Ann Marie Worosz

Ann Marie Worosz (née Schroer), lovingly known as Amer, Mom, Grammy, and Amer the Hammer, passed away peacefully in her sleep in the early morning hours of Sunday, December 8, 2024, in Charlottesville, VA.

Amer was born on August 22, 1942, in Atlanta, GA, to Francis Bernard Schroer and Catherine Sullivan Schroer. She was the eldest of three daughters, a graduate of St. Pius X Catholic High School and St. Joseph’s College of Nursing. In 1964, on a blind date in Norfolk, VA, she met Thomas John Worosz, Jr., a handsome Naval officer. Smitten by this man in uniform, she couldn’t help but say “yes” when he proposed, and the two were married at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 25, 1966, in Atlanta, GA. The newlyweds relocated to Northern VA, eventually settling in Annandale, where they birthed and raised their seven children.

Amer was a registered nurse whose love of children led her to choose pediatrics. In 1967, she hung up her nursing cap and began working at her own “private pediatric practice” by caring for her children. Nursing never left her, though, and you might find her removing stitches from a neighbor kid’s head, changing the bandages on a friend’s wound, or substituting as a nurse at her children’s elementary school. She simply took care of everyone!

A loving, nurturing mother, she spent her days as chief comforter, head chef, lead custodian, professor, chauffeur, school volunteer, swim team rep, cheerleader, and cutting-edge hairstylist. Her artistic and avant-garde hair styles were the envy of all, most especially her take on the classic “bowl cut.” As the recognized heart and soul of her family, she was firm but fair and made sure everyone’s needs were always met. She was a fan of gadgets, and if she couldn’t find one to meet her needs, she would create it. She delighted in inventing solutions to her children’s challenges. It is very difficult for our family to imagine moving forward without her guidance and love.

Achieving the status of “empty nesters,” Amer and Tom had two passions: their expanding family and travel. Their number one priority was visiting their adult children’s families, enjoying their new roles as grandparents, visits that brought back memories of their early years of marriage. Their second passion, travel, took them on adventures around the world, visiting the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America, including countries such as Morocco, Thailand, England, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile and 49 of the 50 states . Some of their most treasured vacations included sailing the seven seas, sampling the ambiance of various cruise lines, often with their closest friends, and enjoying the freedom that came with raising their children into adulthood. In the summer of 2013, Amer and Tom decided it was time to leave Northern VA. They relocated to Spring Creek in Zion Crossroads, a small community just east of Charlottesville, VA where they developed new friendships and became involved in various community endeavors, all the while enjoying the slower lifestyles of Louisa County and the surrounding area.

A devout Catholic throughout her life, Amer sought to spread the love of Jesus not only through her words but by her actions in how she treated others. This last year of her life was spent as a patient in various hospitals and a rehab facility, during which she treated everyone with kindness and respect, no matter their “title.” The nurses especially loved listening to stories about what it was like to be a nurse in the 1960s, when treating patients was a hands-on experience, not governed by computer technology or endless documentation. She not only gained the affection of everyone who tended to her but also their admiration. Her family is profoundly grateful to the staff at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital and Monroe Health and Rehabilitation Center, who treated her with so much love and tenderness and brought her joy even on her most difficult days.

Amer is survived by her husband, Thomas John Worosz, Jr.; her seven children: Laura A. Malnight (Richard), Thomas J. Worosz, III (Melinda), Paul F. Worosz (Kristen), Kathleen M. Olson (Jason), Mary E. Worosz (Antoine), Theresa A. Worosz (Daniel), and Philip J. Worosz (Kristen); her fifteen grandchildren: Robyn, Jack, Alex, Anna, Madeline, Kathryn, Samuel, Natalie, Emily, Ava, Sarah, Benjamin, Grayson, Caleb, and Leia; her two sisters, Catherine McVey (James) and Margaret Dalton; and her two nieces, Erin McVey and Megan Abbott. She was preceded in death by her parents; her in-laws, Thomas and Josephine Worosz Sr.; her sister-in-law, Harriette Worosz; her brother-in-law, John Dalton; and her first grandson, Conner Worosz.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Jude’s Catholic Church, 1937 Davis Highway, Mineral, VA 23117, on Friday, January 10, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., with a reception to follow in the parish hall. The family will also host a Celebration of Life in Northern Virginia on Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 9350 Braddock Road, Burke, VA 22015, from 2 to 5 p.m.

Amer held many causes close to her heart. In lieu of flowers, her family asks that you consider making a donation to a charity that is meaningful to you, in her honor. Amer recalled that even as a child, she felt depressed at the idea of wearing black to a funeral. Her belief was that a celebration of a life deserved color! If you are so inclined, please consider wearing your favorite color to brighten up the room and celebrate the long, beautiful life of Ann Marie Worosz…wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.

Amer, until we meet again… Godspeed, Your Loving Family