Anna Lou Harney

Anna Lou Harney, 101, the beloved matriarch of the Harney family passed away on May 10, 2025 in Westport, New York where she was living with her daughter Alana Forcier. Born on October 21, 1923, in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, she was the third child of Percival Franklin Taylor of Ontario, Canada and Arleen Evadne Bagby of Vanceburg, Kentucky. Anna Lou's greatest joy was her family.

As a mother of six, grandmother of fourteen, and great-grandmother of thirteen, Anna Lou was the heart of the Harney family. Over many years her house was the gathering place for holiday celebrations. Anna Lou remembered every birthday, and important date in her children's and grandchildren's lives, never failing to send a card. More importantly she was always there to provide support when it was needed.

Anna Lou is predeceased by her husband Charles Joseph Harney, Jr. (Chuck); her daughter Donna H. Deasey; her three siblings Dorothy Booth, Elizabeth McFadden and Robert F. Taylor; and her sons-in-law John Deasey, Frank Verderame and Gordon Gilroy. She is survived by her children Deborah H. Verderame of Alexandria, VA, Alana H. Forcier (James) of Westport, NY, Kevin C. Harney of NC, Deirdre H. Gilroy of Hopkinton, NH, and Sean T. Harney (Christine) of Cary, NC. She is also survived by her grandchildren Kristen Hatch (nee Forcier), Alexandra Deasey, Genevieve Maloney (nee Forcier), Simon Verderame, Thomas Forcier, Anna Verderame (m. McCoy), Deirdre MacNerland (nee Forcier) Sarah Stillman (nee Gilroy), Connor Harney, Bridget Shepard (nee Gilroy), Charles Verderame, Madelyn Gilroy, Christopher Harney and Jordan Hamlin; her thirteen great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

Anna Lou grew up in Media Pennsylvania. She enjoyed skating and sailing as a young girl, which she learned from her father. She attended Vermont Junior College where she met her husband to be, Chuck Harney. They were married in 1946, after he returned from his deployment overseas during WW II. She and Chuck started their family in northern New Jersey and eventually moved to Cornwall, New York in 1960. Besides raising her six children, Anna Lou obtained a Real Estate License and sold real estate in the Cornwall area for a number of years. Retiring in 1987 to Merry Point in the Northern Neck of Virginia, she spent many happy years doing the things that she enjoyed. Among them, sailing and preserving their old wooden boat; and spending time with her children and grandchildren. Anna Lou was an active parishioner at St. Francis de Sales Church in Kilmarnock VA.

It is difficult to define Anna Lou; you could say she, "Did It Her Way"! She could be defined by her disciplined approach to life, following eating, sleeping and exercise routines. Or maybe by her hardworking nature, doing whatever needed to be done and more to provide for her family. Or maybe by her ability to accept each of us for who we are. Or maybe by her stoic nature, accepting life's difficulties without complaining or getting upset. Or maybe by the simple kind things she did. One thing is certain, Anna Lou showed her love for all of us by the many, many things she did for each of us throughout her life. She will be greatly missed.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date. An interment of ashes will be held at her husband's gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery. A date for the interment has not been scheduled as yet, but it will be provided once it is determined. Should friends desire, contributions may be made to Elizabethtown Community Hospital, UVM Network, Elizabethtown, NY; St. Francis de Sales Church, Kilmarnock, VA or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Anna Lou's memory.

Services were entrusted to Heidrick Funeral Home, PO Box 188, Elizabethtown, NY 12932.