Annie Toshiko Conant
A transplanted Maui islander, Annie Conant made the continental USA her home, yet regularly flew back with her late husband Colin Conant for new year’s celebration lured by the pungent yet savory new year’s dishes. Annie had an islander’s heart and a pioneering spirit seeking new lands and opportunities. For the past several years of her life, she spent months in Michigan with her soul-mate Monty Neal, but diligently returned to Maui to help with the care of her aging parents, Rocky and Sumiko Iwamura. During these visits to Maui, she rekindled childhood friendships and she also attended her nephew Vincent’s baseball games, loudly shouting in uncustomary and un-local manner, according to her brother Nathan, for Vincent to hit that ball! Monty called very early in the morning of November 22nd to tell the family that Annie had passed away at home in Michigan after courageously battling cancer. She was 68 years old.
When Annie graduated from Lahainaluna High School, the state of Hawaii was transitioning from an agrarian economy towards a visitor industry. Like many high school graduates seeking higher education, Annie attended college on the west coast. Upon receiving her bachelor’s degree, she signed on with VISTA, Veteran’s Health Information System and Technology Architecture, referred to as a domestic peace corps and moved to Denver; but the northwest beckoned and she arranged for her brother Nathan to help her relocate back to the northwest. Who can forget those long crosscountry drives that took days in Annie’s red Nova, packed with boxes. Thankfully, they arrived safely in Tacoma.
Annie eventually earned her master’s degree and worked as an administrator in various Washington state government programs targeting people in-need of such social service interventions as help affording utility bills, continuing education, and/or locating and keeping affordable housing after leaving homelessness. Annie strongly believed government programs should provide high quality support services, and she was driven to see it happen. It was gratifying for Annie to work with a dedicated core of like-minded individuals who felt that the strength and character of our country was built on this shared erstwhile value and purpose.
Her nightstand, chairs and dresser top were stacked with books for Annie was a voracious reader of mysteries, sci-fi, romance and politics. Her reading was complemented by traveling. She felt blessed to have visited England, the Netherlands, Ireland, Mexico, China and Japan. Annie loved to golf, going to the movies, exercising and learning to play the ukulele, taught by her favorite teacher, Monty. She had a depth and zest for life. Annie took to heart the wisdom of an elder who wrote, “Each day is a gift…I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away, just for this (final) time in my life. Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.”
Thank you, Annie for generously filling our Memory Banks; we are so very fortunate you have graced our lives with your presence.
Annie is survived by her parents, Rocky and Sumiko Iwamura, her brother Nathan Iwamura, his wife Clarita and their son Vincent of Lahaina; her aunts Florence Aoki of Napili, Elaine Shinagawa of Lahaina, Thelma Yamada and Chieko Iwamura of Kaneohe and uncle Noriyuki Iwamura of Kaneohe; her stepsons, Sean Conant of Olympia, WA, and Seth Conant and his wife Maureen of Seattle, WA; her soul-mate Monty Neal of Traverse City, MI; her pet cats Castor and Otis of Lahaina; and many cousins in Hawaii, California and Washington. She was preceded in passing by her husband Colin Conant of Gig Harbor, WA.
Annie’s family is grateful to all who extended their hands and aloha to Annie. Thank you for your kind thoughts and condolences. Funeral service will be conducted at a later date due to the COVID pandemic.