Annalee Allen (l) and Anne Woodell (r)
CC SA-BY Our Oakland
Anne Woodell (November 5, 1936 – January 25, 2017) was the "mother" or "first lady" of Oakland Parks and Recreation and involved in numerous civic organizations.
Woodell was born Margaret Anne Morrow to Jon and Dorothy Morrow in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
In 1974, she was appointed by Mayor John Reading as the 2nd woman to serve on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission.
In 1981, she founded the Friends of Oakland Parks and Recreation, and served on the board of the Oakland Parks Commission. The two organizations merged in 2015 to form the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation.
Woodell was a trustee for the Friends of the Oakland Municipal Band, Children's Fairyland, and Dunsmuir House, and the board of directors of the Alameda County Historical Society. She was also a member of the Oakland Women's Rowing Club.
Among other awards, she was named Oakland Mother of the Year in 2009.
Links and References
- Parks champion Anne Woodell recalled as beloved friend, mentor East Bay Times February 16, 2017
- Anne Woodell obituary
- Park Superhero on Children's Fairyland blog
