Galax, Va. —
Anna was born in Worcester, Mass., on Oct. 2, 1930. She attended the David Hale Fanning Trade School and graduated in 1948 with awesome skills as a dressmaker. While in trade school – she was a top notch double jump rope player as well as a great volleyball player – her school mates always wanted her on their team. As other young teenagers – Anna enjoyed attending school dances and going to the movies with her best friend Maria.
Anna also had a voice like an angel. Never taking professional lessons – her singing was like a breath of fresh air.
Anna married Raymond Mathieu of Grafton, Mass. on May 9, 1953 , they had 3 children and they resided at Walker Farm and also Wooltop Farm in Pepperell, Mass. The family then moved to Leominster, Mass. in 1967 for five years and then from there to Thetford Center, Vt. for the next 37 years. The Vermont winters seemed to become a nuisance for Anna and Raymond, so, at the ages of 77, they made their final move to Galax in 2007.
Anna was a homemaker – wife – mother and friend. She worked two different summers, one as a seamstress at the Arrow Shirt Company in Leominster, Mass., and the other summer as a typeset assistant at The Eusey Press, also in Leominster, Mass.
Being Italian – Anna was a remarkable chef of Italian cuisine. As her grandson Billy has always said – her pasta sauce was amazing and you wouldn’t find a better sauce anywhere in the world! Her granddaughter Lisa absolutely adored her lasagna along with raw dandelions mixed with just the right amount of oil – vinegar & salt. She also baked extremely delicious Italian anise/lemon cookies which she called Tadows. Her children & grandchildren adored them as well as many others. She would bake over 300 at a time and would always mail a carton of them to grandson Billy while giving the rest of them away to so many people who loved them.
While living in Vermont, Anna was a great gardener of vegetables/canning and flowers.
During hunting season for 37 years, Anna prepared homemade breakfast and lunches for the hunters. Her homemade chicken and or turkey soup was incredible. The hunters were always so appreciative of what she did for them.
Anna was a woman of substance. She always put others first throughout her life. She made school clothes for her two daughters for many years. She was a teacher of good morals to her children as well as her grandchildren. She was very nurturing, kind, gentle and considerate. She did not have a selfish bone in her body.
Anna was preceded in death by her parents: Michael and Rose (Montesano) Popillo; seven siblings: Nicolina Ledoux, Jenny Dimazio, Lenore Mathieu, Jerry Popillo, Matthew Popillo, Anthony Popillo and Michael Popillo.
Anna is survived by her husband, Raymond Mathieu of Galax, Va.; a son, Bill Mathieu and wife, Bobbi of Galax; two daughters: Rosanne Mathieu of Galax and Charlotte Waters and husband, Joel of Plainfield, N.H.; two grandchildren: Billy Mathieu and wife, Angela of Colorado Springs, Colo. and Lisa Mathieu of Post Mills, Vt.; two great-grandchildren: Logan and Dylan Mathieu of Colorado Springs. Many nieces and nephews also survive.
A celebration of life gathering will be held mid to late summer in New Hampshire.
Another gathering will be celebrated on Anna Maria Island in Florida the year of 2018.