Annabel “Ann” Messing, 93, passed away Jan. 22, 2017, at the BeeHive Home in Columbia Falls.
She was born to Sedrick and Vera Portner Landreth in Freeport, Illinois, where she grew up. She graduated from Freeport High School and completed two years at Illinois State University in Normal.
Like many of her generation, her college years were cut short by World War II. She left college to marry Marvin “Skeez” Messing, days before he joined the Navy. While Skeez was in the Pacific, Ann worked for Kraft Foods. She often told the story about while working at Kraft, she misplaced an entire boxcar of cheese and the mystery was never solved. After the war, Ann and Skeez settled in Freeport where they raised two daughters, Pam and Kris.
Ann had diverse interests. She worked as a buyer and bookkeeper for the family business, Messing and Becker Sporting Goods. She loved fishing for white bass and crappie on Lake Wisconsin. Involvement in her community was important to her. She volunteered for years as a “Pink Lady” at the hospital and helped organize the first polio vaccination clinic in Freeport. During the ‘60s she was active in the Civil Rights Movement. Ann belonged to a P.E.O., Philanthropic Educational Organization, chapter in Freeport and also loved singing in the choir at her church, Grace Episcopal.
Ann and Skeez retired to Whitefish to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. In her new home, Ann again dedicated her time to her church, Holy Nativity in Whitefish, and later Christ Church Episcopal, Kalispell. She helped found the Touch of Grace free medical clinic in Kalispell and scheduled workers during its initial years. Ann loved a variety of needlework ... crewel, knitting, needlepoint. The Christmas stockings designed by Skeez and stitched by Ann for her three grandchildren are petit point masterpieces. She also expressed her creativity through rosemaling and gardening. She opened her heart and home to an endless parade of wildlife brought home by her family.
She endured a bullfrog in the dining room, a skunk and raccoon in her antique pump organ, a crow in the hall closet and snakes hibernating in the basement. In order to feed this menagerie, she developed the uncanny skill of stalking katydids without a flashlight.
Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Skeez, and sister Kay Landreth Dotlich.
She is survived by daughters, Pam Messing Hughes (Dick) of Whitefish, and Kris Messing of Stevensville; and grandchildren, Brennan and Spencer Hughes and Lindsay Dalby. She is also survived by two beloved exchange student daughters, Hiroko Nakamura of Tokyo and Marta Dantas of Sao Carlos, Brazil.
A private family service will be held in the spring.
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home in Kalispell is handling the arrangements.