Ann Mary Salzer

Ann Mary (Bresnahan) Salzer, born December 5, 1925 in Boston, MA, passed away December 4, 2023 in Centralia, WA.
In 1944, Ann graduated from South Side High School in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In 1948, she graduated from Emmanuel College in Cambridge, MA with a major in Spanish and minor in French. She was a member of the Sodality of Our Blessed Lady. After graduating, she accepted her first of several positions as a librarian in the Boston area and took additional library courses at Simmons College.
A few years later, Ann joined the civil service, travelling to Okinawa to create a library on an Army base. Next, she was assigned to an Air Force base in Neubrucke, Germany, where she worked at the Officer's club. There, she met her husband-to-be and, on August 20, 1955, married him. They had two daughters together.
Ann proudly spent most of her career as a reference librarian, a role she loved. In the early 1990s, she retired from the Auburn Public Library in Auburn, WA after 22 years of service. Post-retirement, she volunteered at such a pace that she was rehired as a librarian for several more years. When she finally retired for keeps, she volunteered at the library, Messiah Lutheran Church (Altar Guild and Stephen Ministries), and Auburn General Hospital. She also spent as much time as she could with her daughter, Barb, her grandchildren, and later her great-grandchildren. In her 70s, Ann moved to Onalaska, WA, where she lived across the street from her daughter and attended St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Chehalis, WA. She later moved to assisted living in Tacoma, WA and Federal Way, WA.
Ann was preceded in death by her mother, Mary (May Twomey) Bresnahan, father Vincent Bresnahan, husband Edward Salzer, and daughter LeeAnn Salzer. She is survived by daughter Barbara (Richard) Roll of Onalaska, WA; grandchild Zoe Brackney (Morgan Alexander) and their children of Tacoma, WA; grandchild Amanda Roll and great grandchildren Jack and Oliver Dixon of Onalaska, WA; sister-in-law Judy Stoltz of Weston, WI; and nieces Laurie Kloth and family of Weston, WI, and Deb (Charles) Kirsch and family of Wausau, WI.
In her later years, Ann developed dementia, but she never forgot her roots in Boston, Cambridge, and Newburyport, MA; the career she loved; and her beloved family. We are better for knowing her love, her generosity, and her spunk for so many years. We will hold her in our hearts forever.
Interment January 17 at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA following a private service.
Ann's family welcomes you to join them at a celebration of life service and reception on Saturday, February 3, 2024, 3 p.m., at Messiah Lutheran Church, 410 H Street NE, Auburn, WA 98002.
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