Anne Carruthers Allison
November 20, 1938 to August 7, 2022

Anne Carruthers Allison (always Anne with E, please) was a vibrant soul, and her strength, integrity and resilience will be remembered in so many ways by those who knew and loved her.

Anne bloomed wherever she was planted and spent her childhood living around southern Ontario with her parents Carl and Jean and brother Ben, before settling in Stayner, Ontario and growing up there. She had stories to tell from every part of her life.

Raised by Carl and Jean with a spirit of adventure, Anne delighted in travelling every summer to her mother’s hometown in New Brunswick, developing a lifelong love of the water, be it lake or ocean, Georgian Bay, backyard pool, the Hawaiian Pacific or the Bay of Fundy. Once she started at Collingwood District Collegiate Institute, the jig was up. She met Paul Allison when she was 16 and he was 17 and they were together from that moment until their 62nd wedding anniversary, the day before she died.

Anne and Paul delighted in their children Jane and Greg and were fun parents. After raising their children in Burlington, Anne and Paul returned to Collingwood and never looked back. They thrived as part of the community, building businesses and careers and friendships, and giving back. Anne created social enterprises in her life, from starting the Handi-van program in Burlington; leadership in the Halton and Ontario MS Societies; creating Halton Helping Hands; running Information Burlington; operating a retail business for many years; and enjoying later in life career success as a Job Coach for Breaking Down Barriers in Collingwood.

Gifted with a great capacity for happiness and a soul-deep kindness, Anne was a friend to everyone as well as to herself. Diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer in 2006, she launched a strategy to beat the odds and had many good years of thriving. Those left behind are bereft but there is a glimmer of peace that will grow over time as we will all take pleasure in the many great memories of Anne.

Anne leaves her husband Paul Allison, and children Jane and Greg; her
brother Dr. Ben Carruthers and his wife Cheryl, and their children and grandchildren; and the Brown/Lemin and Brown/Dalton families in Maine. Anne had a legion of friends, colleagues and associates gathered throughout her lifetime, and especially the gang from high school at CDCI. Anne had friends of all ages and it is one of the aspects of her life that she cherished. Of special note are Helen Taylor and Ruth Daniels, who each defines the term ‘friendship’ in their devotion to Anne.

Our deep appreciation to the skillful and amazing doctors, nurses and scientists who treated Anne with the utmost respect and dignity along her 16-year journey, especially Dr. Mark Quigg and his wonderful staff.

Cremation has taken place. A celebration of Anne’s life will be scheduled at a future date. You may sign the book of condolences at www.fawcettfuneralhomes.com. If you would like to honour Anne with a donation, she would love that. Collingwood General & Marine Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital and New Life Church all had great meaning for Anne.

A final note befitting the daughter of a Latin teacher:
Tu supra modum ameris – you are loved beyond measure.