Anne Van Ness Farrell died peacefully on June 14, 2025, with her family by her side.

She had the grace and work ethic of an earlier generation, paired with an idealist’s vision and unwavering sense of fairness. Her life—marked by warmth, purpose, and quiet effectiveness— left a lasting mark on Seattle, strengthening its institutions and touching countless individual lives.

Anne was born in Beijing, in 1935, to Virginia Cheatham and Marine Corps Officer Cornelius Peter Van Ness II. The two brothers that followed remember her as a protector, a caretaker, and, occasionally, a mischievous tormentor. Her youngest brother, Denny, recalls a Christmas morning when she chased him across the living room with a toy dragon (relenting only when she realized his terror was real). At the tender age of six, she famously told her mother that she had “used up all her good at school” and had none left upon returning home.

At age seven, Anne and her family stayed with her grandparents at Stratford Hall in Virginia while her father fought in the Pacific. Anne created her own victory garden , tending her plot each morning with child-sized tools. Wearing her blue overalls, she felt part of something larger than herself, part of the war effort. She would have whistled as she worked, if she'd known how.

Anne’s early life was one of constant motion. A military child, she attended 13 schools in 12 years, taking her from Hawaii to Stratford, VA. That experience shaped her lifelong resilience and commitment to building community.

She graduated from St. Nicholas School in 1953 and the University of Washington in 1960. In 1955, she married Edmond Robert (Bob) James Farrell. Their 70-year partnership was the foundation for a life centered on family, deep friendship, community, purpose, and impact.

Anne approached motherhood with imagination, confidence and joy. She drew daily cartoons on her daughters’ lunch bags and made holidays memorable—especially Christmas, with annual flaming plum puddings. She never missed a birthday, wedding, or graduation, and somehow made each of her grandchildren feel like her secret favorite.

As her daughters grew, Anne channeled her considerable energy toward a larger purpose. Starting as a volunteer with the Junior League of Seattle, she quickly rose to President, gaining experience organizing a board and managing a budget. As she faced an empty nest, she chose to “move downtown”, transitioning from “professional volunteer” to professional.

In 1983, Anne became President and CEO of The Seattle Foundation. For 20 years, she led with focus and quiet effectiveness, guiding the organization through extraordinary growth. At the Foundation and beyond, in her many leadership roles from CEO to board chair, Anne combined mastery of detail and subtle persuasion, guiding organizations to innovate while cherishing their essential mission and character.

Her effectiveness naturally led to leadership roles across Seattle's civic landscape. She was deliberate about where she gave her time, always asking how she could make a meaningful difference before joining a board. Once she committed, she gave her full measure. She became the first woman president of both the Rotary Club and the Rainier Club. Anne never saw herself as a trailblazer—she was simply doing work that needed doing. Her quiet competence in both roles opened doors not just for herself, but for the women who followed.

She co-founded the Seattle CityClub in 1981 and the Washington Women's Foundation in 1995, creating institutions that would outlast her involvement. Her board service spanned large companies like REI, Washington Mutual, and Delta Dental of Washington, cultural institutions like the Seattle Public Library and KCTS Public Television, and educational powerhouses like Lakeside School and Seattle University, where she was a lifetime Trustee Emeritus.

Throughout her rise in Seattle's civic hierarchy, Anne remained anchored to the community and to the natural world. She walked almost every day, played tennis with the same friends for decades (it wasn’t just about the tennis), and found her deepest restoration in wild places. Her service on the Nature Conservancy board wasn't just another commitment: it reflected her belief that everyone deserves access to beauty and wonder.

As the Seattle Foundation grew, she stayed authentically connected to the community, ensuring recipients received not just grants, but training and mentorship, often directly from Anne. What set her apart wasn't just what she accomplished, but how she accomplished it: she had integrity, a strong moral compass, and treated everyone—from major philanthropists to community partners to staff—with the same warmth, dignity, and respect.

Anne was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, C. Peter Van Ness; her son-in-law, C. Seán Day, and her grandson, Gunnar James Farrell Johnson.

Anne is survived by her husband of 70 years, E. Robert “Bob” James Farrell Jr.; her two daughters, Virginia “Ginny” Van Ness Farrell Day and Susan “Susie” Price Farrell Landsem; her brother and sister-in-law, William Denman and Catherine Van Ness; her nieces Sarah Van Ness and Kristy Stirling; her five grandchildren, Anne Stephenson Day Thorp, Alexandra Farrell Day Golden, Whitney Van Ness Day Steele, Robyn Rouviere Day, and Kaia Pors Van Ness Johnson; and her nine great-grandchildren: Elizabeth “Eliza” Virginia Thorp, Georgia “Georgie” St. Elmo Thorp, Edward “Teddy” Alexander Day Thorp, George Rouviere Day Golden, Madeleine “Maddie” Sahlin Golden, Maxwell Farrell Golden, Jefferson “Jay” Day Steele, Virginia “Ginny” McKey Steele, and Henry Van Ness Steele.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Anne V. Farrell Fund at Seattle Foundation, supporting the Anne Van Ness Farrell Reading Room at Seattle University—a space where students gather to collaborate and build community.

