PORTLAND — Anna Burnham 79, of Portland, died peacefully at her home Friday evening, the 19th of January, after a short battle with metastatic lung cancer. Born at home Nov. 21, 1938 , Anna was the daughter of Italian immigrants Gregorio and Lucia (Pecarraro) Grassi. She grew up in the Munjoy Hill section of Portland, attended Cathedral grammar school, graduated from Cathedral high school and became a cosmetologist, working for Holbeck and Gleason in Portland. In 1959, she married Thacher E Turner, also of Portland, and together they embarked on a life that took them to Connecticut and Massachusetts, before returning to Maine. After the death of Thacher in 1999 , Anna met and married John F Burnham, also of Portland. He survives her, as do her children: a daughter, Tia M. Stone, and husband, Scott Stone, of Norway; a son, Gregory T. Turner M.D., and his wife, Veronica Helgans M.D., of Storrs, Conn.; four grandchildren, Matthew, Thacher, Graham and Isabel; as well as many nieces and nephews and their progeny. She was greatly loved by all. She is predeceased by her parents and brothers Luigi, Augustine, Alberto and sister, Giovanna.

With Thacher, she owned and operated several businesses, including the Norway Laundry, Oxford Industrial Laundry, The Inn Town Motel and the gift shop Henry’s Porch, all in Norway, Maine. Also The White Mountain Laundry in North Conway, N.H.

Anna loved to create beauty, which showed in both the presentation of herself and her home. She tirelessly tried to make life better for those she loved, who were a great many people. Hers was a generous, empathetic nature. She goes now to God to be with her beloved family.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com for further information and to sign Anna’s guest book.

“Everything I know is because of love” – Tolstoy

Anna Burnham