Ann Gladys Bamer

Ann was born Gladys Ann Smart on the morning of August 4th 1934 in Leicester, England to Leonard and Elsie Eliza Smart. Ann was the forth child of seven which included two sets of twins. There was her older brother Jack, Sheila and Michael (twins), and her sister Marlene before her and then Mary and Mick (twins) who came along just a few years later.   Ann would often recount what it was like for her growing up in England during the war where even the basic necessities such as food, heat and clothing were difficult to obtain. A small piece of meat would have to be stretched into meals to last the family for three or four days. Many times it was so cold in their home in winter that ice would build up on the inside of their windows, and because they couldn't get coal her father would have to use pieces of their wooden furniture for heat. But even with all the hardships they faced she said the one thing, the most important thing, that they were never short of - was love. Growing up with those hardships shaped who Ann was as an adult. She said that she knew that life is precious and often at times hard, but you just can’t take it too seriously. She battled cancer three times in her life. The first time was in 1968, then again in 1995 and this last time it came back in 2008. Yet through it all she kept a positive attitude about each new chemo treatment and would even do a happy little jig walking down the hall to get her chemo treatments.  She enjoyed life to the fullest each day by doing the things she loved most – taking care of her friends and family. She was always looking for ways to help other people and would gladly give the shirt off her back if someone needed it. She also loved writing to the missionaries to make sure that they knew that she was thinking of them. But more than anything though she loved making people laugh. Ann also loved to garden, cook, read books – especially good ENGLISH mysteries - and spending time with her animals, especially her chickens. And oh how she loved her chickens. There couldn't’t have been any other chickens in the world that were as spoiled as Ann’s chickens were. Each had its own name, and she would even cook them hot meals at night.  She would spend hours sitting in their coop playing music to them or singing to them.  Those chickens were well loved. And that sums up exactly the type of person Ann was – LOVE. She had a big heart and she loved caring for other people. Everyone whose life Ann touched knew that they were loved and they loved her back just as much. She was a warm, caring, compassionate and funny woman. She knew how to make you laugh and was fun to be around. She will be deeply missed by all. She is survived by her daughters Brenda Brooks (Nine Mile Falls, WA) and Raine Ann Mortimer (San Francisco, CA), her son, Edward Mortimer and his wife Helen (Milton Kings, England) and her "son" Larry Brooks (Cheney, WA). Four Grandchildren: Alek Brooks (Nine Mile Falls, WA), Keely Mount and her husband Derrick (Spokane, WA), Kristy Garrison (Spokane, WA) and Christian Edward Matthew (Lompoc, CA). Four Great Grandchildren: Kaitlin Ann (Lompoc, CA), and Caylie, Ally and Delilah (Spokane, WA).  She is also survived by her sisters Mary and Marlene, and her brother Mick as well as numerous nieces and nephews (All of Leicester, England). She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Jack and Michael and her sister Sheila.  The family would like to send a big thank you to Dr. Anthony and all his caring staff at Evergreen Hematology and Oncology Clinic; also to Dr. Amy Echelberger as well as all the wonderful people at Providence Holy Family Hospital in the Emergency Room, the Advanced Care Unit and Respiratory Services who not only helped take care of Ann and her family while she was there but went way above and beyond the standards of care. Another very special thank you to all the "extended family" from the LDS Nine Mile Falls Ward who provided a huge amount of love, support and help. And to Gary Clark and his staff at Smart Cremations.     Arrangements under the direction of Smart Cremation, Spokane, WA.