Seattle Foundation

    Anne V. Farrell Fund

    PO Box 35146, LB #1069 

    Seattle, WA 98124

https://connect.clickandpledg…

Professional Legacy

President Emeritus | The Seattle Foundation | 2003–2025

President and Chief Executive Officer | The Seattle Foundation | 1984–2003

Executive Vice President | The Seattle Foundation | 1980–1984

Director of Development | Seattle Children's Home | 1977–1980

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Awards & Recognition

• 2022 Puget Sound Business Journal, Director of the Year
• 2015 Seattle University St. Ignatius Medal, honoring an individual "whose leadership, humility and outstanding service to the community contribute to our vision of a just and humane world."
• 2013 Lifetime Emeritus Trustee, Seattle University
• 2011 named on the “Women of Influence” list by the Puget Sound Business Journal
• 2009 University Service Award from the Seattle University Alumni Association
• 2000
• A.K. Guy Award, YMCA of Greater Seattle.
• Community Service Award from the Boy Scouts of America
• 1996-97 Junior League Dorothy Stimson Bullitt Award for Community Service
• 1995 Anne V. Farrell Leadership Grant, Seattle Foundation.
• 1989
• Lakeside/St. Nicholas School Distinguished Alumni Award. “Excellence and dedication in the philanthropic community and applaud her commitment to improving the quality of life in the Puget Sound area.
• Woman of Achievement Award from the International Women's Forum
• 1984 The Isabel Colman Pierce Award from the YWCA of Seattle-King County
• 1982 The Cathedral Fellow Award

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Board Service

Corporate Boards

• Delta Dental of Washington | Director | 2014-2017; Chairman | 2018-2023
• National Association of Corporate Directors – NW Chapter | Director | 2008–2025
• REI (Recreational Equipment, Inc.) | Director | 2001–2013; Chairman | 2008–2011
• Premera Blue Cross | Director | 1995–2000; Chairman | 1999–2000
• Washington Mutual Savings Bank | Director | 1994–2008
• WM Group of Funds | Director | 1993–2007
• Blue Cross of Washington and Alaska | Director | 1991–2000

Non-Profit Organizations

Founding & Leadership Roles

• Washington Women's Foundation | Founding Board Member | 1995–2025; Chair | 2009–2011
• Seattle CityClub | Founder and Board of Governors | 1981–1990

Educational Institutions

• Seattle University | Board of Trustees | 2002–2012; Board of Regents | 1987–2002; Co-Chair, Capital Campaign | 2003–2009; Chair, Library Campaign | 2005–2009
• University of Washington Foster School of Business | Advisory Board | 2002–2025
• Lakeside School | Trustee | 1984–1996; Treasurer | 1986–1987; Vice President | 1990–1991; President | 1992–1994

• KCTS Channel 9 Public Television | Director | 2004–2025; Chair | 2012–2025; Search Committee Chair | 2008
• KUOW Public Radio | President | 1988–1990

• Seattle Symphony Foundation | Director | 2002–2025
• Seattle Public Library Foundation | Director | 2002–2008; Chairman | 2004–2006
• Alliance for Education | Director | 1995–2007; Chairman | 1999–2000
• The Rainier Club | President | 1997–1998
• Rotary Club of Seattle | President | 1995–1996

• The Nature Conservancy | Director | 1989–1995; President, Washington State Chapter | 1992–1993

Civic and Professional Organizations

• Leadership Tomorrow | Director | 1986–1990; President | 1988–1989; Chairman | 1989–1990
• Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce | Executive Committee | 1986–2006; Vice Chair, Community Affairs | 1991–1993, 1995–1997
• Rotary Service Foundation | Director | 1989–1992; President | 1991–1992
• Independent Sector | Director | 1990–1996
• Pacific Northwest Grantmakers Forum | President | 1985
• Northwest Development Officers Association | President | 1983

National Organizations

• National Charities Information Bureau | Director | 1988–2001
• Council on Foundations | Trustee | 1986–1992
• Girl Scouts of USA | National Board of Directors | 1972–1981; Secretary of Board | 1975–1978; Deputy Treasurer | 1978–1981

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