Anne Colette Coughlin (18 Sep 1936 - 12 May 2026)

Thank you to everyone who gave to Alzheimer's Society after mums funeral. We raised over 670 pounds

Anne Coughlin obituary
Our mum, Anne Coughlin, had a long and happy life. We'd like to thank all of you today for coming to remember her and celebrate her memory.

Mum had many passions, and never one for missing out, she lived life to the fullest. We've been thinking of things she loved and want to mention a few of them.

Anne loved Yorkshire. She was once on television, on Yorkshire day. I remember the quote, she said : "I'm from Yorkshire, my mum was from Yorkshire, her mum was from Yorkshire and I'm Yorkshire born and bred". I was so proud of her that day.

Her white rose badge, the symbol of Yorkshire, is with her still.

In her letters we found one to the Yorkshire Post. The paper had foolishly claimed that the holder of the largest ever gooseberry at the Egton Bridge gooseberry competition was from Lincolnshire, when he was in fact YORKSHIRE born and bred, and a relative of mums, and had merely MOVED to Lincolnshire, presumably by mistake.
To her grand children I have a photo of another of your trophy winning, gooseberry growing ancestors - your great, great grandfather William Bennison in 1926 with the Heaviest Twelve Trophy.
Mum, as always was right when it came to these matters.

She went to school in York at the beautiful Bar Covent, a place that always held special meaning to her. She went onto teacher training college in Liverpool. All students on her course were retrospectively awarded a degree. She became a teacher and worked at St Aelreds prior to marrying Peter and having a family.

Anne delighted in welcoming visitors to York and celebrating its history and culture, from Minister mice and menageries to Roman Soldiers and Viking shield makers, she knew it all. She volunteered for over 30 years as a voluntary city guide and Minster guide. She volunteered at The Arc (or DIG as is known now) and the Mansion House. Her friendly manner and the communication skills she learned as a teacher made her the perfect host. Her welcoming nature extended to her home too, she always welcomed our friends and I know many of them have lovely memories of that. She might not have been a corden bleu chef but there was always Toad in the hole or fish fingers and waffles! Her Yorkshire puddings have never been beaten.
And, of course, there was a bit of ham and a bit of cheese for the McColms.

Mum loved music, she was a fantastic singer and joined so many musical groups throughout her life. She sang for York Light Opera, she led hymns at mass, she sang in choirs every week right up until her final short illness. Carols after tea during the festive period was always great fun. As was singing along to the Sound of Music.
She was very proud that her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren loved singing and music too. Rosie, Jessie, Molly, Alex, Joanna, Philip, Rachael, Daniel and Matthew, all have been in choirs and orchestras. Baby Theo is a bit young yet, but give it time. Greg was in orchestras too, although mum would have been less impressed if she knew he'd hidden his violin in a hedge instead of going to music centre! She loved that her granddaughter Charlie is so artistic, and prized the gifts Charlie made for her.

Mum loved travel, from days out eating fish and chips at Filey and Whitby, to coming to Brussels in her 80s. Rome with Uncle Tony. All over the UK and Europe with our dad. Bridlington with Alex and Rachael. She relished new places and different experiences, whilst delighting in beauty close to home. She loved her garden and filled her home with plants and orchids. As well as glass animals and random things that lit up! We are bringing some of mums glass animal collection to the wake and would love you all to have one to remember her by.

Mum had such long friendships, stretching back decades, right back to her teacher training college days in Liverpool. She had such adventures with her friends. Going to visit Rose in Australia. Going to Wimbledon with Margaret Turner. Alongside regular meet ups. Tuesday afternoon tea and biscuits with Ann Ormarod. Swimming friends, gardening and history club friends, all her friends at church and luncheon club. Mums phone never stopped ringing, she had a much better social life than me!
Thank you to each and every one of you for keeping her healthy, active and fulfilled for so long. You were all so very loyal and kind.

Anne loved birds and religiously fed them, even though at points we were fearful for her life on the slippy back steps. She was very proud that Alex's partner is a professional twitcher and equally proud of her set of fabulous bamboo socks displaying a range of birds. Don't worry Joanna, she loved Zach too.

Mum came from a large and loving family, being a Morrisey was close to her heart. Her wider family supported her right till the end. Thanks especially to Chris for the Folk Nights. She absolutely loved them, and Mark for the days out and holidays. Again, so many happy memories for mum. I'll remember with fondness days out with my mum and Auntie Margaret at Filey, and mums stories of Uncle Joseph with a kitten in his pocket for her, and Uncle Francis sleeping through a WWII bombing raid whilst Mary, Cecilia, Theresa, Tony, Margaret, John and Anne ran between hiding under the dining room table and under the stairs!

I'm blaming rationing for mums notoriously sweet tooth..... and rationing for the fact she hid her chocolate buttons. Like we would steal them (we would steal them).

Mum loved the church and had a deep faith. She combined her love of God and history by visiting a many old churches as possible, when we were children, right up to the present. My best day with her was probably our Heritage Open Days "church crawl", where alongside York University lecturers we discovered ancient churches, their human stories and were fed magnificently, with home made eleveises, home made lunch, home made afternoon tea and then fizz at the final church! All free (Yorks popular price).

Mum loved the home she made with our dad Peter at Stockton Lane. It was her pride and joy. All credit to Greg and Rachael for all the physical support, clever technology and love, that helped her stay in her beloved home. Thank you to Paul for all the many, many fixes of the house and feeding mum every Sunday. Staying at Stockton Lane was what mum wanted and you did so much to follow her request, even when it was really hard on you, and even though the gates were always a liability.

So many people showed my mum great kindness towards the end of her life, thank you to everyone who helped and to her wonderful neighbours for always keeping an eye out! Especial thanks to Hayley for being our angel. It made us all so happy that my mums last outing was a trip to Stanford Bridge to eat a sausage roll! Near the end Mum was placed in Selby hospital and received very compassionate care there. Our thanks go to the staff.

Anne was intelligent, friendly, talented, loyal, indomitable, and funny.

She didn't fear death, her faith meant she knew that she was going to join her beloved Pete in heaven. She did not rage at the dying of the light, although she'd have definitely preferred York to Selby! We were very lucky to have her as our mum, grandma and great grandma, she will not be forgotten.

Please join us after the ceremony at the Walnut Tree to celebrate Anne's life.