Annabelle Emma Katherine Harkness
Annabelle Emma Katherine Harkness, age 85, passed away on May 13, 2023, at her home in Tacoma with her family by her side. This was after a courageous 20-year fight against kidney cancer. She was loved by all and will be greatly missed.
Born to George and Olga Hudgins on Dec. 30, 1937, she grew up in Burien and attended Highline schools. Anne grew up alongside three siblings: older brother, John, and younger sisters Judith and Georgie. At the very young age of 12, her parents divorced. While her mother worked to support the family with a single income, Anne became the homemaker and caregiver for her brother and younger sisters. This experience shaped Anne for the rest of her life, as she always made it a priority to be a loving wife and mother for her own children, allowing them to fully experience the joys of family and a complete childhood.
Shortly after graduating from Highline High School in 1956, Anne took a secretary job with Northern Lights Insurance Company and moved into her own apartment in Seattle. This is where Anne met her future beloved husband Gerald Harkness from Lynden, who lived in the apartment below. They married in 1958, and remained in each other’s lives for the next 65 years. Anne and Gerald spent the majority of their lives together residing in Des Moines, WA raising their family of three children, James, Gary and Christine.
If Anne was to be asked to list her life accomplishments, she would only want that of “Wife and Mother for 64 years” to be on the list. All other accomplishments would pale in comparison to that of Wife and Mother. Over the years of raising a family though, Anne also held a variety of jobs working for the Highline School District as a substitute Cook and substitute Librarian. Anne also worked for American Greeting Cards ordering, inventorying, and stocking cards at the local drugstore. For all her work experiences, every job she held while raising a family was a part time job while her children were in school. It was paramount for her to be home when her children returned from school so that the family environment would always flourish. Anne and her daughter Christine had a special relationship together that only a mother and daughter could share; from the early years of playing together to the later years of shopping trips, time together was all about loving bonding.
Throughout Anne’s life, her philosophy of Life would be defined as “Life is beautiful, Life is worth fighting for”. This is most exemplified in Anne’s 20-year battle with kidney cancer. She was a tenacious fighter in her battle against her cancer, surviving multiple surgeries and chemotherapy treatments. She took a proactive role in her own cancer treatment in working side by side with the compassionate Doctors, Nurses and entire Care Team at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. She developed a special relationship with the entire Care Team at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, especially Dr Shailender Bhatia who was her oncologist for nearly 15 years. Even after suffering a stroke in February 2022, her philosophy of “life is worth fighting for” was her mantra as she took on her recovery.
As Anne recognized life as being beautiful, she enjoyed the simple pleasures of gardening, running and the sights and sounds of being in nature. She was an accomplished artist, often depicting nature, and people enjoying nature, in her watercolor pictures.
Anne enjoyed her personal relationship with God. She frequently had her own quiet conversations with God. Now, she has the pleasure of having those conversations with God face to face.
Anne is survived by husband Gerald; son James Harkness and daughter-in-law Martha; son Gary Harkness and daughter-in-law Teri; daughter Christine Short and son-in-law James; grandchildren Natalie, Alex, Gabriela, Connor, Megan, Jamie, and Kelly; great grandchildren Paisley, Cecelia, Chiara, Liv, Audrey and Natalie and many other extended members of the family.
In lieu of flowers or memorials, please consider giving a donation to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in remembrance of the care and compassion they provided Anne Harkness over the years.
A private family graveside service will be held at Lynden Cemetery. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
