With great sadness, we share that our very dear friend and colleague Ann Winfred passed away on October 12, 2016.  Ann was a highly valued Center colleague for over 15 years, but even more so, she was our friend.

There are too many memories and descriptions of Ann that come to mind to be able to write them all in one place.  For some high points, she will always be remembered for her festive, brutally honest sense of humor and the tremendously soft heart she had for her friends.  She never suffered fools lightly. She smoked cigarettes and drank pretty much whenever she wanted.  Townes Van Zandt was one of her favorite artists, and she hung out with the likes of Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings on the side roads of Texas many, many years ago.  She could always tell – or do something to make — a good story.

After twenty years of living in Honolulu, Hawaii, Ann said “see you later” to island living and started the next part of her life journey in the Ozark Mountains.  After the move, she began working at the Center in August of 2000, providing administrative support to the American Agricultural Law Association (AALA) at a time when the AALA was housed at the Center.  When AALA relocated, Ann rolled with the punches and became the Center’s Publication and Information Specialist.  In that role, she helped with virtually everything the Center did – editing publications, website planning, website development and updates, the Center’s online newsletter, managing the Center’s listserv, and much of the day-to-day business of the Center. The Center expanded tremendously during that time, and absolutely none of it would have been possible without her.

In April of 2011, Ann “retired” from the Center and moved to Corpus Christi, Texas where she lived until just a few days ago.  Knowing Ann, you can imagine her delight when among her retirement gifts was a large bottle of tequila and several packs of cigarettes stuffed into an Easter basket.  She remarked something along the lines of “This should get me through most of the road trip to Texas.”  We all hugged and she told us “see you later” before pulling out of the restaurant parking lot to head out for Corpus Christi.  A few months passed by and, fortunately, Ann began working for the Center again up until just a few days ago.

We are profoundly thankful to have known Ann, worked with her, and to have shared part of her great life journey.  We will always miss Ann, and take solace in knowing that the happiness of remembering her overshadows the sadness of learning that she passed away.

Ann never liked to say “goodbye” and would instead part ways with something like “ta ta,” “mahalo” or “see you later.”  Ann, we’ll always remember you by all the good times and good laughs that we had.  See you later, our friend.  We’ll miss you.