With several family members around her, Claremont resident Anne Powell died at home on March 3, 2009. She was 78.

Ms. Powell was born in New York City on June 19, 1930, the daughter of Sherman and Dorothy Hooker.  She attended school in White Plains, New York until her family moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1945.

Beginning high school in Tucson, Ms. Powell found fun, challenge and her first Arizona friendship in the game of tennis, inspired to the sport by her physical education teacher. This first companion she made became a lifelong friend, with their friendship enduring even through their tennis court competitiveness.

After graduating from Tucson High School, Ms. Powell went to Pomona College where she met her future husband, Patrick Powell, at one of the college’s weekly formal dinners. Upon arriving, students would pick up a colored piece of paper that dictated their seating arrangement.

“I happened to be seated at the table where Anne was acting as hostess,” Mr. Powell commented. “We caught each other’s attention and it went on from there.”

Their 56 of years of marriage, Mr. Powell said, was “long, but not long enough.”

In 1953, Ms. Powell began her elementary school teaching career in Germany where she and her husband lived in Mainz.  She enjoyed substitute teaching in an American military school during their 16 months there.

Upon returning to the states, Ms. Powell and her husband settled in Glendale, Arizona where Mr. Powell attended the American Institute for Foreign Trade and she took teacher’s training at Arizona State University and taught first grade.  She stepped away from teaching to raise 3 children, but returned when the youngest was in school. In 1978, she shifted careers and began working in real estate, retiring in 2002 as an associate broker with Wheeler Steffen.

An avid tennis player throughout her life, in her later years Ms. Powell enjoyed walking and activities at The Claremont Club, especially Aqua Aerobics. Also an enthusiastic traveler, she loved to explore the world with her husband.

Ms. Powell is survived by her husband, Patrick Powell; by her son and daughter-in-law, Andy and Paula Bustamante Powell; by her daughter, Anne Elizabeth Powell; by her daughter and son-in-law, Susan and Lee Blazevich; and by her grandson, Albert Blazevich.

According to her family, Ms. Powell considered herself a cancer survivor for almost 4 years.

“She fought a valiant battle against the disease,” wrote the family in a remembrance.

Services were held yesterday, March 6, 2009, at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church.

Memorial donations may be made to The Robert and Beverly Lewis Family Cancer Center, 1910 Royalty Dr., Pomona, CA 91767.