Annabel Pangborn

Annabel Pangborn was a kind and gracious woman, blessed with both the talent to achieve ambitious goals and the wisdom to appreciate lifes simple pleasures. She taught at a university level, was part of the team that developed the newborn PKU test, and played a key role in the establishment of the Hospice of Lansing; and she also loved going barefoot, shopping with her girls, playing Scrabble, Double Solitaire and Bridge, and hunting for blueberries. Her life was centered on her faith and her family, and she loved helping others. Annabels joyful nature, love of adventure, and unfailing kindness to others will live on in the hearts and memories of all those whose lives she touched. Annabel was born on June 17, 1923, to proud parents Arthur Purdy and Pearl (Lang) Rickard. She was the baby of the family, with older siblings Alice and Edward waiting at home to meet the newest member of their family. As the youngest, Annabel looked up to her brother and sister, and loved to tag-along on their activities. The Rickards lived in Canton, Ohio, where Arthur owned and operated Cleveland Engraving Company. Tragically, Pearl passed away when Annabel was still quite young. As a result, Annabel was raised mainly by her grandparents and the housekeeper, Mrs. Sheets. Eventually, Annabel gained a stepmother with her fathers marriage to Mabel Carr, a school principal. Annabel ironically passed away on January 4, which was Mabels birthday. As a youngster, Annabel enjoyed tennis and was the champion of her elementary school. Her summers were spent at Camp Ticonderoga in New York and Camp Miniwanca in Michigan. In many ways, Annabel was a pioneer for her time. She valued education highly, and after graduating from Timken High School, she went on to receive her Bachelors degree from Case Western Reserve and her Masters degree in Public Health and Dietetics from UNC Chapel Hill. Her first job was in Atlanta, Georgia, where she worked in a clinical setting. Her strong educational background, combined with her on-the-ground experience in the clinic, made Annabel an ideal teaching candidate. She was soon packing her bags and heading for the West Coast, where she had been invited to teach at the University of Oregon Medical School. Annabel joined a mountain-climbing group in her new town, and soon added Mt. Hood to her list of conquests. The next stage in Annabels career took her to Michigan, where she served as the Public Health Dietitian for Oakland County. This would prove to be a momentous step for Annabel, and not just professionally " it was in Michigan that she met Don Pangborn, her true love and lifelong companion. Annabel and Don both worked in public health, and met through mutual friends. Their friendship gradually deepened into love, and the happy couple was married on April 2, 1960, at the First Presbyterian Church of Canton, Ohio. After the honeymoon, Annabel and Don moved to California. She taught at UCLA, and was recognized for her work in developing the newborn PKU Test (phenylketonuria). In 1961, they moved to Lansing, Michigan, and settled down to raise their family. In the years to come, Annabel and Don were blessed with two daughters, whom they named Ann and Elizabeth. Annabel was a very loving mother, and was always up for fun and adventure with the kids. She was unfailingly gracious to others, and became like a second mother to many of her daughters friends. Annabel was also very community-spirited, and devoted much of her time to volunteer work. When the girls were young, she volunteered at their school and the Girl Scouts. Annabel and her family attended services at the Peoples Church, where Annabel volunteered in the kitchens and served as an elder. She was a key member of the team that established the Hospice of Lansing and belonged to the PEO Sisterhood. Annabel truly enjoyed helping others, and her smiling face and sunny personality made her a welcome sight around town. For vacations, Annabel and Don loved taking their family to Munising, Michigan, where they had a cottage on Lost Lake. Later, they purchased a condo in Venice, Florida, where Annabel loved laying out in the sun and searching for shark teeth on the beach. They spent many years as gypsies traveling between Lost Lake, Lansing and Venice. Annabel loved every minute of it. Annabel and Don were avid travelers, making several trips to Europe with the Peoples Church group, and also took cruises to destinations including Cape Horn, the Caribbean, and Scandinavia. Most of all, however, they loved being at home in Michigan or Florida, spending time with their friends and beloved family members. In her free time, Annabel enjoyed gardening, entertaining, and spending time with friends. She was a fan of Michigan State and attended their football and basketball games. During her short time living in Mt. Pleasant, she developed a passion for sports at Central Michigan University, as well. She was delighted to become a grandmother, and loved being involved in her grandchildrens events. In recent years, Annabel has enjoyed living by her family in Cary and Mt. Pleasant. Happy and adventurous, gracious and spiritual, Annabel was a devoted wife, a loving mother and grandmother, and a loyal friend. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by her many friends and family members. Mrs. Annabel Pangborn died on January 4, 2013, surrounded by her loving family, at the age of 89. Annabels family includes her adoring daughters and sons-in-law, Ann (Pangborn) and Andy Gustafson of Cary, NC, and Elizabeth (Pangborn) and David Heeke of Mt. Pleasant, MI; her four fabulous grandchildren, Chelsea Elizabeth Gustafson, Ryan David, Maxwell Donlin, and Zachary Arthur Heeke; her niece, Pam (Robert) Haney of Venice, FL; her sister-in-law Bertha Pangborn; and her much loved nieces and nephews. Annabel was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Donlin C. Pangborn, in 2004; her sister, Alice Evans; and her brother, Edward Rickard. A service celebrating Annabels life will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, January 9, at The Peoples Church, 200 West Grand River Ave., East Lansing. The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior and during a luncheon following the service. Contributions may be made to a memorial fund at Peoples Church or Venice Presbyterian Church in Annabels name. Please visit Annabels personal memory page at www.CharlesRLux.com, where you can learn more about her life, share a favorite memory or photo, and sign the online guestbook.