Anna Louise Graham

Quiet love.Simplicity.Grace.Many receive accolades and material wealth for far less, but for those of us blessed to have “GiGi” in our lives, we were touched by a goodness and generosity that made us know unequivocally that we were loved and cherished.Her light never ceased to embrace us and made our journey—and us—better for it. Anna would never have described herself as “God’s Work of Art”, but to those of us who knew her—she was indeed.Despite unspeakable challenges in her life, she never lost the simple joy of seeing birds at her feeders, finding a shell on the beach, or stenciling complex patterns on her walls to make her home even more welcoming with her unique touch and patience surpassing that of Job.Her child-like giddiness in getting ready for a vacation—especially to the beach—was truly infectious!And sadly, for the New York Yankees, they have lost one of their most ardent fans even in the worst of times!There are no words to express her dedication to family and she never lost the ability to love and accept us—even when she may not have agreed with our choices or when others may have thought us “unlovable”. There is a sad, empty space in all of us who knew her as we close this chapter of our lives that shared our journey with “GiGi”.But memories of her laughter, her creativity, her lavish “setting of a table where all were welcome”, call us to dance and sing despite tendencies to despair, be angry, or cynical.Yes, she was indeed “God’s Work of Art” because she allowed herself to be.An incredible “Kin-Dom” would be possible by honoring the seeds she planted and nurtured in all of us. She is survived by her children, David (Penny) Allington; Dale (Maryellen) Allington; Denise Allington Nagle; Doug (Brenda) Allington of Florence, MT, Pam (Rudy) Zerbe; as well as step-children, grand and great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and sisters and brothers in-law. She was preceded in death by her parents Pearl and Carl Neil; lifelong friend and sister-by-choice, Joyce Comfort Allington; and her husbands, Walt Allington and Boyd Graham. Donations in her memory can be made to Chemung County SPCA, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or just by practicing random acts of kindness, generosity, and respect for the beauty that surrounds us.