Ann Margaret Calam
Obituary Reports the death of an individual, providing an account of the person’s life including their achievements, any controversies in which they were involved, and reminiscences by people who knew them.
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ann Margaret Calam of Cortlandt Manor. She died peacefully on Mar. 12 with her beloved husband and family by her side. She was 85 years old.
Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, on May 13, 1937, Ann was the daughter of Lewis and Margaret (nee Pierron) Brennan. She is survived by two younger brothers, Matthew (Roxanne) Brennan and Edward (Lois) Brennan.
Although she left Portsmouth when she was 10, she was always a country girl at heart. She loved recounting stories about farm life and summers along the Ohio River.
She moved to Ossining in 1947 and graduated from Ossining High School in 1954. It was the summer before her senior year that she met her husband, Henry Dilaway Calam, at the tennis courts in the village. They courted throughout his time at Princeton University and during his Navy service. They married on Sept. 12, 1964, in the Old Dutch Church in North Tarrytown and moved to Furnace Dock Road where they lived together for over 50 years.
Ann attended and then worked at Briarcliff College until she had her second child. Besides raising a family, she was an active member of the Garden Club and heavily involved in community and school functions. When Ann was not volunteering or gardening, she spent her time pursuing her passion for travel, whether she was visiting her children at college or cruising with her husband. She was a member of the Peekskill Presbyterian Church where she volunteered her time in the thrift shop and taught cooking at Bible camp.
She returned to the workforce when her youngest was in elementary school, working as a teacher’s assistant and library aide at Blue Mountain Middle School for almost 20 years. She enjoyed hosting volleyball tournaments for her co-workers and tennis parties for her friends and neighbors. She was a member of Westchester Country Club and Shattemuc Yacht Club. During the summer, she and the “pool ladies” were seen gossiping and laughing. Ann was also an avid reader, bridge player, knitter, gardener and baker. Her infamous cookie parties were loved by many generations, and her cookies became a staple at swim meets, soccer games and lunchrooms at many lucky workplaces.
Ann was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She is survived by her husband of 58 years and three children: Elisabeth C. Gougelmann of Cortlandt Manor, Henry M. Calam of Greenwich, Conn. and Whitney (Laurence) Finnerty of Warwick. She has six grandchildren, Amanda, Jennifer and David Gougelmann, Claire Calam and Katherine and Matthew Finnerty, and nephews Connor, Andrew and William.
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