Anne Duvall Romano, also known in the Buddhist community as Gen Kelsang Dema, age 83, of O'Fallon, IL died peacefully on Sunday August 19, 2018 at her home of the past 4 ½ years at The Heritage Memory Care.

Anne Duvall Romano (Harriet Anne Duvall) was born February 15, 1935 in Bremerton, WA. She was the daughter of Lt Gordon Franklin Duvall, USN and Irene Haddix Duvall (Harriet Irene Haddix). A proud "Navy Brat", she grew up in Washington, California, and Maryland while following her father's Navy career during WWII. Following her father's untimely death in 1947, Anne remained on the east coast for many years, eventually graduating from Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY with a BA degree in Math and Physics. Following graduation, Anne worked in the New York Welfare Department, where she met her husband, Luigi Romano. They married in California and returned shortly thereafter to New York, where their daughter Elisa was born. In 1964 the family returned to Anne's beloved California. Anne's son, John-David, was born several years later. When her children were young, Anne worked part-time as a remedial math teacher for High School drop-outs, preparing them to pass their High School equivalency exam. She had a successful private tutoring service, also in Math, and worked as a pre-school teacher. Following her divorce from Luigi, Anne worked for many years as a claims representative for Social Security, helping people with disability claims. During this time Anne was an active volunteer in her community with the Hollywood YMCA and many other organizations, once volunteering to run the Counselor in Training program for a week at Camp Whittle in the San Bernardino Mountains. Once her children moved out on their own, Anne changed careers again and spent many years supervising halfway houses for women addicts in Southern California. In her later years, Anne became a teacher again, this time of Buddhism and became a Buddhist Nun, a vocation she followed until poor health sadly forced her retirement in 2012.

Anne loved learning and was a voracious reader in many subjects, and she also enjoyed hiking and travel. Anne was an avid museum lover, and could spend hours in a museum reading and studying every display and exhibit. Anne's home was always open to neighborhood kids. She was well known for taking as many kids as would fit in her car on outings to local parks, museums, and other attractions. Many neighborhood kids have fond memories of Anne's generosity, support and guidance over the years. Later Anne did the same thing with her grandchildren as long as her health allowed.

Anne was predeceased by her parents, Lt Gordon Franklin Duvall, USN (Ret) and Irene (Haddix) Duvall; brother Gordon Grant Duvall (Vee); sisters Gwen (Duvall) Kaiser (Bill) and Evajane Duvall; and son-in-law Robert D'Antonio. Anne is survived by her children Elisa (Romano) D'Antonio and John-David Romano; her grandchildren Ryan and Denise D'Antonio; cousins; numerous nieces and nephews; and grand nieces and nephews.

Services were conducted at the Aebischer~Richeson Funeral Home, St. Jacob, IL with Abbot Phrakru Vijit of Cherokee Buddhist Temple St. Louis officiating. Burial was at Keystone Cemetery in St. Jacob IL.

Memorials may be made to the charity of choice in one of the causes most important to Anne: museums, education, conservation, social justice, children, medical research, or your local Buddhist Temple.

AEBISCHER~RICHESON FUNERAL HOME, St. Jacob, IL