Apr 3, 1927 - Jan 24, 2024 And She Closed The Car Door On Duke Ellington's Hand Anne Emily (Parker) Rahn April 3, 1927 - January 24, 2024 - 96 years old if you're doing the math! Hold those you love closely, we are not here a long time. Anne was born before the Great Depression. Her father, a survivor of WW1 mustard gas poisoning, died when she was only six months old. Since her mom was the oldest of seven sisters, she was cared for by her grandparents and many aunts. She was born with a musical spark, a gift that made her a musical being. To be her child was to sing or play an instrument. She attended Sir Adam Beck Secondary where she met the love of her life, Lou Rahn. She played the piano, Lou, the trumpet and bass in jazz band and of course, singing in the Glee Club. She was an excellent sight reader, accompanist and was gifted in chording. Over the years Anne and Lou played in large and small jazz groups and supplemented their income with gigs. Their groups always knew how to "swing." It was Anne's greatest musical compliment. She loved Tony Bennett, the Four Freshman, the Swingle Singers, Joe Pass, Oscar Peterson and of course, The Duke! She continued to play in dance bands until she turned 80! Several Lutheran choirs: Trinity, Augsburg and St. Ansgar, thrived and enjoyed Anne's leadership and accompaniment. The residents at Riverside Glen in Guelph greatly appreciated her piano playing. Together they raised seven children and blessed them with music. Many was the dinner or car trip where song broke out with four part harmonies blending and joining together. Car trip favourites included I Love The Mountains, White Choral Bells and Dark Town Strutter's Ball. Anne and Lou had a song, Stardust, Harry James' 1943 version. That summer, Lou was away playing in the Stork Club Band in Port Stanley and Stardust with its mournful tune and lyrics of longing, became their song. The first hymn she learned and loved, Yes Jesus Loves Me was also the last hymn she heard on this mortal plane thanks to Andrea, Barb, Susan and Candace singing it for her as well as Goodbye Annie - in honour of the Rahn's goodbye tradition of singing Goodnight Ladies at the top of their lungs - in four part harmony - as people left the party! Lou developed Parkinson's Disease in 1970, she went back to high school in '77 to update her secretarial skills and her teacher was an old friend from Sir Adam Beck! When Lou was forced to take an early retirement she helped support the family by working full time in the Family Residences for Western University at Platts Lane. She told us, "If you can't say something good about someone then say nothing at all." "In any relationship if both people try to give two thirds to it and expect to get one third back then everything will work out." She loved to always wear nice outfits and have her hair and makeup just right, even to her dying days. Her children Andrew (Donna), Andrea (Lee), Daniel (Barb), Susan (Stephen), Aaron (Lisa), Matthew (Yvonne) and Candace (Darryl) begat 15 grandchildren and at last count, 19 great-grandchildren. Anne was respected and loved by all who knew her. She was intelligent, articulate, strong, a championship bridge player but most of all, she was a tremendously talented musician who used her gift of playing the piano for her whole life! The family wishes to express their deepest thanks to the incredible staff of The Village of Riverside Glen, Egerton Wing for the love and care they gave to Anne in the last years of her life. In Lieu of flowers the family encourages donations to the Augsburg Lutheran Community Outreach Program in the name of Anne Rahn at office@augsbram.ca. A memorial service will be held at Augsburg Lutheran Church, 224 Mill St. S. Brampton, Ontario April 20 at 11:00 a.m. You can visit the family starting at 10 a.m. And now the Duke story. Duke Ellington was a Freemason. During one of the band's trips to Canada around 1950, they played at the Freemason's Hall in London, Ontario. Lou and Anne were part of the house band for the Hall. The house band opened for Duke's band. Anne and Lou being outgoing and fun invited the whole band to their house for a party after the show. As they arrived and the cars unloaded, Anne didn't realize that Duke still had his hand in the door frame, and so, She Closed The Car Door On Duke Ellington's Hand. When asked about it years later she said the Duke left shortly after but the band stayed for the party and jammed with Anne and Lou!