Anne was born April 2, 1922 in Crested Butte, Colorado to Marco and Ana Stepan Gornick, who had immigrated from Suhor Slovenja. She had one brother, John, who preceded her in death.
Anne grew up in Butte Montana attending Sacred Heart School and Butte High School, graduating in 1939.
She married Frank Mihelich of Butte on October 12, 1941. Frank died in 1999.
She is survived by her children Marilyn (Dean) Gilliland of Hermiston, Oregon, Marcia ( Robert -deceased) Tripp of Dundee Oregon, Joseph ( Susan) Mihelich of Saint Helens, Oregon and Myra (Dennis) Classen of Newberg Oregon, eleven grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Anne and Frank and family lived in Tacoma briefly in the 1940s then returned to try farming in Whitehall Montana. They settled back in Butte in the early 50s and stayed until moving to Beaverton, Oregon in 1960. Anne and Frank lived in two homes in Beaverton from 1960 to 1977 when they moved to West Linn. After Frank’s death in 1999, Anne moved to King City for four years. She then moved to Avamere in Newberg and finally to Oriole Adult Foster home in McMinnville where she passed away December 3, 2010.
Anne worked as a Legal Secretary for firms in Butte and in Portland Oregon, retiring initially in 1987. She returned to work part-time for senior services agency in Oregon City for several years.
Anne was active in the local and national Legal Secretaries Associations. She was awarded Legal Secretary of the year in 1980. She was also active in school and church organizations. She joined a singing group in Beaverton through which she met several lifelong friends. After retirement she joined the ladies Altar Society at Saint Anthony’s.
Anne and Frank were members of the Moose Lodge in Hillsboro and the Eagles in Portland. They enjoyed dancing and belonged to local Polka clubs, attending Polka Fests throughout the West. They were also active in the local Slovene community, frequently attending dances at the Polish Hall in North Portland and picnics at Jantzen Beach park. Anne was fluent in Slovenian and kept her heritage through many traditional foods, songs and customs.
Anne and Frank were avid gardeners with large vegetable gardens and lots of flowers and bushes at all their homes .
Mass of Christian burial will be at Saint Anthony's in Tigard Oregon, Friday, December 10, 2010 at 10:30AM. The church will be open for a viewing one hour earlier on Friday. Interment will be in Mount Calvary Catholic Cemetery. The family suggests remembrances to Alzheimer's Association.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Young's Funeral Home of Tigard, Oregon.
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