Anna May (Hamrock) Pavlenkov, 88, of Lawrence, passed into eternal life in the early hours of October 19, 2014.
Born in Chicago, IL, she was raised in Lawrence, a place where her civic pride and unwavering support of the city and its people defined her days.
Anna’s infectious personality and willingness to befriend everyone she encountered rewarded her with a life full of close family ties, warm friendships, and many pleasant conversations with anyone around her. She loved being active, whether physically, socially, or municipally. She was a longtime member of the YWCA in Lawrence, where she enjoyed participating in many forms of exercise, especially swimming. She also enjoyed cycling and long walks with her husband well into their later years. In addition, Anna was a proto-environmentalist, who meticulously recycled, helped to organize several river cleanups and was an active member of the Greater Lawrence Environmental Action Council, who successfully created awareness of many environmental issues around the Merrimack Valley. She also served on the Lawrence Democratic City Committee after a personal invite from Massachusetts State Senator William X. Wall.
Anna was truly a woman of many talents. A skilled cake decorator, she was an employee of Miville’s Bakery in Lawrence for 27 years, where she enjoyed a large following, and also served as the secretary of the Bakery and Confectioner Workers’ Union.
Most important to Anna was her family, however. She was a dedicated wife and mother, and especially relished her role as “Grammy” to her four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, with who she spent countless memorable hours. She particularly loved leading holiday sing-alongs at family piano with them.
She will be missed dearly by her loving family and friends.
Her funeral services will take place on Friday, October 24th, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. in St. Xenia Russian Orthodox Church, 170 N. Lowell Street in Methuen, Massachusetts. Her burial will follow in the St. Xenia Russian Orthodox Cemetery in Methuen, MA. Arrangements are under the direction of the John Breen Memorial Funeral Home, Inc., 122 Amesbury Street, Lawrence, MA. For online condolences and other information please visit us at www.breenfuneralhome.com.