Obituary: Anne Dobbs, 84, formerly of Madison

Obituary courtesy of W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home:

Anne Dobbs passed away on June 25, 2022 at the place she loved the most, the Bunce Family Beach Cottage in Madison, CT. Entrepreneur, businesswoman, friend, and beloved mother, Anne's love for life hasn't come to an end. She is survived by an infinite array of people she loved and those that loved her, all who will continue to honor her legacy by living their lives to the fullest.Anne was born Jul 7, 1937 in Middletown, CT to Ruth Bunce and James German. She was married to William Dobbs and is survived by 3 of her 4 children, 8 grandchildren, and one great granddaughter.

Anne was raised as a frugal New England Yankee (we already miss her reminders to turn off the lights and lower the heat) spending her summers in Madison, CT. She finished at St. Margaret's School and was a graduate of Connecticut College where she established a group of lifelong friends.A few short years after marrying, with four young children underfoot, Anne's sense of compassion, community, and responsibility to help others became her rekindled mission. She and her husband Bill built an ensuite in their home and opened it to a series of single pregnant girls in need of a safe and comfortable place to live. For a number of years Anne brought calm, hope, and confidence to women that had no place to turn. They all became part of our extended family.

Anne was insightful and intelligent by nature. When her children became independent teenagers, she filled the void by returning to the workplace. What started as a diversion, quickly became a successful career. Anne's talent was on display as she quickly rose through the ranks. Her tenacity and decisiveness were in full force when she was passed over for partnership - she resigned and started her own firm - The Anne Dobbs Company.

Within 24 months her namesake company had just as strong a client base - some of her previous clients even transitioned over. Anne's entrepreneurial spirit, determination, and reputation quickly established her as a pioneer in the field of qualitative marketing. Her client list included IBM, Ford Motors, Hewlett Packard, Simon & Schuster, Proctor and Gamble, Pfizer, Novartis, Newbridge, Hasbro, Gallup, and many others. Anne traveled the globe on business at a time when it was still unusual for women to have corporate jobs, let alone be running a company.

During this time Anne was afflicted by cancer, twice. Undaunted and ever determined, she rescheduled her first surgery so as not to interfere with her travel schedule. She never failed to astound the doctors and nurses, not by her resilience and tolerance to chemotherapy, but by working on her laptop computer during the IV infusions.

Her success was enabled by her unique creativity and keen attention to detail, all wrapped in her convivial, uninhibited, and professional personality. Anne had a transcendent talent of studying orthogonal perspectives and fusing them into pragmatic insight, bringing her wide recognition within the industry.

After retiring, Anne fell in love with the yellow and orange sunsets of Scottsdale, AZ where she lived with her partner Warren Welsh. She never shed her Connecticut Yankee roots and always returned to Madison for the summer months.

Wherever she was, Anne loved playing and teaching Canasta with friends. She and her canasta partner Judy became so successful winning tournaments in Scottsdale, the organizing committees tried to break their dominance by banning them from tournaments for such imaginary infractions as talking too much, going to the restroom during play, or just having too much fun.

One of the hallmarks of Anne's life was her ability to form deep and meaningful personal connections. She collected a fabulous array of friends from her childhood all the way through her later years. Never one to rest even in retirement, Anne volunteered her time as driver for the Caring Corps, was part of an active group of women known as the "Margarita Mavens", and in Madison, a group of long-time friends known as the "Lovelies".

Throughout her entire life, Anne thrived on learning, accomplishing goals, volunteering, and kindness. But what made Anne truly unique was her sincerity. Everyone was important to Anne, and everyone felt special, because they were.