Anne K. Ford, 70, of Bourne, Massachusetts and Boothbay Harbor, Maine passed away peacefully on April 17, 2026 surrounded by her family, after a courageous battle with mesothelioma. 

Anne was born on Nov. 16, 1955, in New Haven, Connecticut to Kenneth E. and Kathleen M. Ford. She was raised in Branford, Connecticut, and graduated from Branford High School in 1973. She earned her undergraduate degree in early childhood and special education from Boston College in 1977 and her master of education in 1981. 

Anne devoted 38 years to public education, spending the majority of her career at Morse Pond School in Falmouth, Massachusetts, where she was a special needs teacher in addition to holding other positions over the years. Upon her retirement from teaching in 2013, she worked as a Google certified trainer, and separately as a curriculum writer, literacy coach, and editor for LearnZillion, working with the states of New York and Louisiana to align them with emerging state standards. Anne felt fortunate to have worked her entire career in a profession she so thoroughly enjoyed.

Anne was predeceased by her parents; her older brother, Gregory; and her infant brother, Timothy. Following the death of her mother, Anne and her siblings were welcomed into the family of their aunt, Carole Ford, who was a steady, maternal influence in their lives until her passing in 2018.

She is survived by her sisters, Elizabeth P. Dougherty (James) of Boxford and Bourne, MA, and Kathleen M. Ford of New Haven, Connecticut; her niece, Gwen E. Dougherty of Manchester Center, Vermont; her nephew, Gregory J. Dougherty of Bozeman, Montana; as well as many cousins and their families.

Anne was surrounded by a wide and loving community of dear neighbors, friends, and family, who supported and cared for her throughout the final two years of her life. She was profoundly grateful for the kindness and presence of those who walked alongside her, including her medical team at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Anne was blessed to be a member of two faith communities, St. John the Evangelist Church in Pocasset, Massachusetts, and Our Lady Queen of Peace in Boothbay Harbor, Maine. During her illness, she found great comfort and peace at her home in her beloved Boothbay Harbor.

A lifelong athlete, Anne was committed to health and fitness. She was a competitive runner and marathoner in her earlier years and remained a dedicated daily walker later in life. She was an avid birdwatcher and cherished the natural beauty of her home on the Back River marsh, working tirelessly in her gardens and fishing, kayaking, and shellfishing the waters beyond.

A funeral service will be held Monday, May 4 at St. John the Evangelist Church, Pocasset, Massachusetts at 10 a.m. Burial will be private. 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Anne’s memory to St. John the Evangelist Church, Pocasset, or Our Lady Queen of Peace, Boothbay Harbor.