Anne Elizabeth Wykoff
Anne “Annie” Elizabeth Wykoff, 72, of Erie, Pennsylvania, died peacefully at home in her sleep, on Sunday, August 15, 2021.
Born in Warren, Pennsylvania on August 4, 1949, she was the daughter of the late Gladys Nelson Kirberger Wykoff and Robert Hoover Wykoff. (Annie never bragged about her dad being related to President Herbert Hoover!)
Annie grew up primarily in New Jersey, and graduated from high school in Washington, Iowa. Shortly thereafter, the entire family located to Erie, Pennsylvania. Annie was a really hard worker and joined a Union shop. She shortly became the Union representative and fervently, throughout every day of her life, was an ardent fighter for labor and for social justice for all people.
She attended Behrend University, now Penn State Behrend, and majored in Chemistry and Psychology. She was a research chemist specializing in rubber and adhesives, and was a “chemist extraordinaire”. She began work with the Lord Corporation in Erie, and went on to work for Uniroyal, Uniroyal Goodrich, Michelin, and finally Ameripol-Synpol. She was a remarkable and prolific inventor. She traveled the world widely, managed plants, established plants and was renowned in each and every one of them.
She retired at age 52 from Ameripol-Synpol, the largest synthetic rubber plant in the world where she was technical director. She came back to Erie to take care of her ill mama.
At that time, Annie started her second career at the Barber Center, and touched the lives of an uncountable number of people with grace and humor. She gave her charges love, confidence and kindness. Every one of her students loved her.
Annie volunteered widely with the American Red Cross, traveling to different disaster areas to bring relief, comfort and caring to those in most desperate need. She was a member of the scrabble club in Erie, could easily play 30 games at a time with people from all over the world, and actually wrote crossword puzzles for the New York Times and other major publications. Incidentally, she got paid far better for those crossword puzzles than she did for any of her amazing inventions.
While a chemist in the Midwest, Annie met and married George “Ed” Colley. She cheerfully took on the “mom” role with Ed’s two children from his prior marriage, Carolyn “Carrie” Colley Hawley and Michelle Perry. She cheerfully helped raise the step-grandchildren, including Robin Hawley, Nate Hawley and Ashley Perry. Ed predeceased Annie shortly before Annie moved back to Erie.
Annie has four siblings who do survive her:
The first is Jean Louise Wykoff Reno, married to Francis “Frank” Reno; three children, Christopher (Kristen) Reno, and their children, Libby, Gabriel and Jeremiah; Tim Reno, married to Angela, and their four children, Caitlin, Victoria, Xavier and Alexzander; and, Robert “Rob” Reno. Everyone lives in Erie.
Brother Robert “Bill” William Wykoff lives in Erie, PA.
Brother John Wykoff, Erie, PA, with one son, Andrew (Danielle) Wykoff, and children Silas Zakk Trace and Grayson.
Lastly, sister Mary Kathryn (Tom) Johnson. Mary’s three daughters, Elizabeth “Lizzy” (Bill) Stage and Laura (Chris) Graham were the apple of Annie’s eye, as were Lizzy’s four children, Parker, Reagan, Samantha and Benny, and Laura’s two children, Ayden and Abigail, and Rachel Johnson, with Tom.
Annie left many, many dear, kind and wonderful friends, all of whom are grieving deeply – Zanita, Agnes, Carol, Terry, Betty, Mel, Bob, Jason, and on and on. Everyone loved Annie. She was the kindest, gentlest and most patient soul this author has ever known. Tikkun Olam is healing the world through acts of kindness. Annie spread Tikkun Olam throughout the world. Although she was an ardent atheist, she was certainly an honorary Jew. She lived her life with kindness, never judging, always helping, and always smiling.
Our heartfelt thanks to UPMC Hospice. Christina, Denny, Kathleen and RAs, provided great strength and comfort. We all thank you.
The immediate family and friends will meet in a private service. All the children are going to get the biggest rock from the beach they can manage to lift, paint it, and mark where she will rest. A celebration of life will also be held at some near point in the future at TK’s so that all those who knew and loved Annie have an opportunity to celebrate her life with joy, with one last toast.
Buddha once said, “If you know the power of a generous heart, you will not let a single meal pass without giving to others.” Annie lived that maxim.
One final note, as family and friends went outside right after her death, two small fawns walked quietly toward us, directly in the center of the road to her cottage – I believe to pay tribute to Annie and a life well lived.