Anne M. Ryan, 60, of Marlborough

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Anne M. RyanMarlborough – Anne M. Ryan, née O’Rourke, 60, died peacefully Saturday December 4, 2021, after a sudden illness.  Anne was born in Boulder CO, the eldest daughter of Thomas O’Rourke of Essex CT and the late Mary Jane O’Rourke, née Glade. Anne grew up in the New Haven area of Connecticut and lived in Marlborough, MA for over 30 years.

Anne is survived by her husband, Paul Ryan, her father, Thomas O’Rourke and three siblings — two sisters Ellen O’Rourke of New Haven, CT, Katie O’Rourke of Boulder, CO and her brother Tony O’Rourke of West Hartford, CT. She is also survived by her cherished nephew and nieces Sean, Kate and Shannon Foley. She will be missed greatly by her many aunts and uncles.

As a “little person” Anne did face many challenges in life, but she would not let those challenges defeat her. She was born with a rare form of chondrodystrophy and had vision and hearing impairments. Everyone who knew Anne, though, soon discovered that inside that small and seemingly delicate package beat the biggest and most loving heart imaginable. She drew faith and inspiration from a depth that most simply cannot reach and those that knew her were the true beneficiaries.

Anne graduated from St. Mary’s high school and attended Southern Connecticut State College in New Haven, CT. Through her many years attending the Easterseals Camp Hemlocks accessible programs, she made many lifelong friends. Anne enjoyed creative writing. She was an avid crocheter and shared her colorful creations with friends and family. It gave her great pleasure to connect with extended family and friends through social media and email. Her last days were spent joyfully writing Christmas cards, selecting the perfect gifts for friends and family, and watching Christmas movies.

Please come and help us celebrate Anne’s life. In Marlborough, visiting hours will be held on Wednesday December 15th from 3-5 pm in the Short & Rowe Funeral Home, 95 West Main St. Marlborough (www.shortandrowefuneralhome.com).

For those in other areas, a mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Friday December 17th at 1 PM at St Rita’s Church in Hamden, CT and will be followed by inurnment at Whitneyville Cemetery in Hamden, CT.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to enrich the lives of other Camp Hemlocks’ campers. Please specify your gift is for Camp Hemlocks in Memory of Anne Ryan and send to Michael Hoffer Director of Annual Giving 120 Holcomb St Hartford CT 06112 or donate through their website:  https://oakhillct.org/donate-to-oak-hill/.

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