Anne Telfer Swikart passed away peacefully at home in Rumson Dec. 1, 2022. The youngest of four children, Anne was born in Newark in 1930 to Robert and Mary Telfer.
As a child Anne enjoyed many summers with her family and extended family of cousins at their bungalow in Locust. She remembered during World War II when they had to use blackout shades for security because of the proximity to Naval Weapons Station Earle. It is where she fell in love with the area which eventually became all of their permanent home.
Anne graduated from Newark State Teachers College (now Kean University) with a degree in education. She was a kindergarten teacher in Maplewood until she started her family with her husband Edward Swikart Jr., whom she met at a young singles mixer at Tower Hill Church in Red Bank.
Family was always the most important thing for Anne. She and Ed introduced and encouraged their children in what became a lifelong love of sports including skiing, tennis and sailing. She felt strongly about their academics and school experience so she was elected to and served many years on the school boards of both the Rumson public schools as well as Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School.
Anne was a talented musician. She loved playing the piano and was a member of the choir at Tower Hill Church for over 50 years. She also belonged to a smaller group, The Joyful Noise, through the church. They performed at Tower Hill services and other venues. Her deepest friendships were made through music and the church. Over the years she encouraged her children, and then her grandchildren, in musical pursuits at Tower Hill and beyond.
By far, however, her happiest times were at home with her family. Whether it was baking 20 tins of Christmas cookies or walking “the property,” often with her sister Mary, home was her happy place. Those walks always ended with a to-do list of jobs (much to the chagrin of her family) but she felt that living in a beautiful spot came with responsibility and everyone got to benefit. In their later years she and Ed enjoyed “just watching the boats go by.”
Anne was predeceased by her parents, her husband Ed (in 2020), her siblings Elizabeth Jose, Robert Telfer Jr. and Mary George.
She is survived by her children Ed (Liz), Mary Anne Daddono (Bill) and Rob (Alice), all of Rumson. She will be missed by her grandchildren, Molly, Jack, Billy, Shannon, Connor, Jillian, Sam, Kelsey and Kate, and great-grandchild Liam. She will also be missed by her nephews, Mark George (Patricia) of Middletown and Doug George (Kelly) of Arlington, Virginia, and their children.
Arrangements were private and the family will gather to celebrate Anne’s life in a special way this summer.
The article originally appeared in the January 12 – 18, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
