Obituary of Elizabeth Ann Peace

Elizabeth Ann Peace [Addiscott] died on Saturday August 15th, 2020 after 83 years of fiery and fantastic life. Ann was born in Gillingham, Kent (UK) in 1937— the only child of a British Royal Navy engineer and a homemaker. Her early childhood coincided with the tragedies of World War II. When British children were evacuated to the countryside during The Blitz bombing campaigns, Ann stayed with her mother in London. She kept memories of the war and its aftermath throughout her life, which instilled a resiliency and empathy she carried with her in all she did. As a girl, Ann was a passionate and engaged student in both the sciences and arts. She played field hockey at school and grew up supporting Chelsea Football Club and the English Rugby Team—loyalties encouraged by her dad. In 1957, Ann met Brian Peace at a tea and coffee hour at their shared work. They fell in love and married soon after, riding off on a motorcycle following the ceremony. Their family life was full of adventure. After giving birth to two sons (Graham and Robert), Ann and Brian raised their family back and forth between England, the U.S. and Canada. While balancing motherhood and raising two young children, Ann made a commitment to return to her studies. She attended the Lambton College of Applied Arts and Technology in Ontario Canada. She graduated from the Medical Laboratory technician program as top of her class and worked in a medical research lab years after. In retirement, Ann and Brian settled in upstate New York—perhaps an odd choice given the snowfall, but they appreciated the sense of community and the scenery the region had to offer. Ann spent much of her time painting and playing piano. She loved board games and card games and completing puzzles with anyone who’d join her. She indulged in BBC mystery series and found great entertainment in episodes of Big Bang Theory. Ann had a song for every occasion. She was like a bird, never performing for anyone but herself. Whether she was one room over or in the car seated next to you, she’d break out in melody. Every note she sang carried more delight than the one that preceded it. She had a brilliant sense of humor—often dark—and used it to make comedy of the challenges she faced in old age. And although she frequently reminded the people around her that, “growing old isn’t for sissies,” she did it with a marvelous amount of joy, sass, wit and grace. Ann took cream on her pie and sugar in her wine. She liked her teacup filled to the brim. She died at her home—suddenly and without pain. Exactly as she would have wanted to. Ann is survived by her loving husband and partner of 63 years, Brian (88), her two children Graham Peace (wife, Liz) and Robert Peace, and her grandchildren Lauren and Douglas Peace. She was preceded in death by her father, John Addiscott, and mother, Violet Addiscott. Ann’s life will be celebrated by family on Saturday, August 22, 2020. In lieu of flowers, we invite friends to have a drink (or slice of cheesecake) at home in Ann’s honor, or to make a donation to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).