Wadstrom

With a heavy heart, we announce the passing of Dr. Ann Kennedy Wadstrom of Los Alamos, N.M. She died April 15 at the age of 80.

She was born Aug. 5, 1931, in Slippery Rock to James A. and Mildred Fleming Kennedy, and had six siblings. She made an incredible difference in the lives and hearts of people locally, regionally and nationally.

She graduated from Slippery Rock High School, Warren Wilson College, and Wheaton College. She received her M.D. at the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania. She did her medical internship at Chestnut Hill Hospital. She completed her residency for anesthesiology at the Graduate Hospital University of Pennsylvania and later at the University of Utah College of Medicine.

She was married on June 23, 1956, to Howard Wadstrom, M.D. They adopted four extraordinary children, Barbara, Jeff, Mark and Carol, and soon after moved to Los Alamos, N.M., in 1965, where she was the first board certified anesthesiologist in New Mexico north of Albuquerque.

Ann was a fellow for the American College of Anesthesiologists, a diplomat for the American Board of Anesthesiology and the American College of Medical Quality (ACMQ), and then went on to be a representative of the ACMQ on the American Medical Association National Advisory Council on Violence and Abuse.

She was a staff anesthesiologist for Holy Cross Hospital and a clinical instructor for the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Utah College of Medicine and was the staff anesthesiologist for the Los Alamos Medical Center for over 25 years. She was the chairman for the utilization review committee for over 25 years.

She was very active in the community, both nationally and locally. She was a member of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, the Internal Anesthesia Research Society, the American Society Regional Anesthesia, the American Medical Association, the New Mexico State Medical Society, the New Mexico Society of Anesthesiologists and the Society of Ambulatory Anesthesia. She also was the president of Los Alamos Medical Society and the president of the American College of Utilization Review Physicians.

Ann also served as president of the Los Alamos Republican Women and was the Regional A director of the New Mexico Federation of Republican Women. She served on the Los Alamos planning and zoning commission, was a member of the Los Alamos Rotary Club, and served on the boards of the Los Alamos Retirement Community for Sombrillo and Aspen Ridge Homes.

She headed the annual campaign for the United Way two times and was the campaign chair for Nona Bowman for county council, as well as the chairman for Jemez House. As a longtime member of the United Church of Los Alamos, she served as president of the church council, chair of the Women's Christian Service Society and chair of the gifts and memorials committee, as well as being active in both circle and Bible study groups.

She will be remembered for her generous nature and her willingness to help people. She was a strong woman of faith who lived her convictions for all to see. Whenever she saw someone hurting or a need to be filled, she was always the first one to act and sacrifice what she had. She also carried that faith internationally through medical missions to Honduras, Mexico and Taiwan. She loved her family with all of her heart, and her pride and joy were her nine grandchildren.

Ann is survived by her husband, Howard Wadstrom; her four children, Barbara Whitacre, Jeff Wadstrom, Mark Wadstrom and Carol Levandoski; and her nine grandchildren, Kyle Wadstrom, Cory Wadstrom, Cameron Wadstrom, Bradley Levandoski, Christine Wadstrom, Christopher Wadstrom, Jacob Wadstrom, James Whitacre and David Whitacre.

<B>WADSTROM</B> — The family of Dr. Ann Kennedy Wadstrom, who died Sunday, April 15, 2012, would like to invite anyone who wishes to come and share in a time of remembrance and celebration of her life to her memorial service at 11 a.m. Saturday at the United Church of Los Alamos, 2525 Canyon Road, Los Alamos, N.M., with a reception to follow. There also will be a vespers gravesite service at 5 p.m. at Guaje Pines Cemetery that day.In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in the name of Dr. Ann Wadstrom may be made to a charity of the donor's choice or to the Bridge to the Future Foundation at www.bttff.org, or 14677 Via Bettona, Suite 110-431, San Diego, CA 92127.