Anne Ayotte
June 7, 1965 – July 17, 2019
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Anne Ayotte, which occurred in her home in Sioux Lookout, ON, the evening of July 17, 2019, surrounded by the love of her family.
Born in Calgary, AB in 1965, Anne spent the majority of her childhood living in Edmonton and Calgary until she relocated to Hudson, ON in 1978. Anne’s extraordinary potential shined through at an early age, having secured various employment roles of increasing responsibility throughout her adolescence. She was ecstatic when she landed a position at the city library despite her young age, which cultivated her already strong and lifelong passion for reading. The transition from city life to rural living was initially challenging, however, Anne’s love of reading and the support of close friends kept her going strong. She soon met her partner in life, James, whom she married in 1983 and raised a family, creating countless treasured memories. Highlights include, but are far from limited to dinner pancakes, Friday nacho/movie nights, rocking out to country music, playing cards, snowmobiling, delicious pasta salads, extravagant Halloween costumes and birthday parties, cross-country road trips and world-wide travel.
Anne was a devoted mother who could always be depended on. As her children grew older, she took the opportunity to become increasingly involved in politics and in 2007, she stepped up to the role of President of the Kenora District Federal Conservative Association. Her dedication, leadership and team-building skills, relentless work ethic, uncanny political acumen and desire to affect positive change for the north directly contributed to the unprecedented election of a Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament to the riding in 2008, and again in 2011. She was honoured to work as a staff member throughout the riding, and also had the unique opportunity to work from the illustrious East Block in Ottawa until she decided that the distance between her job and her family was too great. It is impossible to overstate the longstanding positive impact that the political team of which she was a part has had on northwestern Ontario, and, most importantly, the people living in it. Once Anne left politics, her primary focus was her (growing) family, notably showering each of her four young grandchildren with enough love to last their entire lifetime. Her compassion, strength and courage to make the world a better place is an inspiration to us all.
Anne will be lovingly and forever remembered by her husband James, son Derek (April), daughter Melissa Salo (Jonathan), grandchildren McKenna, Logan, Amelia and Edwin, her parents Bernice Davidson and Frederick Headdy, siblings Deborah Headdy, John (Cathy) Headdy, and Jolene Labelle, stepmother Carol Burton, and eight nieces and nephews. “What we have once enjoyed we can never lose. All that we love deeply becomes a part of us” – Helen Keller
A farewell gathering was held at the Calvary Baptist Church on Tuesday July 23, 2019 with Pastor Carter Krahn officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sioux Looks Out For Paws Animal Rescue or Second Chance Pet Network through the Sioux Lookout Funeral Home, Box 1449, Sioux Lookout, ON, P8T 1B9.
