Obituary of Anna Margaret Graeb
Graeb, Anna Margaret “Peg”
In the wee hours of Friday, February 23rd, 2024, Anna Margaret Graeb (Peg), slipped away at Lanark Lifestyles Retirement Apartments in Perth, Ontario. She had a full and remarkable life. Born to parents Aaron and Melinda May (Smith) in Preston (now Cambridge) Ontario on May 13th, 1922, her youth was spent in almost a rural setting. This is where a great love of nature began. Though she went on to have a career in social work and rose to become the director of Travellers Aid and then Baycrest, both in Toronto, her heart was elsewhere. In the 1960s she returned to school, earning a degree from the then Ontario College of Art. For several years she and her colleagues ran a studio where she produced many sculptures and drawings. Unfortunately, this was not lucrative, and reluctantly she returned to social work.
However, it was at Travellers Aid that she hired Rosemary Hood, who became the most important love of her life. They were together for 38 years and married in 2004, before Rosemary's death in 2006. They hiked, biked, travelled, and enjoyed the company of a splendid group of women. The parties were wonderfully witty occasions.
After retirement her real career began. Starting with botanical painting classes given by Pamela Stagg, Peg quickly discovered her great talent for watercolour renditions of stunning beauty and accuracy. She showed work at the Royal Horticultural Society's Botanical Art exhibitions in London, England and was awarded The Grenfell Medal in 1996. She was invited to contribute work to the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and was a member of the Toronto Botanical Artists for many years. She could be seen at their room at Canada Blooms annually during that time. Recently she was made an Honourary member of the Ottawa Society of Botanical Artists, which gave her great pleasure.
Peg is remembered lovingly by her stepdaughter, Sarah Hood, grandson Benjamin Poole, her nephews John (and his children Dan and Tami), and Douglas (Joanne) all of Vancouver. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Bill and her stepson, Martin Hood and is survived by younger generations of cousins and friends. The family would like to thank the staff of Lanark Lifestyles for the home and the loving care they gave her. Peg was cremated and will be interred in a private celebration in Cambridge in May. In her memory contributions are invited to Nature Conservancy of Canada or the Owl Foundation, Vineland Station, Ontario.
