Jim Fullmer — May 9, 2013
Anne Mendenhall, past director of Demeter USA, passed over the evening of May 8, 2013. Over 4 years ago Anne was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. She took the challenge on with holistic, drug-free practices and friends note that she lived her days in relative health and peace, as she chose.
Anne needs to be recognized as the one who took the truly American version of an international movement, Demeter, and gave it an identity and a foundation here in the USA. This was founded upon true grit, devotion, and without fanfare.
Demeter in the US is now thriving based on the foundation stones Anne set. In addition to being a founding mother of the Demeter Association Inc., I remember Anne as a fellow farmer, very grounded, like myself (and many farmers) sometimes stubborn, but I’d now argue that this stubbornness is what helped hugely in giving the US Demeter organization a true foundation to work from. This was truly a blessing.
Back when she fell ill Anne and I were in communication, after too long of a period of not being so. On a handwritten note her pertinent point was simply the following: “Onwards.” This note still adorns my refrigerator door along with all of the other truly personally relevant information that tends to adorn one's refrigerator door. I still find profound inspiration from it daily.
Click here to read Anne Mendenhall's full obituary.