Ann Perez, loving wife, mother, and grandmother, and former Wednesday Club board member and webmaster, passed away peacefully in her home in Anthem, Arizona on Tuesday, October 25, 2022.  She is survived by her husband, Richard (Dick) Perez; her children, Gary Heintz, Lisa Halstead, and Suzanne Heintz; her grandchildren, Kimberly Sutton, Matthew Heintz, Alissa Heintz,  and Aiden, Alison and Claire Halstead; and by Dick's son, Stephen Perez, and grandchildren, Nicholas and Scott Perez.  In her final weeks, Ann was surrounded by family members and friends who were able to spend time with her and say goodbye.

Ann was best known for her generous spirit, eloquence, intellect, and firm commitment to helping others. As befitting her voracious appetite for reading, Ann was the Chairperson for The Wednesday Club Non-fiction History Book Club, which she ran for 16 years.  She was active in the local Democratic Party and in efforts to urge others to get out the vote.   She enjoyed geneaology work and had traced her family's roots back centuries.  In her professional life, Ann worked for years as the Director of Human Resources/Personnel Director for Elizabeth Arden, commuting to New York City daily.  She retired in 1992.  

She is the daughter of Clarence R. Berninger and Catherine Ogden Berninger of Pelham, New York, and sister of Catherine (Kay) Gragg.  She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1935, and due to her father's job with Esso Oil, n/k/a Exxon Mobile, the family lived in Westfield, New Jersey; South Charleston, West Virginia; and finally, in Pelham Manor, New York.  Ann is a graduate of Pelham Memorial High School, Class of 1953, and was editor of the school newspaper.  She attended Colby College in Maine for a year, followed by one year at Flower Fifth Avenue School of Nursing.

Ann was married to Robert F. Heintz, Jr. on October 15, 1955, in Pelham, New York.  Ann's four children were born of this marriage, one of whom, Stephen Heintz, predeceased Ann.  

Ann married Richard  (Dick) Perez on May 20, 1978, in Scarsdale, New York.  They were introduced by a mutual friend and had their first date at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station.  They lived in Scarsdale, until 1992, when they moved to Salt Lake City to a beautiful house on Mt. Olympus which was large enough to host memorable family gatherings with children and grandchildren.  Ann and Dick made many friends in Salt Lake, learned to ski, and enjoyed their new retirement status by being active in the community and traveling extensively with family and friends.

Ann and Dick moved to Anthem, Arizona in 2006 to enjoy the sunshine and their new home, and quickly made new friends.  They were part of dinner groups and book clubs. Ann was very involved in The Wednesday Club serving as a board member and webmaster. She is famous for creating games and activities to increase member participation and interest.  Her many friends in Anthem have been of enormous support to the family during Ann's time in home hospice.  The family thanks everyone for their support and kind words during this difficult time.

A Celebration of Ann's Life will be held on Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 1 p.m. (doors open 12:30) in the Ballroom of the Ironwood Country Club in Anthem, Arizona.

In lieu of flowers, Ann asked that instead, those so inclined make a contribution in her honor to Planned Parenthood at  https://www.plannedparenthood… or  to Arizona PBS at  https://azpbs.org/support/.

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