Obituary of Anna Garton (nee Pfeifer)

Anna Garton (nee Pfeifer) was born on August 14, 1927 to German immigrant parents in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She passed away peacefully July 7, 2023 at Alura Memory Care Facility in Rockledge, Florida, where she spent the last few months of her life.

Being born of German immigrants, her early life was spent in a primarily German part of Philadelphia, and only learned to speak, read, and write English when attending elementary school. Upon arriving home each day, she taught her parents her day’s lessons.

She spent her childhood into young adulthood along with her twin sister in the neighborhood in which she was born and later graduated from Simon Gratz High School. She was an active member of the local Lutheran Church, where she met her husband, Harry A. Garton. They married after his service in the army during World War II.

They began their married life in Rockledge, Pennsylvania. At that time, Anna worked full time as a secretary to the president of York company and later, United Engineers, while Harry attended college on the GI bill.

Anna and Harry moved from Rockledge to northeast Philadelphia and later to Richboro, Pennsylvania for Harry’s employment as a teacher in the Council Rock School District. Once their children were in school, Anna went back to her training as a secretary to work part time, first at Advent Lutheran Church, and later at St. John’s Methodist Church, both in Richboro, Pennsylvania.

Anna was devoted to her extended family, preparing many holiday meals and celebration. Anna was always busy, maintaining a job, a household and busy with her crafts of sewing, knitting, and crocheting. Upon Harry’s retirement, they moved to Florida, first to Barefoot Bay and later to Melbourne, spending the last 15 years in an independent living facility.

Anna was preceded in death by her husband, Harry A. Garton. She is survived by her two children, Harry L. Garton and Virginia Garton Woodbury, her four grandchildren, Gregory, Cassandra, Bradley and Alexis, and two great-grandchildren, Bellamy and Ava.

A memorial service is planned to take place at a later date in Pennsylvania.