Anna A. M. (Schurian) Ruggiera was born in Boston, MA July 16, 1928. She grew up on Hale Avenue in Medford, MA in the house that her parents, Bernhard and Alwine (Ruck) Schurian purchased when they moved to this country from Germany in 1926.
Growing up, her mother would take her and her two younger brothers to the maternal family scientific farm in Germany. When the war broke out in 1939, they were on the last boat out of Europe to the USA.
Anna went to the public schools in Medford, graduating from Medford High School. She graduated from nursing school in Norwell, MA as a LPN.
An avid gardener, Anna had flowers from the first sign of spring to the first snow of winter. Anna also had a vegetable garden and fruit trees where she did all her own preserving and making jelly, jams and juices. Anna was also a fabulous baker who never shied away from trying a new recipe.
Living in Rochester, New Hampshire since 1958, Anna was active with PWP, bowling and playing cards with her many friends. She traveled extensively in Europe, Canada and the Caribbean. She enjoyed the cruises that she took later in her life. Anna’s last cruise was in October 2006 to Hawaii.
In 1980, Anna fulfilled a lifelong dream to own a “small” guesthouse on the beach. She and her daughter Barbara bought the Avon Hotel on Hampton Beach –running it until 1988 when they sold the hotel and moved back to Rochester.
Through out her time in Rochester, Anna worked as a nurse at Frisbee Memorial Hospital and at Dr. Richard Roy’s pediatrician’s office. Anna loved helping people and being around children.
When Anna’s own grandchildren went to school at Tri City Christian Academy, she always attended their athletic activities. She was thrilled when she was able to work as a receptionist at Tri City Christian Academy part time as she could then watch all the children grow. Being a life long sports fan (Boston teams were her favorites) she went to all of the children’s games and a lot of the practices, alwayscheering them on.
It was Anna’s wish that the athletic activities would continue to go strong at TCCA. She has requested that her friends donate to an athletic fund in her name at Tri City Christian Academy, 150 High Street, Somersworth, NH 03878 instead of flowers.
Anna is survived by two daughters: Anna N. Ruggiera of Lynn, MA, where she spent her last year in good care; and Barbara and her husband Danny Brake of Chesapeake, VA and Rochester, NH, where she spent her last Christmas and two weeks in June going to the beaches in VA and NC; her three grandchildren, Christopher Butler of Rochester, Ashley Butler in college in NY and Pistol Pete of VA and NH; and her special great grandson, Casper of Rochester. She is survived by her brother Herbert and his wife Nancy Schurian of Melrose, MA, her niece Susan and her family, her nephews Robert and Cortland and his wife Mare of CA, and many wonderful cousins from Germany. Her parents and her brother Benny preceded her in death.
Graveside services were held Thursday September 13 at 11:30 AM at Oak Grove Cemetery in West Medford, MA. Relatives and friends were welcome to attend a Memorial Service at Tri City Covenant Church, 150 West High Street, Somersworth, NH on Saturday, September 15, 2007 at 10 AM. A reception with light food will be held there after the memorial.