Annabelle Serey

Annabelle Theresa Serey passed away on Wednesday, January 3, 2018, at the age of 93. She had dealt bravely and gracefully with Alzheimer's disease for the past decade.

She was born in Miami, Florida, on January 29, 1924, one of seven children of Peter and Eleanor Scherer. Only one member of this close family now survives – her sister Mary Welch of Cocoa, Florida. But the fortunate descendants of the five Scherer sisters – Marguerite (Margie), Eleanor (Bee), Mary (Mim), Annabelle (Ann), and Virginia (Ginny) – and two brothers Frederick (Fred), and James (Jim) are many, and grateful.

During World War II, Ann's contractor father brought his family north to Washington, D.C. because of the wartime building boom. They took in a returning Army Air Corps vet who was a relative by marriage, Paul Reynolds (Ren) Serey. Ann and Ren fell in love and were married in 1947, followed soon by the marriage of his brother Richard (Dick) and her closest sister, Virginia. Ginny and Dick would have five children; Ren and Ann a son and daughter. These two families of double cousins enjoyed growing up together, albeit in Ohio and Maryland.

Ann started her varied working life as a government girl in the Department of State during WW II. When she retired in 1990, she was working as the Arrivals Coordinator for the Institute of International Education, helping to oversee the visits of foreign professionals to the United States to meet contacts under the International Visitor Program.

Ann and Ren were married for 61 years until he passed away in 2009. She is survived by her loving children Mary Ellen, and Paul Reynolds (also Ren) and his wife Betsy Brown. Ann will be missed by her granddaughters, Rebecca Serey (with husband, Patrick Whitman), and Carolyn Ehn (with husband, Christian). Carolyn and Christian's children – Abigail, Alice, and Erik – were adored by their Great Grandma Ann. The family will keep her close to them in memory.

Ann was a devout Catholic and member of St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Cheverly, Maryland, since the early 1950s. Funeral arrangements by Gasch's Funeral Home P.A.. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Ambrose in her memory.