Annie, who graduated from Wahpeton High School in 2009, was fatally injured in a car accident Tuesday, Sept. 29 at the intersection of 16th Avenue North and the Highway 210 bypass.
"She will be missed," said her godmother, Linda Kutzer.
 Annie’s senior pictures, along with other items from her life, were on display in the entry way at Bethel Lutheran for her visitation and funeral Sunday and Monday. photo by Anna Jauhola Advertisement |
Annie's “special mom” Carol Harrison and husband Sid, best friend Amanda Loepp and Kutzer sat down Sunday to remember this special young woman.
"She took her time coming into the world," Kutzer said, who was present at Annie's birth. "But when she did, she was the perfect little baby."
Carol was like a second mom to Annie. She lived with Annie and her mother Brenda until 2003. Carol said that although Brenda was a single mother, she "gave up a lot to give Annie everything." Brenda and Annie did everything together and enjoyed all of it, Carol said. Their favorite place to visit was Duluth, Minn.
"Annie loved the North Shore," she said.
Annie was known as a perfectionist, especially when it came to baking and cooking. Her recent venture was baking from a Paula Dean cookbook. Last Thanksgiving, Carol said Annie told her she wanted to bring a pie.
"Annie baked the most to-die-for Paula Dean chocolate pie," Carol said. "But she was humble about it. She never bragged... about anything."
Beside her baking skills, Annie's artistic talent shone through her paintings, pencil drawings and photography. Several paintings and photos adorned the entry way at Bethel Lutheran Church Sunday and Monday for Annie's visitation and funeral. Many of the framed paintings were ones she'd created specifically for Carol and Sid.
"She was so creative, talented," Carol said.
Annie began to take photography seriously in high school after Carol and Sid gave her a digital camera. She quickly graduated to a Sony CyberShot. She even took Amanda's senior pictures. This summer she and Sid, while on a trip to the North Shore in Minnesota with Carol and Brenda, snapped pictures along the trails in Itasca State Park.
Annie and Amanda met in third grade, but didn't become close until middle school.
"After that we were inseparable," Amanda said. "We did everything together."
Amanda and Annie shared a folder in band while playing clarinet, and Amanda convinced Annie to play base clarinet with her during their senior year.
Carol remembered a few instances when Annie got in trouble.
"I tried to teach her to be responsible while she was growing up," Carol said. "I'd have her empty the dishwasher."
She said it seemed like Annie didn't like doing the chore, because Carol would find a broken dish from time to time. It was like Annie was trying to make Carol think she was irresponsible so she wouldn't have to empty the dishwasher, Carol said with a laugh.
"But they were never good dishes [that were broken]," she said.
Amanda couldn't remember an instance of Annie getting in trouble at school. But both of them got detention for chewing gum in band, and both received C’s for the class because the teacher didn't show up for detention.
Kelly Wateland, close friend and fellow 2009 graduate, said he's known Annie since fifth grade.
"She was a very kind, loving person. I've never seen her be mean to anybody," he said.
Kelly remembers when Annie would wear a hooded sweatshirt, he would pull the hood over her head and she would playfully turn around and slug him. “She was the most gentle person," he said.
Annie made the decision long ago not to drink or smoke.
"She saw everyone else make those mistakes," Sid said. "She didn't want to make them." But she never judged those who made those decisions, she simply gave her opinion and let everyone make up their own minds, Amanda said.
Carol said Brenda had a big influence in how Annie treated others. "There was a lot of talking and sharing," she said. "Brenda would never tell Annie, 'Well she's a rotten kid anyway.' She would just encourage [Annie] to make other friends."
Annie began college at North Dakota State College of Science this fall for licensed practical nursing. She originally planned for pre-med, but decided on her LPN because she'd be "more employable" during medical school.
"She was wise," Sid said. "She knew what she wanted. She had goals."
Carol said Brenda is still in shock.
"It'll be hardest for her when all this is over," she said. "They were so close."
Asked what Annie would have thought about the incredible outpouring of sympathy, emotion and displays of her work and pictures, Amanda said she would have been speechless. "She would have been surprised at people making a big deal about her because she was humble," she said.
A friend... wrote on Oct 7, 2009 10:54 PM: