Anne Bloch, 74, died peacefully March 12, 2019 at The Falls in Newton from Alzheimer’s disease. Anne was born in Boston in 1944, a “surprise” arriving eight minutes after her twin sister, to parents Herbert Bloch and Clarissa Holland Bloch. She spent most of her childhood in Belmont and summers with cousins in Duxbury. Early on, she showed a fascination for the natural world and a deep love and respect for animals. She enjoyed bird watching, and an African photo safari remained a highlight of her life. Anne had six cats, all cherished rescues. The cat climbing tree occupied a prominent spot in the living room, a testament to the importance her cats played in her life. She drew strength from her bond with her pets.

Always intuitive and creative, Anne was a good student but couldn’t help doodling horses and other animals in class. After college at the University of Rochester, she worked as a paralegal, went to law school, and passed the bar, but her art won out. She worked in many media: pen and ink, watercolor, batik, and finally ceramics. Her subjects were almost universally animals—from cats and horses to ducks and elephants. She was deft in pencil, painstaking in watercolor, free-flowing in batik; and she learned to sculpt animals in ceramics—a special challenge. Always she wanted to capture the movement, expression, and beauty of her subjects.

Anne discovered the joy of operating in different media—on ice and under water. She spent many happy hours snorkeling and beach combing in the Bahamas and ice skating.

Anne’s love for animals led her to volunteer for years at the Tufts Wildlife Clinic, helping care for possums, raccoons, or other abandoned or injured mammals and birds. She loved being able to make a difference in the natural world on a personal, individual level.

She developed a passion for gardening, her desire for special plants to attract butterflies sometimes outstripping the real estate of her small backyard in Arlington. Anne’s garden was a riot of color and exuberance, the wilder because she had such a hard time weeding out “volunteers.” As the years went by, less and less lawn remained as the garden continued to grow. It was a haven for her, and she loved watching the House Wrens nesting by the rhododendrons.

Anne thoroughly enjoyed her friends and family. She was an exceptionally kind and gentle soul with a fine sense of humor who was always concerned about the well-being of others. She will be sorely missed. She is survived by her sister Nini (Mary Alice) Bloch of Bedford, 14 cousins including Clarissa Erving of Medford, Joan Leitzes of Duxbury, and Ellen Klyce of Memphis, and her cat Tigger.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Anne’s memory to either the Tufts Wildlife Clinic (https://wildlife.tufts.edu/donate) or the Alzheimer’s Association (https://alz.org/get-involved-now/other_ways_to_give).

A celebration of Anne’s life will be held at a later date.

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