Introducing Annabelle Wanita {Price} Midtgard (1925-2011)

Annabelle on Her Wedding Day in 1952

Annabelle was born April 14, 1925 in Allen, Michigan to Charles Frederick Price, a wealthy pig farmer, and Frances 'Lucile' {Snider} Price. Her father's family descended from Wales and her mother was of German descent. Her parents were an odd match as they were thirty-two years apart in age. Charles had been married to a gal named Osie Heck, but they were divorced because she couldn't have children. Charles really wanted to have children, and he was good friends with Charles and Clara Snider, Lucile's parents. Therefore, he started hanging around Lucile, and they were eventually married and gave birth to Annabelle, their only daughter. 


Growing up on a pig farm, Annabelle was always out and about playing with the animals and helping around the farm. She was active in 4-H as a child where she sewed together many outfits and raised a prize-winning calf that earned her $36.00 in 1938 (That was great money at the time!). Her family was always pretty well off as her father was a hard worker, but the Great Depression hit them pretty hard. Charles had just sold his latest herd of pigs and put all his money in the bank right before the financial tragedy of Black Tuesday. This caused a financial burden for the family. They had to sell their extravagant farm and move to a smaller farm at 570 E. Chicago Road, Jonesville. Charles was able to start raising pigs again, and sooner than later they were back on their feet.

Annabelle with Her Hands Full

Annabelle graduated from Allen High School in 1942. She had high aspirations of becoming a nurse, but she wanted to be more prepared for nursing school, so she enrolled at Jonesville High School in 1943 to take an extra year of science courses. While she was at Jonesville she played basketball, was in the senior play, and was a member of the glee club. Although she was only at Jonesville for a year, she had many childhood friends in the class to keep her company. After graduation from Jonesville, she opted not to go into nursing because she wasn't too fond of Chemistry (I knew that was in my genes!), and she couldn't really stand the sight of blood. She started work at Michigan Bell as a telephone operator right out of high school, and she worked their happily for a good deal of her life.

Annabelle with Her Parents Shortly Before
Their Divorce

Always being quite the looker, Annabelle always had a healthy dose of gentlemen-callers who wanted to earn her love. She was seeing a fellow named Jim Springer in the summer of 1951 when Edward Midtgard came into her life. Her diary entries suggest that she was very much in love with Jim, but once Edward entered her diary pages in the beginning of September 1951, Jim wasn't mentioned again.  One can tell by her diary that she was slowly falling in love with Edward because she goes from calling him Ed Midtgard to Eddy/Eddie. Their story had a slow start, as Anne wanted nothing to to do with Ed at the beginning. She had very high standards and only liked the best of the best, and Edward was a handyman who grew up in Detroit--not necessarily a man made of money . They were from two different worlds, but eventually they clicked after much perseverance from Edward. He liked her since he had first laid eyes on her, and he didn't want to give up that easily.  He started visiting her once or twice a week on the way home from work at Bundy Tubing, often times staying until the early morning hours of the next day, and things changed when he offered to take her to visit her mother in Jackson.

Anne's parents divorced around the late 1940's because their age difference finally got in the way. Lucile wanted to do more youthful things, and Charles couldn't keep up. This broke Anne's heart, but she never stopped loving both of her parents. Lucile married their neighbor down the road, Harold Gardner, after the divorce and Charles remained single for the rest of his life. Things changed for Anne and Ed during this time as well because Anne wanted to visit her mother in Jackson, Michgan one night, but there was a terrible snow storm. Ed offered to take the time out of his evening to drive her up to visit her mother, and the rest was history. By the end of 1951 they were officially going steady and falling deeply in love. One of my favorite diary entries comes from Annabelle on December 19, 1951. She states, "Wed. My day off. I went to Jackson this p.m. Got Eddie a billfold for Xmas. Got home about 8:10. Ed was here & we decorated the tree. We had lunch about 2:30 A.M. Had fun."

