, VT, Ben and Will Notelovitz of Austin, TX. She will be especially missed by her (nearly) adopted son Herve Gerard of Atlanta, GA.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 8 at 10 am at the Winchester Unitarian Society, 478 Main Street, Winchester, MA. In lieu of flowers, a donation in remembrance of Annette may be made to "Winchester ABC" (A Better Chance), P.O. Box 94, Winchester, MA 01890.