Ann Marie la Londe

Ann Marie Wagstaff Groom LaLonde passed away on February 3, 2025, in St George, Utah. She was 84 years old. Ann died peacefully at home, sitting in her favorite chair and watching TV. Her family likes to think that she was watching reruns of Perry Mason, one of her favorite shows.

Ann was born on August 13, 1940, in Pocatello, Idaho, to Lena Pearl Morley and Dilworth Brinton Wagstaff. After moving to several different towns and states, her family settled in West Jordan, Utah. She was the oldest of seven children. Ann and her siblings reveled in humor, merciless teasing and love throughout their lives. Family folklore and jokes from those early years were often repeated (over and over and over again). They never stopped being funny.

Ann was quite smart, skipping the third grade and graduating from Jordan High School in 1957 at the age of 16. She won the homemaker of the year award in her senior year at Jordan High because of an essay she wrote. She always thought this was hysterical since she claimed she had no homemaking skills whatsoever. However, she was an excellent writer. Ann went on to Utah State University where she earned her BS in biology and then to UCLA for her MS in Library Science.

On December 27, 1961, Ann married Gordon Lee Groom, literally the boy next door. She and Gordon were the parents of two daughters, Barbara and Marian. After Ann and Gordon divorced, she married Robert Franklin LaLonde on August 17, 1984.

Ann loved to do things on the spur of the moment. Barbara and Marian often woke up to find that they would be leaving that morning for one of their mother’s last minute trips, such as a beach camping trip in San Felipe, Mexico, a weeklong trip to Mount Rushmore National Park, or a grueling 22-mile roundtrip hike in the High Sierras of Sequoia National Park. Of course, having no experience with camping or hiking was completely irrelevant. All transportation was provided by Fontella, Ann’s trusty aqua-colored 1969 Datsun 510 station wagon.

Ann and Robert were world travelers, which she continued to do after Robert passed away in 2011. She often planned trips based on something she saw on TV, especially on The Martha Stewart Show. She travelled to every state in the USA and to 55 countries throughout the world. Cruising was one of her favorite means of travel. Her accumulated days-at-sea totaled more than 1,200 days.

Ann didn’t really enjoy her work. She saw it solely as a means to finance her travel. Because she liked to read, Ann thought she’d enjoy being a librarian. Not so. Surprisingly, there were far too many politics in the librarian system, which took the fun out of the job. The highlight of her career was watching her office building unexpectedly burn to the ground following what everyone assumed was a false fire alarm. She said that if she knew the building was really going to burn down, she would have grabbed much more than just her purse.

To her extended family, she was known as “Ann Tan”, her young nieces’ and nephews’ pronunciation of Aunt Ann. Many times she led the little ones in adventures prefaced with the statement, “Now, don’t tell your mother”. That meant they were up to no good. One of their more memorable antics was setting a field on fire with fire crackers during a family Pioneer Day celebration. Needless to say, “Don’t tell you mother” didn’t work that time.

Ann was renowned for her sense of humor and ability to talk to anyone. She made many friends through church, neighbors, travel and various groups that she belonged to. One of her friends described her as “wicked”, only in the best way, of course. Her ability to tell a great story complete with facial expressions and gestures was legendary. Sometimes, she laughed so hard that a translator was needed to retell the story to the uninitiated.

Ann was a life-long member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She held many different callings. Ward newsletter publisher was probably her favorite, because she could keep the ward up-to-date using her special brand of humor. Ann enjoyed giving service and helped many throughout her life. She loved to attend the Temple and went weekly, including just days before she passed away.

At Ann’s request (really demand), there will be no funeral services, and her remains have been cremated. She is preceded in death by her parents, both of her husbands, and her brothers John and Richard Wagstaff. Ann is survived by her daughters Barbara Johnston (Nicholas) and Marian Jack (Robert); her grandchildren Gregory Jack (Helen), Jessica Winters (Patrick), and Troy Jack; six great grandchildren; her siblings Mary Mullen (David), Susan Ritter, Mark Wagstaff (Cindy), and Marilyn Berrett (Craig); many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, and one very grand and handsome granddog.

In her memory, please remember a time she made you laugh and smile about it again.