Anne Elizabeth Malinski

On January 29, 2024, Anne Elizabeth (Lowry) Malinski—beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and friend—made her final curtain call, perhaps summoned to heaven for her own special celestial performance. The original “Gaga” (so named by granddaughter Andrea), Anne was known to her family by many other nicknames: Mama Cat, Cathead, Jonny Cat, Felonious Feline and, when we incurred her wrath as teens, Ice Queen.

Anne was born in Chicago, Illinois, the cherished only child of grateful parents who never thought they’d have a child. Although raised during the Depression, she had an idyllic childhood filled with love, extended family, friends and special summer vacations spent at the Lowry family homestead in Joliet. She met her lifelong best friend, Ann Miller, during her grammar school years and they enjoyed a decades long friendship and devotion to each other.

Anne met the love of her life, Bob, at the neighborhood newspaper stand when she was just 13 years old. They would go on to marry in 1953, and had four children: Dan, Susan, Jim and Kathleen. They celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary last summer. Although raised in a traditional time, Anne and Bob shared an equivalent and respectful partnership in life together. But even as kids, we all knew the ultimate buck stopped with mom!

Anne and Bob came to sunny Arizona on their honeymoon, returning to chilly Chicago determined to move west. Deemed “crazy” at the time by family and friends, Anne and Bob bravely moved west to Phoenix in 1956. Luckily, they were joined over the years by most of Bob’s brothers and sisters. We grew up in the Valley surrounded by the loving Malinski and Lowry clans, not realizing until much later what a treasure we had!

Anne and Bob were long-time parishioners at St. Thomas the Apostle Parish then St. Paul’s Catholic Church. Mom was a stalwart member of the St. Thomas Sodality, a remarkable group of women who formed the backbone of support for the parish. With dear friend Mary Guido, she wrote, produced and starred in many plays and performances which featured the talents of various Sodality members and other parishioners. Recently, mom had been watching videos of these various plays and talent shows with son Jim, enjoying the experience all over again.

Anne was a special person who not only made friends easily, but also kept in touch with friends from the old days in Chicago, early life in Phoenix and then from every decade and aspect of her life thereafter. She cherished these friends along with their families. Anne also never met a costume, party or yard sale that she didn’t like!

With a love of all things “shopping” and a keen eye for fashion and value, Mom worked for the Broadway (now Macy’s) at Biltmore Fashion Park for over twenty years. She was probably the longest contingent/ part time employee they ever had, plus one of the most flexible and loyal. Anne, and her best work friend Marion Moore, were the original personal shoppers in the women’s high end clothing section. They used their combined sartorial talents to outfit many a Phoenix fashionista of their day.

Anne and Bob traveled extensively in middle age, taking high school kids on summer excursions to Europe. After retirement, they spent many happy summers in their cabin near Payson entertaining family and friends and just enjoying a more simple, rural lifestyle. In Payson, mom discovered she had a real talent for painting and relished the growing art collection she created.

Despite all these many accomplishments, the most important roles to Anne were those as loving wife, mother and grandmother. Anne supported us kids through all our adventures as Cub Scout Den Mother, Girl Scout co-leader, room mother at school, and taxi driver to our many activities over the years. We always felt loved and supported!

In her later years, mom cherished the arrival of each grandchild (Liz, Andrea, Stephanie, Katie, Reseda, Keith and Joe) and then the penultimate prize: the arrival of great-grandchildren Sibyl, Ryker and a sweet baby girl to be born in April. We are so grateful that she enjoyed this past Christmas with all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It was an extra-special holiday to remember.

We are also grateful that she passed away suddenly, quickly and without distress, after a number of years of discouraging health problems. We are convinced she is reveling in her new celestial home, surrounded by her loving parents, family and friends who she acutely missed over the years.

Anne is survived by her devoted husband Bob, children Dan (Cyndy), Susan (Bill), Jim (Roxanne), Kathleen, seven grandchildren, two and a half great-grandchildren, and many relatives and friends.

Anne’s funeral Mass followed by lunch will be celebrated on:

Saturday, March 23, 2024, at 11 am in the Beatitudes Campus Life Center at 1610 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix AZ 85021

If you’d like to honor mom, please send donations to:

St. Vincent de Paul Society, PO Box 13600, Phoenix AZ 85002 or visit www.stvincentdepaul.net