Elizabeth Helen Robinson Anello

  Elizabeth Helen Robinson Anello, 70, of Concord, Ca and Reno, Nevada passed away at home on January 12th 2016. She was born on October 3, 1945, the first child of Sam and Helen Anello of West Orange, New Jersey. She graduated from Mountain High School in 1963 and attended Jackson College, Tufts University, majoring in Political Science. After graduation, 1967, she joined the Peace Corps and served for two years in Turkey teaching English. She returned to the Middle East and spent another year teaching English in Iran at the time of the Shah’s Royal Jubilee before the Ayatollah Khomeni Revolution. Returning to the USA, she attended The University of Michigan in Flint and got her Master’s Degree in Social Work. In 1976 she headed west and settled in the Mission District of San Francisco, where she immediately got involved in community activism.

   She worked for the San Francisco Department of Public Health at the Tom Waddell Clinic during the early years of the aids epidemic. During this time and continuing throughout her professional career she was also a champion for the homeless. With marriage to Robbie Robinson and the birth of their son, Nicholas, the couple made their home in Concord California.

   Elizabeth received her Doctorate Degree in Administrative Social Work from the University of California, Berkeley. She worked as Director of Social Workers for Kaiser Permanente Northern California. She also realized the huge significance of all issues related to water in California and became an elected member of the Concord Water Board serving on the Board for many years.

  Elizabeth retired from professional life in 2007 when she was diagnosed with Early Onset Alzheimers Disease. Betty was a most vibrant and active person and she is very much missed.

   She leaves behind her son Nicholas Robinson, and one granddaughter. She is also survived by her mother, Helen Anello, Bali, Indonesia, her brother and sister in law, John and Margot Anello, Crown Point, New York, sister Nancy Anello, Bali, Indonesia, and sister and brother in law Barbara and Zachariah Adnani, New York City. She was preceded in death by her husband Robbie Robinson.

   A private memorial is planned by the family. Memorial gifts in memory of Elizabeth may be made to The Alzheimers New Jersey fund in her name by visiting their web site alznj.org …..