Wedding Day (L to R: Harold Gardner
Lucile Gardner, Annabelle, Edward, Hilda Midtgard,
Herluf Midtgard)

After about a year of courtship, Annabelle and Edward were married on November 16, 1952 in Hillsdale, Michigan, and their reception was held at Schuler's Restaurant in Marshall, Michigan where Win Schuler made sure that every request they had that night was granted. Immediately following the reception, they took a two-week trip to Florida via the Smoky Mountains. They settled at 570 E. Chicago Road in Jonesville, Michigan--living in the same house Annabelle had lived in since the age of 17--and they shared many happy years as newlyweds, and then their family grew in size and in happiness with the birth of a daughter.


Dianne Lucile Midtgard was born on April 2, 1957, and she was the only daughter of the couple. Annabelle and Edward immediately went into perfect parents mode as they attended every recital, play, and sporting event that Dianne was involved in. They made every Easter, birthday, and Christmas a memory that she could cherish for the rest of her life. They realized what it meant to be dedicated parents, and they raised their daughter to be an outstanding students and citizen of the community. Dianne graduated int he top of her class from Jonesville High School and was skilled in piano, tap, ballet, and community theater throughout her childhood.

Annabelle with Baby Dianne

Annabelle was a homemaker and cook first and foremost when it came to her hobbies. She was known to make some of the best dinners in the area. Her chicken was famous as she would cook the feet, the heart, and all. She made delectable desserts and fantastic side dishes to accompany any meal. After the food was cooked and ready to eat she loved played hostess to all of her guests. She had to make sure that everyone had everything that they needed before she would sit down to eat (I can remember her doing this even when I was a child. Grandpa would always say, "Anne, sit down! Your food's gettin' cold!"). Along with homemaking, another large hobby of hers was antiquing. Ed was a true American picker. He would buy anything and everything if he knew it was going to appreciate in value.  He filled buildings with buggies, wagons, gas pumps, classic cars, furniture, cookie jars, tools, and other various artifacts. At first, Annabelle was against Ed's collecting. How could someone possibly need this much stuff? However, she eventually came around and began enjoying attending antique auctions and flea markets with him. As where he would collect more masculine antiques, she began having an eye for exquisite dishware, vases, and other ceramics. They each had very distinct tastes, but they loved antiquing together, and they always came home from every auction or show with a new prized possession to show family members, friends, and neighbors. This is a passion that they passed down to my mother as well as to me. However, they didn't hold on to everything. They had one of the biggest antique auctions Michigan had ever seen, as it was decided that it was time to downsize and move closer to family.

In 1997, Edward and Annabelle moved south to Pioneer, Ohio to be closer to their daughter and her family. They bought one of the prettiest spec homes in town and enjoyed every minute of family time. In the past, they had watched their grandchildren--my sister and me--by driving forty-five minutes everyday. Now they didn't have to worry about the conditions of the roads as they were literally a block away from Dianne and her family.

Annabelle with Grandson, Austin

Just as they went into parent mode with Dianne, they went into grandparent mode starting in 1989 when my sister and I were born. They babysat us throughout our baby and toddler years as our parents had very busy work schedules. This is why I credit them for teaching me most of the essentials of life because they truly spent time with me everyday. They also went to every recital, performance, and program of ours just like they had down for our mother. This cycle went through a third round starting in 1999 when my brother Sterling was born. They were overjoyed to take care of him throughout his childhood. It kept them young and happy to have a little guy running around their house, and Anne finally had someone else to cook for during the day.

In the time spent in Ohio, Edward and Annabelle continued their lives as normally as possible by still going to auctions, flea markets, and antique shows. Many times they brought my mother and us kids along with them for the ride. They purchased abstract and beautiful items that they knew would just go up in price as the years went by. They truly enjoyed this passion until the end of Edward's life.

50th Wedding Anniversary

Edward and Annabelle celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in 2002 with a family dinner in the same restaurant that their wedding reception was held in. They had spent fifty years together growing a bond that could never be severed. They stood by each other's side through thick and thin until the very end.



Around the start of 2003, Edward grew weak and became bed-ridden. He had been diagnosed with prostate cancer a couple of years earlier, and it was finally taking its toll on him. Throughout this stage, Annabelle waited on him hand and foot and did all she could to make sure he was happy. I will never forget the look I saw in their eyes during these last couple of years. My grandfather had sparks in his eyes every time he spoke with my grandmother, and she always returned them with a smile. They were calm with each other and weren't afraid to show affection with warm hugs and big kisses, even moments before Edward left for Heaven.

