Anna Carbone

Anna Carbone was escorted by her guardian angel, Saint Cecelia, to her heavenly reward on October 20, 2014. Anna, who would have been 100 years old, next September, had been ill recently and died of natural causes.

Anna, a true West Virginia coal miner's daughter was born in coal camp No. 9 (near Farmington, WV), raised in coal camp No. 7 (near Barrackville, WV), lived most of her life in Fairmont, WV, and was recently living in Columbus, OH where she was being lovingly cared for by her daughter Mary Ann Ankrom and eldest grandaughter Julie Ankrom.

Anna was the widow of Francesco (Frank) Carbone who died in 1979. Proud of her heritage, she was the eldest child of Charley (Wasil) and Stella (Justina Bortnyk) Demko who came to America in the early 1900's from the Carpathian Mountain region of Ukraine. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her brothers John (Crow) and Frank (Tiny) Demko and her sister Antionette (Babe Demko) Majectic, her son-in-law James Ankrom, great grandson John Richard Ankrom and niece Lily Ann (Majectic) Davis.

Anna was a 1933 graduate of Barrackville High School where her favorite subjects were history, writing and home economics. She regretted not being able to attend college due to the hard times of the great depression. Anna encouraged and required her children to pursue advanced education and professional careers. Her daughter Mary Ann, a graduate of the Fairmont General Hospital School of Nursing, had a successful and extensive career as a registered nurse and during her lengthy career was associated with several of the leading medical institutions in the Columbus area. Her son John, a graduate of Fairmont State College, was commissioned as a naval officer and served over 25 years in several ships in all the world's oceans.

Anna's kindness and warmth lives on in her daughter Mary Ann Ankrom (widow of James Ankrom) of Columbus, Ohio and son John Carbone (wife Lois) of Virginia Beach, Virginia. She also leaves behind six grandchildren; Julie Ankrom of Columbus, Ohio, James Ankrom of Galena, Ohio, Joseph Ankrom of Galloway, Ohio, Catherine (Ankrom) Anderson of Cana, Virginia and Lisa Carbone and John Carbone, Jr. of Virginia Beach, Virginia. She will also be greatly missed by her three great grandchildren; Alexis Ankrom of Galena, Ohio, Deanna (Anderson) Berrier of Mt. Airy, North Carolina and Andrew Anderson of Cana, Virginia and will remain in the memory of her three great-great grandchildren, Abigail Anderson, Lucas and Sophia Berrier and several nieces, and grand nieces and nephews.

Anna was married in and was a lifelong member and regular attendee of St. Joseph's and then the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Churches of Fairmont. She was an active member of many church and civic organizations including the St. Cecelia Guild and the Catholic Daughters. She was a longtime volunteer at the Fairmont Food Pantry.

Quiet and unassuming, Anna was liked and respected by all who knew her. She was known for her pleasant personality, quiet kindness and giving spirit. She was always ready to help others and was generous with her time and resources. Among her many personal projects, she used her unique knitting and crocheting skills to make clothing and decorative items and then donate them to church and social organizations for needy persons and for sale to raise money for worthwhile causes.

Anna loved gardening and spent many hours year round carefully tending her yard and flowers which were always admired by her neighbors. She liked to bake and can and was widely known for her lemon meringue pies, canned peppers in tomato sauce and canned dill pickles in the Ukrainian tradition, for which she received several awards at the Mannington and Paw Paw fairs. She was also an avid country music fan and regularly attended performances in Marion County and Nashville, TN.

She felt that her longevity was due to regular yard work: walking several miles a day, which she did until recently, and no smoking or drinking, regular sleep and not over eating.

Anna loved all sports. While in school she cheered for her brothers who were outstanding athletes in all sports at Barrackville High School. She closely followed the fortunes of the former Miller Jr. High, the West Fairmont Polar Bears, the FSU Falcons, the WVU Mountaineers, and the Pittsburgh Pirates and Steelers. She loved to travel and made regular trips to visit her children and grandchildren, tour scenic/tourist spots in the mid-Atlantic area, and take in ball games. Regrettably, she will not be able to make the trip to her ancestral home in Ukraine, which she was planning.

In her later years Anna was assisted and carefully watched over by her special friends Betty Fredrick, Lea Greaser, and Sister Stella Croneaur. She was visited weekly by Sister Martha Langstaff of Our Lady of Peace Church. Especially noted is the loving care and attention given her by her eldest grandchild Julie Ankrom who faithfully travelled to Fairmont from Ohio every weekend for several years until Anna's recent move to Columbus.

Coming from humble beginnings, Anna always wanted to help others advance themselves and to make the greatest contribution to society that she could. Even in death she will continue to contribute to the advancement of scientific and medical education and research by having made an anatomical gift to the Ohio State University Medical School.

Plans for a memorial service are incomplete. In lieu of flowers, persons wishing to honor Anna's memory are requested to make a gift to the Immaculate Conception Church in Fairmont or Ohio Health Hospice,
800 McConnell Drive, Columbus, OH 43214.

In the Ukrainian tradition, her family and all who knew Anna wish her a loving "VECHNAYA PAMYAT" (eternal peace).