Anne B. (Brown) Hilliard, age 97, a lifelong resident of Winchester, passed away on August 17, 2026. She was the beloved wife of the late Albert N. Hilliard (1918-1957). She tells the story of meeting Al one Friday evening when he was going out with her roommates. Anne was lounging on the couch with a stack of books at her side, intending to read into the night. “That is the woman for me.” She was a lifelong reader, whose library books were due 2 days before her death.

Born in Winchester, MA, Anne was the daughter of the late Frederick R. and Florence (Wilson) Brown.

She was raised and educated in Winchester, and graduated from Brimmer and May School in Newton, Centenary College in NJ, and attended Boston University for a few semesters. She was surprised she loved a geology class.

Anne retired from her position as a Medical Secretary at Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary after several decades in the field, beginning at the medical building on Dix Street in Winchester.

Anne enjoyed her retirement. She travelled to Scotland and England several times. She loved gardening and outsmarting the gourmet rabbit interlopers as best she could. Anne was a marvelous host of holiday gatherings and backyard visits for family and friends. She loved her Celtics, enjoying her 97th birthday at TD Garden reminiscing about the Bruins games she saw at the Boston Garden in her youth. She was a competitive card player, frequently winning at Bridge tournaments. She kept in touch with extended family and drove great distances at times to see them. She drove her two young daughters to Ft. Myers Beach, Florida in 1959 – “I wouldn’t have done it if I had known how far it was.” – and drove them up to the family home in Danville, Quebec, for many summers. Anne lamented that Woodstock hitchhikers wanted rides all the way into Boston so they wouldn’t join her for the ride back from cousins in Coburg, Ontario.

Anne modeled courage and strength in the face of loss and challenge. Her beloved younger daughter, Amy Hilliard McLean, passed away in 1993, survived by her husband and two young sons. Anne was grateful to help take care of them. She had a strong social conscience, donating to favored causes, especially civil rights. She volunteered as a poll worker for years, played a tambourine at an Occupy Wall Street gathering in Boston - demonstrating her commitment to democracy.

Anne is lovingly remembered and survived by her daughter, Nancy A. Hilliard of Clinton, MA; her grandchildren Matthew McLean of Hamilton, MA, Margaret Grande of Clinton, MA, Ian McLean and his wife Alex, the parents of Anne’s great-granddaughter, Amy, of Attleboro, MA, and Mary Kate Grande and her husband Bryan Wiggins of Wallingford, PA.

Anne donated her body to Harvard Medical School. Per her wishes, no services are planned.