Ancy Morse

Ancy Loucille (Tone) Morse died May 3, 2025, at The Homestead Senior Living Facility in Rochester, MN. She lost her battle with cancer, but her sharp mind and wit never faded.

A small-town girl at heart, Ancy was born in Bemidji, MN, on March 8, 1935, and spent her childhood in International Falls, MN. Living in far northern Minnesota, she did some hunting as a girl and loved Rainy Lake: fishing and swimming in the summers, skating and other (very) cold weather activities in the winter.

She and her husband, Bob, were childhood friends. Bob had a crush on Ancy when he was in the fourth grade and she in third. (They attended a boy scout party together at some point in the elementary school years...) They remained friends through high school and college and started dating when they were both back in International Falls one summer. They were married in July 1958.

Ancy attended the University of Minnesota and graduated with a law degree in 1959, the only woman in her graduating class. After finishing their education - law for Ancy and medicine for Bob - they moved to California for a couple of assignments in the Air Force.

In 1963 they moved to Rochester where Bob entered a residency program in psychiatry at Mayo Clinic. Ancy worked in law part-time. (The first woman to practice law in Olmsted County.) They added children Kathy, Karen, Mark, and Kelly between the years of 1961 and 1971. Family was always top of the list for Ancy, structuring her busy work schedule around family time and lots of family travel.

In 1983 she was appointed a district court judge in Minnesota (the first female district judge in greater Minnesota) and served for 16 years, retiring in 1999.

Ancy may have been a small-town girl, but she and Bob traveled the world - and loved doing so. (The passion for travel may have begun in 1953, when she was selected as one of four girls to represent the United States in Girl Scouts and Girl Guides in Switzerland. She later wrote about that trip being a "watershed experience" for her: "(The self-confidence and enthusiasm for my life and the world ahead of me...propelled me into areas where perhaps I would not otherwise have ventured...and helped sustain me throughout.") Other favorite pastimes were golf, cooking, reading, and entertaining people in their home. She was a lifetime member of the Girl Scouts and was active in many civic organizations in Rochester. She had a deep love for this city and served it in many capacities.

Nine grandchildren joined the family starting in 1991. Ancy loved being a grandma (and not a typical one!) and adored her grandchildren.

After retirement she and Bob spent most of their summer free time at their cabin on an island on Rainy Lake. She continued to love fishing - and playing golf when on the mainland.

Ancy is survived by her husband, Bob, and four children: Kathy Kuhlmann (Joel),

Rochester, MN; Karen Digby Dripps (Tom), Rochester, MN; Mark Morse (Andrea),

Lakeville, MN; and Kelly Nowicki (Jeff), Oronoco, MN. Also surviving is a sister,

Sandy Tone, Seattle, WA; grandchildren Kayla (Digby Smith), Tanner, Maia (Digby); Matthew (and Mason (Morse); Abby (Ohnstad) and Deepali (Kuhlmann); and Jordan and Brandon (Nowicki). She has five great grandchildren. Ancy is preceded in death by her parents and a sister.

The family is deeply thankful to Mayo Hospice and the staff at The Homestead for their exceptional care, kindness, and support.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at noon, at Zumbro Lutheran Church, 624 3rd Ave. SW, Rochester, MN. Visitation/reception will follow service.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in Ancy's memory to Legal Assistance of Olmsted County and Learning is Forever (RCTC Foundation, LIFE Program), an outreach of RCTC.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Morse family.