“The Mountains are calling and I must go”
(John Muir)
Born July 8, 1937
Died May 31, 2024
Father: William George Stedman
Mother: Virginia Allen
Brother: Allen Cornell Stedman
Married: Earle R Perkins in 1961
Children: Jonathan M Perkins and his wife Lisa Perkins
Heather A Perkins
Grandchildren: Haley M (Perkins) Clark and her husband William A Clark ,3rd
Tessa L Perkins
Zacharey J Perkins and his wife Katie Perkins
Michaela A Benford
Andrew C Benford
Great Grandchildren: Jerald Young and Wesley Young
Genevieve M Clark and William A Clark,4th
Education: Graduate of South Kingstown High School class of 1955
Graduate of The University of Rhode Island 1959 with a BS degree
Ann was a proud South Kingstown Elementary School teacher. Her love was teaching her third grade students at West Kingston Elementary School. She spent 28 years touching the lives of her students and inspiring those around her before retiring in 1997.
Ann was a Life Member of the Appalachian Mountain Club, a member of the O.H. Association and a hut caretaker for the Lonesome Lake Hut in New Hampshire. Her passion was hiking. She logged countless miles over 40 years of enjoyment in the mountains, hiking trails across New England and Western United States. Her most impressive ascents include Mt Rainier in Washington, Mt Hood in Oregon and Mt Whitney in California. She also led many climbs and hikes throughout Europe, blazing through Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and the Tour de Mt Blanc in France. Her passion for hiking inspired others. She created the hiking club, “Chicks with Sticks” to unite those with the same love she had for the trails.
Her garden was her purpose. A certified Hall of Fame Master Gardener, Ann was the founder of the “Gardening with the Masters” garden tour which began in 2003. Her unique container gardens found her featured in Better Homes & Gardens magazine in 2005.
Ann was a Rhody Ram through and through, graduating from URI in 1959 as a member of Delta Zeta sorority. It was there that she met her husband of 63 years. The two loved attending sporting events, supporting the Rams throughout the years.
The date for the memorial service has been scheduled for June 27, 2024 at St. Peter’s By the Sea in Narragansett. The calling hours are 10 am and the service begins at 11 am