Ann Naomi Turowski Mead died Monday, March 27, 2017, in the company of her family, after a long illness. Ann was born on August 2, 1949, in Chicago, the daughter of Dr. Jacek “Jack” Turowski, D.O., and Helen Naomi Piron Turowski, and grew up in Avon Lake, Ohio. She graduated from St. Joseph Academy (Cleveland, Ohio), and earned a Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and a Master of Music from the State University of New York at Fredonia (New York).

Ann was a passionate advocate for music and arts education. She pursued a career as a music educator in Warren, Pennsylvania. Among other institutions and organizations, Ann taught in the Warren County School District, at St. Joseph’s School, at extension programs for Gannon University and Jamestown Community College, and at the Warren County Summer Music School, where she served as President of the Board for more than two-and-a-half decades, in addition to teaching private flute lessons. In 2014, Ann was featured in “American Graduate Day”, a documentary produced for public television featuring educators who help local youth stay on track to college and career success.

Ann was also an accomplished flutist and piccolo player. Ann began her career performing with a youth orchestra touring Europe. Among other engagements, she played flute and piccolo in the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, the Warren Philharmonic, the orchestra of the Struthers Library Theatre’s summer theater (Warren, Pennsylvania) and the chamber trio, Mná Trí. Ann was also on the Boards of the Struthers Library Theatre and Erie Philharmonic, as well as a member of Philomel Club of Warren. Her other interests included gourmet cooking, gardening and reading. 

Ann was a devoted and loving wife, mother, sister and friend and is survived by her husband of 39 years, Kevin Mead; son, Brendan; daughter, Francesca (son-in-law, Alfred Wang); brothers, Dr. Paul Turowski of Hiram, Ohio, and John Turowski of Avon Lake, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Mary Elizabeth Don Sante.

The family will be mourning privately and no public memorial service will be held. In lieu of flowers or other memorials, the family requests that contributions be made to the Warren County Summer Music School, P.O. Box 635, Warren, PA 16365-1719.

The family has entrusted the Donald E. Lewis Funeral Home, Inc., Warren, PA., with final arrangements, e-mail condolences may be sent by visiting www.lewisfuneralhomeinc.com