Anne Wadley Ebert

1943 – 2022

Anne Christine Wadley Ebert died on August 15, 2022, following a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Anne was born on Dec. 18, 1943, the daughter of Bryce Nephi and Angelyn Warnick Wadley, in Salt Lake City. Her father was a member of the U.S. Army and stationed in Salt Lake. A brother, James Bryce, joined in family in 1945. After the war, the family moved to Ames, Iowa, where her father received his PhD degree, and where another brother, Robert Kent, joined the family. After receiving his degree, Bryce accepted a USDA research position based at Utah State University (then Agricultural College), and the family moved to Providence, where two more sisters, Carma Lois and Joy Marie, joined the family. Anne grew up in Providence. When she was 5, her mother contracted polio and lost the full use of her arms; so very early on, Anne, as the oldest, took on a lot of responsibility for helping around the house and dealing with her younger siblings, developing traits of helpfulness and caring that lasted throughout her life. She attended South Cache High School, where she was active in debate, marching band and orchestra, served as yearbook editor and was named Junior Prom queen. She received a degree in history from USU, where she also played in the orchestra. She received a master’s degree from University of Colorado in Boulder. Anne married Jan R. Parkinson and moved with him to St. Paul, Minn., where he completed his education. They had one daughter, Heather Kathleen. They later divorced. Anne met and married David A. Ebert in 1983, and he brought two children, Monica and Matthew, to the household. Anne taught school in St. Paul, most of her career at Johnson High School, where she taught everything from history and English to civics and psychology. She was chosen as Teacher of the Year by the student body multiple times. She loved teaching and working with students. David also taught chemistry at the school. They also enjoyed sailing, and participated in sailing races at Lake Pepin. After their retirement, they moved to Cache Valley, where they settled in Smithfield, but also continued their enjoyment of sailing at Bear Lake, and David became active in local music and theater circles. Anne loved going to concerts and plays that he participated in. Anne entered what she called her “quilting period.” She made countless beautiful and creative works of quilted art. She belonged to several quilt guilds and also enjoyed sharing her talent with friends and family. She also enjoyed knitting, and made many beautiful sweaters, vests and other items. She liked looking for antiques, reading mysteries, reading poetry, listening to opera, working in the garden, watching hockey games, playing games with family (Phase 10 was a favorite) and eating ice cream. She also enjoyed animals and over the years was parent to numerous cats and dogs. She claimed to be a homebody, but did enjoy traveling to places such as Austria, Acapulco, Egypt and Canada. She loved her “sisters’ reunions” on visits to Washington D.C., Toronto and Prince Edward’s Island. But her favorite travels were to see her grandchildren in Wisconsin. A tribute by her granddaughter Jessie sums up her approach to life: “She taught me to knit, baked cookies with me every single time I saw her, and listened intently to my elaborate stories and living-room flute recitals. She sent me letters through snail mail and reminded me cursive is important. She always encouraged me to be all the things I wanted to be when I grew up, and to always be a benefit to society and family; to know all people are my people and to preach as loud as I can that all people are people.” Anne was preceded in death by her parents and Brother James. She is survived by her husband, David, daughter Heather (Bill) Robers and their children, Jessie (Isaac) Dickenson, Jacob and Nicholas, as well as her stepchildren, Monica (Brian Kinstead) and her daughter Terra and son Forest, Matthew and his daughter Analise, and her beloved dogs Marley and Bear, and cats, Toby and Zoey, who had been her special companion at Maple Springs.

To remember and honor Anne, donations may be made to the Angelyn W. & Bryce N. Wadley Scholarship Endowment in the College of Agriculture & Applied Science.  The scholarship benefits junior and senior students who are pursuing a degree in Plants, Soils, and Biometeorology.