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In October, 2000, when our beloved daughter Anne's
life ended in an inexplicable, dreadful accident, we believe she was enjoying the best years of her life. In 1997 she had
chosen to leave a promising career as a television producer to become a full-time mother. She wanted to be the one to raise
her daughter Moriah, who was 18 months old at that time.
She entered this phase of her life with the same zeal and
enthusiasm that she approached everything she cared about. Books were everywhere in the Gaynor home: parenting manuals, age-appropriate
picture and story books, carefully documented scrap books of her family's adventures and trips, and developmental journals
of her daughters' progress.
When Moriah entered pre-school, Anne was one of the mothers who could always be counted
upon to volunteer at activities. When Moriah began Kindergarten, only two months before her mommy's death, the teachers quickly
spotted Anne as the parent to go to when they needed help. Both in nursery school and kindergarten, teachers noted that Anne,
more often than not, included notes and pictures in Moriah's lunch box.
When Tess was born, Anne really hit her stride
and enjoyed every second of Tess's life, filling the void of not witnessing her elder daughter's early milestones. Anne reveled
in watching her baby's growth and told us how she so looked forward each day to Tess's waking up from her nap. She would call
out "Mommy!", stand up in her crib, and clap her hands when she saw Anne's face. It was what Anne called,"My daily standing
ovation."
Avrum said in his eulogy for his wife that Anne accomplished more things in her 37 years than most people
do in a normal life span. Through her many and varied volunteer efforts, beginning in high school and college, she displayed
her very earnest belief that we are all responsible for one another. She embodied the basic tenet of Judaism: Tikun Olam,
the repair of the world. Each of her siblings continues in this tradition. Morty is founder and director of a charter school
in New York; Toby is the director of education for the Jewish Outreach Partnership in a Philadelphia suburb; and Sheila is
communications director for Good Schools Pennsylvania, an organization dedicated to reforming the funding of public education.
Anne was very proud of all of them and delighted in their successes.
Our family has established, through the San Antonio
Jewish Federation, the Anne Ballen Gaynor Endowment Fund to benefit children's charitable and educational organizations. We
believe this fund is the perfect memorial to Anne's devotion to the well-being of our children and the world. Additionally,
Morty is dedicating a library at his EXPLORE School in New York to Anne's memory. It will be called Anne's Book Corner (ABC)
and will encourage a love of reading among the Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders whom the school serves. The library
will grow as the student body grows.
Anne - Page Two
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