Anne Louise Durbin

Anne Louise Durbin

Anne Louise Durbin (79) of Seattle, Washington passed away peacefully on June 21, 2025 surrounded by friends and her loving caregiver, after struggling with an incurable cancer for several months.

Born in Los Angeles, California January 27,1946, Anne grew up in Placerville and Ventura, California. She graduated from Buena High School in Ventura, attended Ventura College and graduated from University of California, Santa Barbara in 1968. Anne then earned a teaching credential from San Diego State University 1969.

Anne moved to Seattle in 1973 and fell in love with the Pacific Northwest where she remained for the rest of her life. In the late 1990s she earned a Masters Degree in Occupational Rehabilitation from Western Washington University.

Anne loved nature and the outdoors and especially delighted in skiing with her husband, John and friends, in particular at Whistler.

She was passionate about the arts: theater, opera, ballet, and Shakespeare, and music, more so if it was a live performance outside. Anne loved skiing, sailing, hiking, traveling and rambling the trails in Seattle’s parks and neighborhoods.

Anne is survived by her husband of 45 years, John Wheeler, the love of her life. She was a loving and devoted wife and a cherished friend. She is also survived by her brother Philip Ford Durbin of Greenville, SC and her cousin Amanda M. Pelch of Santa Barbara, CA.

Anne will be very missed by her loving family of friends, but will be fondly remembered for her kindness, gentle strength and compassionate heart, devotion to friends and always positive outlook on life, in spite of some difficult and sad situations.

Part of Anne’s legacy will live on in the many lives she touched while working for Salvation Army of Seattle, helping many find employment and move on with their lives. She retired from Salvation Army in 2017.

Thank you to Kaiser Hospitalists: at Swedish, Cherry Hill and First Hill.
Dr. Lesley Richardson,
Dr. Bernstein
Dr. Chen
Dr. Shay
Overlake Hospital: Dr. Bagatto and Dr. Dommalapati

We appreciate these professionals for their extraordinary kindnesses and compassionate attention to Anne and her team of friends as we adjusted to a rapidly changing medical situation.

It is with deep affection that Anne’s family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the circle of friends who have been an expression of the deepest love and caring for Anne.

In total gratitude to the family of friends: Monya Noelke, Kent Mettler, Jim Hanna, Tricia Tiano, Pam Barden, Michele Sullivan, Judy Mosset, Nancy Skaale, Elaine Blackburn, and Martha Petros, her caregiver, and to Anne’s neighbors, Carol Hutchinson, Marcia Farver; and the Mobile Integrated Health Team of North King County, Doug, Bethune, and Annie  Drummond; and the kind and caring Kaiser Home Health team; and Kaiser Hospice team of Sean Butterfield, Stacey Drago, Mona Kathuria, Thomas Yang, and Harisa Cassano.