Ann Drue Widmer

Our extraordinary wife and mother, Ann Drue Widmer, née Gibbons, passed away on Friday, March 28, 2025, at the age of 73, after falling into a coma as a result of a sudden brain bleed.
Ann was born on March 7, 1952, to Claron Gardner and Andrew H Gibbons Jr. She was born in Logan, Utah, and always said that she moved 21 times before she was 20 years old due to her father's military career. Ann served in the Uruguay-Paraguay Mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from June 1973 to August 1974. On this mission, she learned to speak Spanish fluently, which benefited her for the rest of her life. While serving, she met her future husband, Gregory Dean Widmer, who she married on July 23, 1976, in the Logan, Utah, Temple.
Greg and Ann began their married life in Ogden, Utah, but later moved to Harrisville, Utah, where they raised their four children.
Ann is remembered and loved as an early elementary school teacher. She began teaching kindergarten through 3rd grade in Snowville, Utah, in a one-room schoolhouse. She took a break from teaching outside the home, but continued in her home as she raised her children and ran a daycare there. When her children were older, she returned to teaching in the Ogden School District. She taught at Dee Elementary, Bonneville Elementary, and Heritage Elementary, where she made many lasting friendships before she retired in 2017. She also volunteered at the polling location in her community for many years.
Ann earned her teaching degree from Utah State University. After her children were grown, she returned to USU and earned her Master's of Education. Early in her marriage, Ann became a teacher for Wilton Brands and taught many people how to decorate cakes. This skill was useful throughout her life because she provided birthday and wedding cakes for family members and friends.
Having musical parents engendered Ann's love of music. She sang and played violin, guitar, and piano. Ann taught piano and guitar in her home for many decades and encouraged many children and adults to love music. She made sure that her children who wanted a piano had one in their own homes.
Ann had a deep love for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints her entire life. She served in many musical callings in the church, including music chairman, organist, pianist, chorister, choir director, and primary pianist and chorister. She also served as a ward librarian and as an instructor for the Home, Family, and Personal Enrichment class and the Marriage and Family Relations class. She loved her time as a Special Needs Coordinator. At times in her life, she worked in the Ogden Temple and served as a service missionary in the Ogden Bishop's Storehouse.
In April 2023 Greg and Ann began a senior service mission in the Utah Salt Lake City Headquarters Mission. They served in the Family Search Library where Ann enjoyed her time in the Scanning Operations Zone. She was so happy to attend her mission conference and exit interview the day before she passed away.
Ann had many hobbies and interests, the most notable of which were her love of music and teaching children. Music and education were not just a career for her, they were her life. She also loved holding babies and playing with children. She became friends with everyone she met. Ann was a member of her local DUP (Daughters of Utah Pioneers) Sunflower Chapter. Ann loved painting seasonal decorations for her house, and decorating her yard with windmills and wind chimes. Because of her belief in "hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil," she collected figurines of this well-known saying. She also collected Noah's Ark items. She liked doing puzzles of all types, and always had a jigsaw puzzle or two out for guests to work on with her. She was a wonderful seamstress, and crocheted blankets for her children and great-grandchildren. She loved camping, especially with her son BY. Owning a Jeep Wrangler was a long-time dream, which she was able to fulfill. Throughout her life, Ann had and loved many pets, especially her dogs and her hedgehogs. Dark chocolate was her favorite food group. These pastimes and pursuits are things many will remember her by.
Ann is survived by her husband, Gregory Dean Widmer; her children Deann (Matthew) Hadley, Robert (Liliane) Widmer, Bryan/BY Widmer, and Emily Widmer; fourteen grandchildren and the spouses of five of them; and fourteen great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings Wallace (Roxanne) Gibbons, Lorrain (Richard) Harris, Ronda (Dave) Kershisnik, Kenneth (Lucy) Gibbons, Carolyn (Garrett) Martell, Marie (Gordon) Dahle; and siblings-in-law Stephen (Mary) Widmer, and Colleen Widmer. Ann is also survived by countless extended family and friends who were like close family to her.
Preceding Ann in death were her parents, Claron Gardner and Andrew H Gibbons Jr.; her in-laws Emma Vilate Tippets and David Woodruff Widmer; and her sister-in-law Julie (Robert) Roberts.
Ann's family would like to thank the staff at Pine View Transitional Rehab who assisted in her care over the last month, and the emergency room, ICU, and hospice staff at McKay-Dee Hospital who helped her through her last hours.
In honor of Ann, take the time to read a book with a child.