Elizabeth Anne Saroni, 84

June 10, 1938 — Jan. 2, 2023

Anne was adventurous, daring and funny. Not many would board a ship bound for Canada in their early 20s with their best friend and not much else. Anne’s sharp wit and humor were there until the end, causing much laughter as her family gathered around her at home.

She was born in Blackpool, England, to Arthur William and Elizabeth Thomas Harrison on June 10, 1938. Anne lived at The Grand Hotel, which her parent's owned in Dawlish, England, when she was not at boarding school. (Though, often Anne was pulled from school to help when the cook quit.)

After growing up in war torn Britain, Anne emigrated to Canada and in 1956 started her career in Montreal at British Overseas Airway Corporation (BOAC) after a stint as “a very bad waitress" (her own words). Anne was a strong and ambitious woman that helped pave the way for women in the office environment early on.

If it weren’t for saying “hell no” after being passed up for a promotion at Cargill in the '80s, Anne wouldn’t have met the love of her life, Alfred B. Saroni Jr. At the behest of Alfred’s partner, Warren D. Mooney, Anne joined Liquid Sugars, Inc. as their office manager. It was there that Anne and Alfred’s romance blossomed and continued through their 30-year marriage.

Although a talented business woman, at her core Anne was an artist and an animal lover. Decorating after work and sewing Halloween costumes early on for family and later for their annual NYE Follies. Anne also had a green thumb, loved to garden and had a thing for peonies. Not surprisingly, Anne lost her zest for life when Alfred died in 2021 in Hayden, Idaho, where they lived with their dog Larry, retired racehorses and barn cat.

Anne is survived by her daughters, Cheryl Anne Zook and Linda Kien; step-children Allison Saroni Tennant, Alfred B. Saroni III and Marion Claire Saroni; grandchildren Devin Thomas Stewart, Lauren Elizabeth Taylor, William Cody House, Randy Hastings and Rob Johnson and their respective spouses and children.

While we all did what we could to make Anne comfortable and happy at the end, from lighting cigarettes, to tea and toast with marmalade or a British fry up, the one thing we couldn’t give Anne at the end was Alfred, which is all she wanted.

At last, they are together again.