Karol Ann Albin

1942 - 2025

Ann Albin

24 March 1942 - 8 October 2025

Ann Albin died on 8 October 2025, after 80 days in four Nevada hospitals following complications from a surgery that led to two strokes and acute respiratory failure. She lived for nearly a decade with COPD and atrial fibrillation, always with a great sense of humor even in the hardest moments. She spent her last moments in her favorite chair, looking out over the greenbelt, alongside her husband, children, grandchildren, and with her dog, Mabel, snuggled in her lap.

Ann lived a life of service, strength, humility, joy, and generosity. She earned her teaching credential from Montana State College in 1965 and began teaching in 1966. She then took time off to raise her family. She earned a masters then became a principal of several schools in Idaho Falls, Idaho, until her retirement in 2001.

Ann was not just an educator; she was a lifelong learner and giver. She volunteered at the Help Center in Bozeman, Montana, served on the board of Habitat for Humanity in Idaho Falls, the Episcopal church vestry, and worked as a guardian ad litem through the CASA program, advocating for children. Her generosity extended far beyond her immediate circle: she supported most anyone who needed it, including a young boy in Haiti who called her "Mom." She was in Las Vegas this summer and fall in order to care for a friend dying of cancer.

Ann was known for her quick wit, big heart, and deep sense of empathy. She loved candy (eleven bags ferreted away in her Vegas house alone), playing bridge with groups in Idaho falls and Vegas, playing games with her friends, and watching Judge Judy. She had a unique appreciation for movies, especially those that challenged the norm or gave voice to the underdog. She was loyal, forgiving, and listened,not to prove a point-but to explore and to understand.

She created and ran "Camp ALBIN" for 35 years at the family cabin in Island Park Idaho, until the elevation became too difficult for her.

Ann's frugal with herself and generous with others. She traveled often, and would always visit schools and locals' homes in foreign countries.

She is survived by her husband Bud Albin of 63 years, her two children Stacey Albin-Barrett and Berthold(Tiratcha) Albin, seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and her sweet Mabel. Her legacy lives on in all the lives she touched.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to a Christmas Coat fund by Venmo to @annalbin. For years Ann and Stacey provided hundreds of coats each Christmas to children in Idaho Falls.