Anna Ristoff Woollett's Obituary
Anna Ristoff Woollett passed into eternal peace on Monday, September 22. Anna started her life in Bedford, Ohio on April 25, 1928. Her mother, Nevena had arrived with her cousins from Yugoslavia to be with her father, James after being apart for 10 years! Nevena and James wasted no time and within 5 years the 4 Ristoff sisters were born (Helen, Verna, Marge and Anna). Their brother Lambo, was born in Yugoslavia 10 years earlier. They enjoyed years of growing up together – from simple pleasures at home and in their family store – to visits with Macedonian friends – to summers at the Jack and Jill ranch in MI. Once the sisters all moved to Strongsville – they were known as the quadruplets around town, always together with everyone not really sure which one was which!
Anna met Richard (deceased, 2018)– while she was a secretary at NASA (then NACA). They married in 1954 and started a family a few years later. Anna was an amazing mother to 3 daughters – Laura Woollett of Mason, OH, Susan Dexter (Turo) of Alexandria, VA and Linda Sill (Bruce) of Glastonbury, CT. Anna was filled with kindness and compassion, and always had a smile on her face! She was involved in so many community activities – PTA, Welcome Wagon (she was perfect for that one!), Red Hats, bridge club, Strongsville Community Band Board and the Strongsville Historical Society. It seemed as if Anna knew everyone in Strongsville at one time or another!
Anna started another new phase of her life at 90 (!) when she moved to Mason, OH to live closer to her daughter, Laura. Even at 90, she was the heartbeat and light of her new assisted living community. Playing board games with her family and her new friends in Mason, was a favorite way to spend her time.
She leaves behind 5 adoring grandchildren – Larry (Kimi) of Boston, Brian (Anisa) of NYC, Elizabeth of Columbus, Emily of Boston and Ethan attending LSU. She would make them laugh and feel like they were the most special people in the world. She was also very close with her niece Barb Frederick (Bob) and nephew Jim Rhodes (Mary). Sadly, Anna was the last of the great Ristoff Macedonians in the family.
The family will welcome those wishing to pay their respects at Jardine Funeral Home, 15822 Pearl Road, Strongsville from 4pm – 6pm on Friday, October 3rd and at a memorial service at Berea United Methodist Church, 170 Seminary Street, Berea at 11am on Saturday, October 4th.
The burial will take place privately in the family plot at the Strongsville Cemetery.
If you would like to make a donation in Anna’s memory, please do so to BrightFocus Foundation 22512 Gateway Center Dr., Clarksburg, MD 20871-2005 (https://Brightfocus.org) for their research and support with Macular Degeneration.
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