Annalee Schulmeyer

 Annalee Melinda Gaines Schulmeyer, the oldest daughter of Frank Gaines and Shirlee Gaines Edwards, was born in Gainesville, Florida on October 29, 1952. 

    Annalee was an honor student and active in the arts, drama, music and writing at Reidsville, NC High School.  She was a member of the Unitarian Youth Group, LRY (Liberal Religious Youth) during her high school years.  She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a frequent singing performer at clubs around campus. 

Annalee attended graduate school at Appalachian State University in Boone, and among other accomplishments was a skillful pool player, and had her poetry published in the Cold Mountain Review.  She became a member of the Boone Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in 1978.

Annalee moved to Anacortes, Washington, where she worked at the Anacortes American and the Skagit Valley Herald newspapers doing art work and writing.

Her final employment was serving the community as a teacher at the Anacortes Learning Center where she was much loved by her students.  A scholarship was created there in her memory. 

Annalee was the wife of Michael Schulmeyer and the mother of Brandon Anthony Schulmeyer and Travis Lee Schulmeyer.  She was survived also by her sisters, Melissa Gaines Johnson, and Sally Gaines Tidyman, her brother, Gregory Bookhart Gaines, step siblings, Beth Edwards Brock, Adrienne Edwards, Ben Edwards IV, Jon and Joel Edwards and numerous nieces, nephews and aunts. 

Annalee died of cancer on June 29, 1998 at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, WA.  She is acutely missed by all who enjoyed her quick wit, creativity, music, cooking and her generosity. 

A celebration of her life was held at Rosario Beach in Washington State and later at the Boone Unitarian Universalist Fellowship on August 8, 1998, with her stepfather, Ben Edwards III officiating with music contributed by her sister Sally and stepbrother Joel. 

The candles and pottery that are used in the Joys and Concerns portion of the Sunday Service are maintained in her memory.~~text and photo contributed by Shirlee Gaines Edwards

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