TORRINGTON – Elizabeth “Ann” Lee (Habel) (also known as Ann Mitchell) received her Angel wings and went home to be with God on December 6, 2021, while surrounded by the love of her family. Ann, 79, was born in Wheatland and was the oldest child born to John and Velma Habel (Graham).
Ann graduated from Torrington High School in 1960. She spent most of her adult life in Torrington, Sheridan and Douglas and was a Wyomingite through and through. Ann worked as a cashier and stocker for Safeway grocery stores in Torrington and Sheridan, until her retirement.
Ann enjoyed listening to classic country music and loved to go country dancing any chance she got. She loved to do crafts of any type, such as sewing, quilting, woodworking and leatherworking. She always seemed to have several projects going at one time, with each of them usually being ear-marked for one of her kids or grandchildren. She liked to collect carousel music boxes, ornaments, figurines, vinyl records and Disney movies.
Ann also loved animals of all kinds and on occasion collected them too. She was known to her friends to be the person to whom they could bring a stray animal, as they knew she would take them in without question and care for and love them.
Ann’s greatest love of all was spending time with her children and grandchildren. She lived her life around theirs and was always there for them at a drop of a hat even if it meant driving through the night by herself to get to Texas for the birth of a grandchild.
Ann was welcoming and warm and took in the spouses of her children as her own and loved them just the same. Ann was a kind, wise, gentle, quiet, beautiful lady who would do anything for others. She was loving and loyal to her family and friends. And she was independent almost to a fault and rarely asked for help even when she really needed it.
Ann was a very loving and practical parent and took things in stride with her four children. During their younger years her children always knew that no matter what came their way she would always be the calm after any storm.
When it came to being a grandma, Ann was simply amazing with the love that she shared. An ache or pain would never be known as she would play on the floor for as many hours as a grandchild would commit. She would rest on a couch, as uncomfortable as it may be, just to see a grandchild’s face on Christmas morning.
Ann left so many wonderful memories and tokens of her love in the hand-made gifts that she gave to her children and grandchildren, and her family will remember and embrace her as they cuddle in her quilts, hang her ornaments on their trees, and count the days to Christmas on her beautiful advent calendars.
Ann is loved, now and forever, and will be dearly missed and held in our hearts, until we see her again. We love you, Mom, a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck.
Ann continues to be loved and cherished by her children, Robert and Kris Mitchell, Laurel and Chris Rybarski, and Wayne and Barbara Mitchell; grandchildren, Garrett (wife Sarah) Mitchell, Caden Mitchell, Kendra Mitchell, Kendall Rybarski, Lane Rybarski, Dawson Mitchell, Walker Mitchell, and Reece Mitchell; sister, Diana Cohen; as well as many nieces and nephews. Ann was preceded in death by her oldest son, David Mitchell; granddaughter Makenzie Rybarski; mother, Velma Blanton; father, John Habel; step-fathers, Dr. Benjamin Cohen and Elmo Blanton; brothers, John Habel and Benjamin Cohen; sister, Debra Cohen, and many other relatives, all of whom we hope were at Heaven’s gate to greet her.
The family will hold a private memorial in Wyoming at a later date, to be determined. The family requests that no flowers or other memorial gifts be sent.
