Anna Demers, 50, devoted wife, loving mother
WOBURN- Anna M. (Soares) Demers, of Woburn, Thursday July 26, passed away after a courageous 12 year battle with cancer. The beloved wife of Eugene L. Demers, she was fifty years of age.
Born in Madeira, Portugal, she was the loving daughter of Manuel D. Soares, and the late Maria Soares. Immigrating with her family to Woburn in 1969, she graduated from Woburn High School in the Class of 1981. While attending Woburn High School, she met the love of her life at driver’s education class, Eugene L. Demers.
Shortly after being married in 1984, Anna and her husband decided to start a family in Woburn. After the birth of their two children, Anna and Eugene became homeowners just a short walk from Horn Pond.
Anna had several jobs during her life working for Allstate Insurance, the Office of the Treasurer/Collector at Woburn City Hall, Winchester Hospital Laboratory, and occasionally filling-in at the Woburn High School Guidance office. However, Anna’s true passion in life was raising her family. Her family was her life.
Having been diagnosed with brain cancer in 2001, Anna underwent several surgeries and treatments. Anna did not let this diagnosis dictate the way she lived the rest of her life. She started working with the Brain Tumor Society advocating for brain tumor research, she joined support groups to help others cope with their disease, and she was a regular fixture at the Woburn Relay for Life, raising money for cancer research through the American Cancer Society. Her spirit and hope led to her fight with her disease lasting a remarkable 12 years.
In addition to her mother, she was predeceased by her brother Carlos Soares, and her father-in-law, Eugene A. Demers.
She is lovingly survived by her husband, Eugene L. Demers, her children Joseph and Kristiana. She was the loving sister of Joseph and his wife Cheryl of Woburn, John Paul and his wife Theresa of Woburn, Anthony and his wife Kimberly of Tennessee, and Candido Soares of Woburn. She was the cherished aunt of Amanda and David Soares of Woburn and Anthony and Cassandra Soares of Tennessee. She is also loved by many family members, both living locally and abroad.
Funeral services will be from the McLaughlin- Dello Russo Funeral Home, 60 Pleasant St. WOBURN on Tuesday July 31st at 9 a.m. followed by a celebration of Anna's life at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 280 Main Street, Woburn at 10 AM. Services will conclude with burial at Calvary Cemetery, Winchester. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours on Monday, July 30th from 4 to 8pm.
Anna's family respectfully requests that in lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Anna's name to the National Brain Tumor Society, 124 Watertown Street, Suite 2D, Watertown, MA 02472