ANNE BRITTEN

1924 - 2019

December 4, 1924 -
November 2, 2019

Our greatly loved Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother Anne Britten quietly passed on November 2, 2019, in Burlington, Washington, at the age of 94. She died after a long struggle to heal from a serious head injury suffered exactly one year previously.

During this struggle, she had the support, love and energy of her surviving sons, David of Burlington, Allan of Boise, Idaho, and Forrest and stepson Charles Randyl from Seattle, as well as their wives Sherry, Laurie, Carol and Linda. She also leaves behind her three grandsons, Danny, Jeremy, and Dane and her granddaughter Justine, as well as four great- grandchildren, Jakob, Cecilia, Anton and Maja.

She was greatly bolstered in this last year by the frequent visits of her dear friends from the Riverside Health Club and particularly, her sometimes road trip buddy Fern Leopold.

Anne was preceded in death by her husband Charles Herman Britten in 1987. She was also preceded in death by her parents Jacob and Yetta Nussdorf, and by all of her siblings: Abe, Fanny, Sam, Bess, Oscar and Claire.

Anne Nussdorf was born in Rockville, Connecticut on December 04, 1924. She met her future husband Charles, who was a soldier stationed at Bradley Field in Hartford, Connecticut, where she also worked. In this 41 year marriage with Charles, which began in 1946, she had a life partner that shared a common love for travel adventure.

During their lives they traveled to every state in the country as well as extensively throughout the world. Their travel adventures included homes in US Army family duplex housing in Yokohama, Japan, as well as the Presidio in San Francisco, California.

When Charles retired from his 30 year Army career, he began his second career as a High School and College teacher. They continued their travels with their sons and made homes in Managua, Nicaragua and Monterrey, Mexico, where Charles taught English in American Schools in those countries. When they returned to the States, they made homes in San Francisco, and Aberdeen, Washington before making their permanent home in Mt Vernon, Washington in 1964.

After all of their sons moved away from home, their travel adventures actually increased and they flew "Space Available" on US Military Transports, (the price was right if you were lucky enough to get a seat), one of the benefits to military retirees of that time. This freewheeling form of travel frequently took them to surprising and unexpected destinations in Europe, and the Far East. They also would make many more journeys by auto into Mexico, her favorite foreign destination.

Anne continued to Globe Trot long after Charles passed, well into her 80's. These journeys included visits to Denmark, Russia, and the Great Wall of China. Even at the age of 93, she was determined to achieve one last major travel goal in October of last year: a final journey to Florida to visit her beloved older sister Bess. Her timing was correct as Bess did pass earlier this year.

In addition to her love of travel, she loved classical music and she was active in supporting the Skagit Valley Symphony. She finally completed her Bachelor's Degree at Western Washington State College in 1970 with a Major in Education with an emphasis in Spanish.

She later used her language skill as a volunteer teacher's aid and mentor for migrant elementary school children in Skagit County. Gardening and cooking for family gatherings and her friends were her two other passions.

Anne was a principled woman and her strong values of optimism, joy in life, frugality, and generosity were obvious to all whose lives she touched. She had great energy and independence and it was simply not possible for her to spiritually accept the limitations on mobility that were a consequence of her accident. She longed to be with Charles again and at last she is now freed to join him and go wherever she wishes, whenever she wants. Anne's favorite holiday was Thanksgiving and we will all very much miss her and the joy she provided on those occasions.

The Britten family is grateful to the care and professionalism of the nurses, staff and volunteers of the Northwest Hospice in Mount Vernon and of the Creekside Continuing Care Community where she spent her final days.

If you wish to make a charitable bequest, Anne suggested the Skagit Valley Symphony (http://www.skagitsymphony.com/support-the-symphony/) or the Mount Vernon City Library (https://www.mountvernonwa.gov/202/Donate-Support).

Arrangements are under the care of Hawthorne Funeral Home, Mount Vernon, WA.