Annella Willson

Annella Kowalewski Willson passed away on December 14th, at age 83. She leaves her
brother Joseph Kowalewski; sister-in-law Shirley Cusamano Kowalewski; her sister
Marcianna Kowalewski Caplis; brother-in-law Andrew MacLachlan; nieces Laura
Kowalewski and Catherine Caplis French; nephew Galen Caplis; and sisters-in-law
Deborah Priest and Ruth Willson. She was predeceased by her husband, Jonathan
Willson, and her parents Stanley Kowalewski and Florence Barber Kowalewski.

A native of Rochester, Annella was a 1959 graduate of Nazareth Academy. Starting as the
secretary in a small patent law firm, she quickly rose to executive secretary positions, her
last being with the City of Rochester's Budget Department. She retired in 2004.

Annella married Jonathan Willson in June of 1974 and they remained married until his
death in February 2023. She and Jon sang for many years with the Eastman-Rochester
Chorus and enjoyed travel; a trip to Mexico was a highlight. Annella was a voracious
reader and particularly enjoyed historical fiction. She could tell you quite a lot about
many of the queens of England. Annella caught the love of needlepoint from her mother,
and her home was filled with many of the beautiful canvases she stitched.

Annella's ashes will be scattered in Mt. Hope Cemetery. A memorial service will be
scheduled in early 2026