Anne T. Sawyer

Anne Turnock Sawyer of Occoquan, Virginia passed away on February 12, 2026.

Anne was born in North Carolina to Elizabeth Anne Baker and James Harold Turnock, Jr. on November 30, 1945. As a child, Anne's family moved frequently. She lived in many places, including Newfoundland. Anne's pronunciation picked up souvenirs of all the locales along the way, leading her to develop her very own unique accent that baffled her grade-school teachers.

By high school, Anne and her family had settled in Washington, D.C. She attended Woodrow Wilson High School and then later the Corcoran School of Art and Design. She traveled to London as part of her studies. It was also in Washington, D.C. that Anne met her husband, Lowell Sawyer, and the two married in 1970, beginning a 42-year partnership.

Anne held many jobs and responsibilities over the years, including a drafter for an engineering firm, an Officer of Election for the Commonwealth of Virginia, member of the Occoquan Historical Society, and a member of Occoquan's Architecture Review Board. Her favorite and final job was driving a school bus for Prince William County Public Schools. She served as a bus driver for 24 years, only retiring to help care for and spend time with her grandchildren.

Anne was creative and prolific, particularly in crochet. She made garments and toys for her children and grandchildren. She painted doors and tables. She made decorations and wreaths out of old jewelry and seashells. In recent years, Anne brought delight to her neighbors by decorating a fence each month with a different holiday theme.

Anne was an animal lover. Over the course of her lifetime, she owned and cared for a myriad of species - dogs, cats, goats, ducks, gerbils, hamsters, birds, rabbits, and even a pony. Her home was perpetually pet-friendly, and she never turned down a pet-sitting request.

Anne was outgoing, accepting, and friendly. She quickly made friends wherever she went, from the aqua classes she attended four days a week to her twice-daily walks around Occoquan with her dog. Many neighbors have cited Anne as the first person to welcome them to town.

Anne is preceded in death by her husband, Lowell. Anne is survived by her children, Vicky Somma of Occoquan, Virginia, Carolyn Lipinski of Alexandria, Virginia, and James Sawyer of Woodbridge, Virginia. She is survived by her grandchildren and honorary grandchildren: Sagan, Dyson, Jamisen, Miranda, Lincoln, and Sri Devi.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to some of Anne's favorite charities: Prince William County Animal Service Center, St. Jude’s, or the American Civil Liberties Union.