Anne Novotny

Anne Novotny

November 25, 1926 - December 06, 2021

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Obituary

Anna E. “Anne” Novotny, age 95, of Madison, Wis., passed away peacefully on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. She was born on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 25, 1926, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Elmer and Marguerite Chandler. She exemplified America’s greatest generation by living her life to the fullest with love, selflessness, bravery, independence, kindness and curiosity.


Anne was raised and spent most of her adult life in the Milwaukee area. She married Ervin Gromowski in 1946. Early in their marriage, they lived in Los Angeles, Calif., for three years, then returned to Wisconsin and lived in New Berlin. They had four children: Michael (Diane) of Canon City, Colo., Sandy (Jeff) Sikich of West Allis, Cindy, and Kim (Rod) Evans of Jenks, Okla. In 1963, Erv died prematurely in part from wounds sustained from the Korean War. After he passed, Anne’s adventurous nature led her to drive her four young children and large dog across the country to California in her station wagon pulling a pop-up camper for an entire summer.


Anne married Alfred “Al” Novotny in 1967 and they had one daughter, Tammy (Kirk) Peter of Middleton. Together, they raised their five children in West Allis and enjoyed weekends with Al’s sons, Tim (JoAnn) of New Berlin, and Tom (Ann) of Waukesha, at their cottage on Fox Lake, then later on Pelican Lake. They enjoyed playing golf and traveling near and far together. When Anne and Al retired, they spent their summer months at Pelican Lake and winter months in Bradenton, Fla.


Anne had a rich and deep history with music. She sang in and directed many church and performance choirs, including Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in West Allis and the El Rancho Singers in Bradenton. Other interests included volunteering at church, gardening, Wii bowling, sewing, swimming, and playing games.


After Al passed away in 2010, Anne continued to split her time between northern Wisconsin and Florida until she moved to All Saints Senior Living Apartments in Madison in 2016. Anne made many dear friends at All Saints and participated in just about every activity and outing offered. Anne was blessed to celebrate her 95th birthday with these friends and many relatives. As she did her entire life, she put all of her energy into her party and looked beautiful, was vibrant, grateful and an inspiration to all.


In addition to her five children and two step-sons, she cherished each of her fifteen grandchildren and eleven great-children. Anne is survived by sisters, Elaine Fenzl and Roberta Friend, both of Phoenix, Ariz. She was preceded in death by her two husbands; sister, Phyllis Hill; and daughter, Cindy.


Services will be held at GUNDERSON WEST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 7435 University Ave., Middleton, at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, with the Rev. Sheryl Erickson presiding. Visitation will be held at the funeral home from 11:30 a.m. until the start of the service on Saturday. Friends and family who wish to view the service via LIVE STREAM may visit Anne’s obituary page at www.gundersonfh.com and click the LIVE WEBCAST link. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Agrace HospiceCare would be appreciated.


The family would like to thank Agrace HospiceCare, All Saints staff and dear friends for their tremendous care and support. We ask God to continue watching over Anne as we will love, respect, and rejoice in the memories we have of her. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.


Gunderson West

Funeral & Cremation Care

7435 University Ave.

(608) 831-6761

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With love and prayers, from Michele Knueppel; Pam and Shawn Welti; and Mark and Laurie Winger
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Erica
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Sending lots of love to all of you back home. We were so saddened to hear of Aunt Ann's passing. Whilst 96 may be a long and wonderful time on this earth, it has always been hard to remember/accept her age and that there might ever be a time that this vibrant, kind, beautiful person will not be with us. (Not the very least when boogying down with her on the dance floor only a few years ago, when she was already 90!) We feel so lucky to have known this wonderful woman, even if family visits have been sporadic. More so still to share her with my own family. Dan and Tressie were both so endeared to her from day one and she was amongst those we most looked forward to seeing every trip back. I attach a few photos of those precious moments (sadly not the best but the only ones at current disposal – and always bring back warm memories). My heart breaks imagining the loss this will be to those closest to her. However I also hope this will be a day of celebrating all that she has brought and been for you and the lives of so many others: elegant, graceful and radiant, yet ever warm, kind and resilient – the classiest example of the classic midwestern girl. As rightly stated in her obituary, She exemplified America’s greatest generation – indeed an inspiration! Biggest, warmest hugs from across the Atlantic. So sorry we cannot deliver them in person today. But hopefully the chance will arise again very soon. Much love, xx Erica, Dan and Tressie
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Michael James Gromowski
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Matt Sikich
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Anne was my grandma and what a wonderful grandmother she was! She was one of the warmest, most caring people that anyone could ever meet. She went through a lot in life. She was born during the Great Depression. She lost her first husband to wounds he had previously sustained while serving in the Korean War. She raised my mom, my uncle and my aunts largely by herself for several years before meeting her second husband, my Grandpa Al, while she was in her early forties. They together had one of my aunts and, having both also had children from their first marriages, they served as a wonderful example of what a “blended modern family" should be all about - sharing unconditional love and support, a lack of judgement, and the willingness to sacrifice for those that may not carry your own blood, but you view as being a part of your own lineage. I'm thankful that she lived a long, mostly healthy life and that I have many wonderful memories of her. From visiting her and my Grandpa Al at their summer time home in Pelican Lake, Wisconsin, to nearly annual trips to their winter home in Bradenton, Florida. Whether it was playing "Cards Against Humanity" with her grand kids or dancing to Lil' Jon's "Get Low" at my cousin's wedding, she was always the life of the party - even into her 90s! She taught me how to golf, how to cook, how to garden, how to water ski and how to sing. Above all she taught me patience and kindness. I truly can't recall a time where I ever heard her say a bad thing about another human...that just was not in her nature. In early October she was diagnosed with cancer and made it known that she wanted to make it to her 95th birthday which was on Thanksgiving. Our family was able to throw her a party on her birthday weekend where she was able to see one of her sisters, my aunts and uncles, and most of her grand children and great grand children. Grandma went peacefully earlier today. Knowing how much she loved her family, I am confident that she used every last bit of emotional and physical energy she had left to get to her birthday so she could see everyone one more time before she headed home. For that I am both proud of her and incredibly thankful. Rest in peace, Grandma. Your love, kindness and zest for life will be so missed.

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