Anne L. Bloch

Anne L. Bloch, 97, passed away Wednesday, January 14, 2015, in Kingwood, Texas. She was born July 2, 1917, in Toledo, Ohio to Frank and Bertha (Truna) Szofer. She was the fourth of five children. She married Raymond Bloch on January 2, 1942. During the Second World War, she worked at a defense plant making parts for the Norton bombsight while her husband was overseas. After the war they raised three sons. Anne was a great homemaker and wonderful gardener. She enjoyed crafts of all kinds including painting intricate Easter eggs. She loved to play cards with family and at her neighborhood poker club for 55 years. Anne also enjoyed spending time at their summer home at Lake LeAnn in Michigan. Anne is survived by daughter-in-law Christine (Carl), of Wayland, Massachusetts, son Christopher (Suzanne) of Kingwood, Texas, son Kenneth (Christine) of Toledo. Anne had nine grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Her husband Raymond, former Blade art director, and son Carl preceded her in death. Friends may visit at the Coyle Funeral Home, 1770 S. Reynolds Rd., Toledo, on Monday, January 19, 2015, from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. with a Scripture Service at 7 p.m. Funeral services will begin at the mortuary on Tuesday starting at 9:15 a. m. followed by the Funeral Mass at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of the donor’s choice. Anne Bloch Eulogy On July 2nd, 1917 Frank and Bertha Szofer (Shof-fer) received from the Lord a new baby girl and named her Anne. Anne was the fourth of five children. Family was always important for Frank and Bertha and was important to Anne as well. Anne met her future husband Ray at a young age, they were engaged but postponed their wedding as Ray was drafted in 1940 to serve a year in the Army. His service was scheduled to be completed on December 31st of 1941. Pearl Harbor changed Ray’s plan to leave the Army, but before he was shipped off to fight the war Ray and Anne were married on January 3rd of 1941. While Ray was at war, Anne got a job at the Toledo Scale factory. She used a microscope to work on tiny gears that were part of the top secret Norton bombsight. She was very proud of doing this work. Anne had a knack for doing fine detailed work. Later in life, she used her talent in crafts of all kinds including intricately painted Easter eggs. When the war ended, Ray and Anne had three children and bought a home in the Beverly section of South Toledo. They were one of the first families of OLPH Parish. Life included many family gatherings, baptisms, communions, confirmations and weddings. Ray and Anne built a cottage on a lake in Michigan and enjoyed many family gatherings there. Anne loved to bake, to garden and make crafts of all kinds. Anne always liked her sweets. She also liked to play cards; she helped start a neighborhood poker club that continued for over fifty years. But most of all she loved to play cards with Ray and the rest of her family. Ray died at age 78 after a long struggle with cancer. Anne cared for Ray and never complained. Anne seemed to have endless energy. She would continue to cut her own lawn well into her eighties. When she could no longer mow the lawn, she would insist on sweeping the walks. As Anne advanced into her late nineties, age and illness took a toll. She could no longer garden and she stopped making crafts. But she could still play cards and family was still the center of her life. She was thrilled when her extended family all came together to celebrate her 97th birthday. In the last weeks of her life, many of the things that once seemed important began to fade. She no longer remembered her work during the war, she lost her taste for sweets and could no longer make crafts. In time she could no longer play cards. Only family and God remained. In the hospital she called out, “Please Lord help me”. When the minister to the sick brought her communion she would rally and pray along with the “Our Father”. As she declined into a semi-conscious state and received the Last Rites, she remained silent until the priest began the Lord’s Prayer. She said the prayer along with the priest. “And deliver us from evil, Amen” were the last words that she spoke. In the end what truly gave Anne comfort was family and the Lord.

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Anne L. Bloch

July 2, 1917 - January 14, 2015