Anne Roche Cool of Reading, passed away peacefully on March 30, 2017. She was 94. She is survived by her children Colin Cool and his wife Ellen, of Reading, Colleen Hynes and her husband Gerard of Picayune, MS, and her daughter-in-law, Karen Cool, of Phoenix, AZ. Anne is also survived by her two grandchildren Kathleen and Stephen Cool. She was predeceased by her husband Paul Edward Cool, her son Paul Lawrence Cool, and her loving companion Dale Cross.

Anne was born in Dublin, Ireland to Laurence and Elizabeth Roche, both accomplished musicians. She studied ballet in London until World War II broke out and she volunteered in a hospital for the war effort. She was wounded when the building she was in collapsed during a bombing raid in the London Blitz, and she carried a scar on her chin for her entire life. It was in London that she met her husband, a dashing and decorated U.S. Air Force pilot. She enjoyed life in the Air Force community, and became accustomed to moving frequently. When her husband was a military advisor to Chiang Kai-shek, she lived in China until forced to flee with her infant daughter in the middle of the night when the Communists took over. The next assignment was in Tokyo, Japan, followed by stints in Kansas, Ohio and California. She also lived in North Dakota and Washington State, before moving to Massachusetts to be near her son.

Gregarious, charming, and effortlessly glamorous, Anne commanded attention at any gathering. As an officer's wife, she knew all the rules of military protocol but relished breaking them with her wicked Irish sense of humor. She was an incredible cook and loved hosting dinner parties for business associates, friends and family. Anne was an exceptionally talented quilter and seamstress and lovingly designed and sewed dozens of quilts and outfits for her children and grandchildren. She was a magnetic storyteller, vividly recreating exotic places and rare experiences. Anne saw more of the world than most people could in a dozen lifetimes.

Funeral arrangements are private. In lieu of flowers, Anne would have liked everyone to go out and have a nice meal.