Annabelle with Grandchildren at Edward's Funeral

Edward died on December 19, 2004 at Hillsdale Community Health Center in Hillsdale, Michigan. He had been there all month after initially going due to a heart attack, a stroke, and breathing trouble. During that month Annabelle barely came home or slept. She sat by her husband's side holding his hand and talking with him even though he couldn't talk back. She never left the room without kissing him goodbye, and this is a testament to the strength of their love, their true love.

After Edward's death, Annabelle stayed active by continuing to go to her grandchildren's school events, dance recitals, and sports games. Not a day went by that she didn't think of Edward, but she was able to keep the spirit of him alive by sharing memories with Dianne and her family.

Annabelle at Audra and Austin's High School
Graduation Party in 2007

A few years after Edward's death, Annabelle began to suffer from dementia. It was almost as if Edward was her key to the past, the key that was holding everything together. At times she wouldn't know her own family members and at other times she would. The disease seemed to come and go with the days. Most importantly though, she was able to continue living in her home up until the end of life. She purchased two purebred white Persian cats to keep her company. She named one Eddie (after her husband) and the other Schuller (after the place where they had their wedding reception and her favorite television preacher).  It was really a blessing that Dianne and her children lived so close because they were over all time time visiting Annabelle. Birthdays, Thanksgivings, Christmases, and New Years Eve parties were held at Annabelle's in order to keep the spirit of love alive throughout each year. 

Annabelle passed away on October 28, 2011 at Bronson Hospital in Battlecreek, Michigan. She had numerous heart attacks and strokes a couple days earlier and was sent to Hillsdale Community Health Center where she eventually was transferred to Battlecreek. She passed peacefully in her sleep where the doctors said they could tell she wasn't in any pain. The nurse that was in charge of her wing  at the hospital said that is usually how it goes for good people. If they've had a good life surrounded by a good family, then they know they can go in peace. 

Annabelle was laid to rest at Sunset View Cemetery in Jonesville, Michigan with Edward by her side and her parents on both ends of their gravestone. She always wanted to be between her mother and Edward when she finally went to rest, and that is just the way things ended up. Now their love will continue in Heaven as Annabelle is back in Edward's arms, right where she is supposed to be.

Midtgard Gravestone

My grandmother goes down in my memory as the most important person in my life, and she always will be. She never wanted a boy because she didn't think she could handle them, but when she got her first experience with me as a grandson she was ecstatic. It was no secret that she had a special place in her heart for me. I always got a little extra of everything. I even got to spend the night with my grandparents at the age of two because I begged my parents. My parents thought I would be afraid to be away from them, but I loved it. I can even remember coming home and asking my mother to pretend that she was my grandmother because I didn't want  my stay to end. Throughout my life, I had my grandmother's support, guidance, and love as she was always by my side, and I know that will all continue as she is looking down on me from Heaven.  

Towards the end, I started memorizing the last words that she said to me each time I left because I knew that I might not get to be with her near the end because I live two hours away in Findlay. When she passed in Battlecreek, unfortunately, I couldn't be there. My mother was there by her side, but I didn't make the trip because I knew it would be too late by the time I got there. I can rest assured though that everything is at peace due to my last meeting with her. I was on my way back to Findlay, and I stopped by her house to kiss her goodbye like I did every time I left home. She was in bed, and I walked in, stooped down, and kissed her. I told her that I was going back to school. I said goodbye, and that I loved her. She looked up at me, and I could tell that she really knew who I was--I could just see it in her eyes--as she said, "Goodbye; I love you." 

What a beautiful message that I have to forever cherish as her last words to me, but I know that her messages will keep coming. The night that she passed, I was driving in Findlay and the sky was lit up a bright purple like I had never seen before. I just know that it was her showing me that everything was going to be all right. She was back with Edward continuing their love story and watching over me and the rest of the family as we live out our lives down here with Annabelle and Edward's constant guidance, support, and love from above.