AnneLouise Bottoms 

  This eulogy was given by Mrs. Mary Scaccia, a Resurrection Catholic School teacher, at Mrs. Bottom's mass of Christian burial.

     Once upon a time there was a teacher at Resurrection Catholic School. Her name was AnneLouise Bottoms.  Now AnneLouise was not just an ordinary teacher. She was a very special teacher, an extraordinary teacher…AnneLouise was an awesome teacher. I know this because I taught in the classroom right beside her for seven years.

      I first met AnneLouise in 1998. I had just gotten hired at Resurrection and it was one week before the start of school. I remember walking out of the primary building and saying to myself…now what do I do? And then it came to me …..Education Station. Education Station is a store where you find teachers, spending lots of money in the weeks before school starts. So off I went to Education Station. I was going around the store throwing things into my cart when I saw another teacher that I thought taught at Resurrection. It turned out to be AnneLouise. And that was the beginning of our friendship. We talked and she told me not to worry that she would help me get my classroom ready. And that was the way AnneLouise was. She was always helping others and she never wanted any acknowledgement for what she did.

     And so for the next seven years we taught together as a team. We were always sharing ideas, helping each other and encouraging each other, too.

     Because I was right next-door, I saw on a daily basis what an awesome teacher Anne Louise was. I should say what an awesome Catholic School teacher she was. AnneLouise truly believed in Catholic Education. And her mission as a Catholic school teacher was to help all her students develop a special relationship with Jesus and to be the best person they could be. Anne Louise was never too busy to listen to her students and she worked individually with all her students to help them learn and to feel good about what they could do. I know all the boys and girls who are here today and had Mrs. Bottoms as teacher remember some of the stories that she read to you and all the activities and games she did to help you learn your reading and math.

     But the most important thing AnneLouise shared with her students was her devotion to the Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Mother. She taught her students how to pray the rosary and in October and May she always organized a living rosary for the whole school. Preparing her students to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist was a priority. She considered this her mission and a very important responsibility. She always tried to be at all her students’ First Communions so she could be a part of their special day when they received Jesus for the first time.

     All of us at Resurrection that worked with AnneLouise admired her professionalism, her hard work and her dedication to teaching. We loved her sense of humor, her hearty greetings and her hugs. At the end of the school day you usually found an email from AnneLouise. She loved to forward jokes, funny stories and inspirational thoughts. She really did love to tell jokes. Vernon, I know she got me with some of your jokes. You would call at lunch with a joke you heard and then she would come over to my classroom and try it out on me.

     Whenever we listen to a story or read a story we are always hoping for a happy ending. And even though we are very sad, AnneLouise’s story does have a happy ending because she is in heaven with Jesus, Mary, and all the saints and angels. Angels! AnneLouise loved angels. I can see her in heaven with the angels.  She is laughing and having a great time.

     Whenever someone had a sad event or problem in their lives she would always pin an angel on that person to let them know that someone cared and would protect them. I am wearing the angels AnneLouise gave me when my mother died. She also gave me a magnet that said, “May you be touched by the sweet thoughts of angels.” I think that is what AnneLouise would say to us today. “May you be touched by the sweet thoughts of angels.” She would also say “God Bless.” And so I say…. God bless, AnneLouise. We are all going to miss you and your hugs very much, but we thank God that you touched our lives with your friendship and laughter.

     God bless.

Obituary

Mrs. Bottom's obituary as listed in Lancaster Newspapers

AnneLouise Bottoms, 46, of Lancaster died Wednesday at Temple University Hospital.

She worked at Resurrection Catholic School for eight years and also helped with the after school program. She previously worked at St. Leo the Great Catholic School, Resurrection Catholic School in Philadelphia, St. Elizabeth Anne Seaton Catholic School in Maryland and Furth Elementary School in Germany.

She was a member of St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church. She was manager of Hickory Run Campground in Denver, Pa. She enjoyed swimming.

She was married to Vernon Allen Bottoms for 16 years on July 9.

Born in Staten Island, New York she was the daughter of Alexander J. III and Rose Mary Walls Matyi of Willow Street.

Surviving besides her parents and husband are two children, Kimberly of Strasburg and Jonathan of Lancaster; three brothers, Alexander J. IV, married to Claire Matyi, of Lancaster, Vincent J., married to Kimberly Matyi, of Levittown, and Joseph T., married to Margaret Matyi, of Easton.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Anthony Catholic Church, 501 E. Orange St., on Monday at 11:00 a.m. A viewing will be held at Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home, 441 N. George St., Millersville on Sunday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and again at the church on Monday morning from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. The rosary will be recited at the funeral home on Sunday evening at 7:30 p.m. Interment in St. Joseph New Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in AnneLouise"s memory may be made to the Scholarship Fund for Resurrection Catholic School, 32 W. Vine St., Lancaster, PA 17603.

Angel graphics from www.irenescorner.com/graphics