At the young age of 14, Anna Mary Bird, was just beginning to experience life, when she was taken from her family suddenly, due to a car accident on Thursday evening, February 12, 2015.
Anna’s life will be honored, with all the services being held at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church 4625 West 125 th Street, Savage, MN. The family will greet guests on Thursday, February 19, from 4-8 pm and Friday, February 20 from 9:30-10:45 am, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 am. Father Mike Tix will preside.Pallbearers will be Nicholas Bird, Shelby Bartuzek, Abby Muller, Leah Pavlish, Lauren Stach, Mallory Stach, Rick Muller and Darin Pavlish. Memorials are preferred and will be distribute in Anna’s memory by the family.
It was a beautiful day of May 16, 2000, in Burnsville, MN, when William “Bill” and Erin (Rand) Bird, welcomed Anna into their arms. She was the younger sister to Alec and a twin sister born first to Nick. With Anna’s very first breath, she lived life full speed ahead. Anna lit up every room she entered with pure energy. She attended elementary schools of Ponds Edge, Westwood, Redtail Ridge and Twin Oaks Middle School. Anna was currently a freshman at Prior Lake High School.
Anna led a very active life and always on the go. As a little girl, she loved to sing and dance, especially around her brothers. A talented athlete, she spent countless hours on the ice playing hockey. She could be seen playing wing with her white and silver skates. In the recent years, Anna started playing lacrosse, as attack and mid-field. She enjoyed traveling all over the area playing in tournaments. Currently, Anna was even learning the craft of snowboarding under the instruction of Nick. She also enjoyed roller-blading and kayaking. Anna loved to travel to the family cabin in northern Wisconsin. There she loved boating, tubing, knee boarding, swimming and always out-fished her dad. A natural on water ski’s, Anna got up on her first attempt and skied the full length of the lake. She was very proud of her big brother when he went to college. She enjoyed helping him move into his dorm and later visiting him. Anna looked forward to her visiting her grandparents and all of the adventures they would have during the visits. Her summers were filled with hockey clinics, lacrosse tournaments and being with friends.
Family and friends were most important to Anna. She loved each one deeply and had a special relationship with them too. As a family, they loved attending the annual neighborhood camping trip, creating many fond memories along the way. Anna relished being around her friends and treasured each one. Never wanting the spot light on her, Anna’s presence was always felt with her friends.
One of Anna’s aspirations in life was to help children with special needs. Anna’s compassion for kids was felt in her own neighborhood. She enjoyed their endless conversations and times spent being together doing whatever they could find to entertain them. Quite often you would see a trail of much young kids following Anna around the neighborhood because she always had the time for them. Anna loved kids so much, that she went back to her grade school and volunteered to help her former teachers and sometimes the students. She brought so many smiles to their faces. Undoubtedly, Anna loved dogs, especially her four-legged friends at home. She could be found visiting them at the local shelters and pet stores, bringing them some joy.
Anna lived a full but short life. She will be forever remembered for her kind and loving personality. Anna brought great joy to everyone she embraced with respect and friendly spirit. Left to honor Anna’s life and mourn her death are her parents, Bill and Erin Bird; older brother, Alec; twin brother, Nick; grandparents, Allen and Arlen Bird, Dick and Mary Rand; uncles, Eric (Dawn) Rand, Jim (Shelly) Bird; other loving relatives and devoted friends.
Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home and Cremation, Prior Lake Chapel, proudly served and cared for the Bird family. www.ballardsunderfuneral.com
