Anne Albone

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 January 2024 at 3:25 pm

Anne Albone was born on January 19th in the year 1942 in upstate New York to Leroy Gaze and Harriett Bigford-Gaze (Gillan) in the quaint small town of Medina. She passed away peacefully at the age of 81 on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, in her Jacksonville, Florida memory care facility.

As a young woman she obtained a cosmetology license, relying on this to earn a living throughout most of her working life, supplementing her income by occasionally taking in elderly people to care for them and working as a cocktail waitress. She seemed to find her calling toward the end of her working life when she became a certified nurse’s aide, but no longer needed to work after about age 45.

Anne learned to become an amazing cook from her Grandma Bigford. She was extraordinarily outgoing and never knew a stranger. She was crafty and spent her personal time sewing, singing and playing the guitar. In later years she honed her skills as a creative writer and was an avid quilter. She loved the creativity of quilting and prior to memory care, she belonged to a community quilt club. She was a fighter, overcoming many challenges. You wouldn’t dare tell her she couldn’t do something.

Anne married five times and had two children in her first marriage, son Daniel Paul Albone and daughter Linda Kay Albone (Brett). Both her first and final marriage was to David Albone. Between those marriages she mostly lived around Daytona Beach, Florida, where their first born, 11-year-old “Danny”, was killed by a train on the fourth of July in 1974.

During her remarriage to Dave Albone after his retirement from a career in the Air Force, they enjoyed flipping a few homes, camping trips, and volunteering with the Red Cross. Together they raised his son Anthony “Tony” Albone who married Marci Pitcher, later adding years of enjoyment with their three children – Ashlee, Leah and Abby.

After her husband’s passing and with the onset of dementia, her final years brought her to a small memory care facility with giving and amazing people who loved her. The final goodbyes of her roommate and staff were both beautiful and heartbreaking, proving that people in these environments can become significant “family” members.

Anne is predeceased by her husband Dave Albone, her son Danny Albone, her parents Leroy Gaze and Harriett Gillan, and her stepson Tony Albone.

She is survived by her sister, Susan M. Gaze of New Smyrna, Florida, her stepson Tony’s wife Marci and their children Ashlee, Leah and Abby, as well as a community of lineage in upper Western New York, a place that has always been “home” to her and where her remains will rest into perpetuity.

If you are one who is compelled to give at a time like this, I urge you to support your local hospice organization or efforts to advance Alzheimer’s research. Take purposeful care of yourself and treasure your beautiful and miraculous body, letting it serve you well into the future.

To share a special memory of Anne, please visit: www.mitchellfamilyfuneralhomes.com.  Anne’s arrangements have been entrusted to the Bates, Wallace & Heath Funeral Home of Middleport.

Many blessings to you all.