I just got a call from Tony Allinson to let me know that Ann passed away quite suddenly on Sunday.
I was talking to her just last week, and she sounded like her old self. She called in to the range in Canberra last week to say hello to competitors.
I first met Ann and Tom Brummell on the 26th of April 1972. It was the first day I could get to Silverdale with my 16th birthday present, a Sako 222. Ann and Tom took me under their wing and soon after I was hooked on benchrest.
Ann was a fantastic competitor and was the first female to be inducted into the centerfire Hall of Fame as number 8, in 1981.
Ann did a lot for benchrest in the early days, and was instrumental in the Silverdale WBC in 2013. She will be missed by many.
Rest in peace Ann.
It was Ann's wish not to have a funeral or memorial service and the family will honor her wishes.
Ann was interviewed for Australian Womens Shooter in 2022, the article is featured in Issue 15, June 2022.
Ann will be sadly missed. Rest in peace.
Bandjo
You certainly did a lot for Benchrest and SSAA, your immense contributions should never be forgotten.
Bill Collaros Australia
"Shoot to Thrill"
Whilst Ann was a centefire shooter, the IRB shooters owe her a debt of gratitude as well.
She is the one primarily responsible for us having a National Trophy and a Hall of Fame.
She gathered all the information since the matche's inception in 2009 and wrote the proposal to go the National Discipline Chair meeting which Bilo attended and presented.
Without her involvement, we'd certainly be a lot poorer a discipline.
On hehalf of all the IRB shooters both past and present, Thank you for your efforts Ann. I.m sure now that this is known, you'll not be forgotten by us either.
Diggs
Team KAOS - Catch us if you can! - Ya got no chance
Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.
Very sad news. She certainly has left her mark on the Benchrest shooting discipline as a whole. I first met Ann and Tom at a match in Dapto NSW in 1979. Later that same year we were all in Adelaide for the Southern Varmint Titles when several USA shooters came to Australia for a trip. Around that time a National Benchrest Committee meeting was held and Ann was the Chair person of the discipline and was my first meeting representing the ACT. Those were the times of the first official Rulebooks and Ann had driven that a lot.
She was also a very good shooter in her own right. When she put her mind to she would win. As witnessed lots of times at Silverdale. In more recent years she assisted Dave Billinghurst with a lot of background matters pertaining to the Discipline. The sort of stuff which needs a lot of research and information gathering. She was a stickler for details. Luckily for all of us. Things like with the IRB HOF mentioned by Diggie above.
She did a sterling job and will always be remembered for many things, not the least of which being simply what being a volunteer is all about.
RIP.
Stuart & Annie
Annie & Stuart Elliott
www.benchrest.com.au