Financial underwriter AnnMarie Thompsan died on July 29. She was 29.
Thompsan was a native of Erie and was a state-champion shot putter for her high school, Villa Maria Academy. She attended Slippery Rock University and later transferred to Edinboro University to study political science and business.
Thompsan, who lived in West Philadelphia with her partner, Anne Lunnie, worked in finance and was an underwriter.
Lunnie said Thompsan enjoyed working with children and ultimately was hoping to pursue a different career path.
“She was looking to branch out and was looking into different grad schools. She didn’t really like the idea of working in the corporate sector and was on her way to finding her dream,” Lunnie said. “She liked working with kids and signed to coach the University City soccer league because she played soccer when she was younger.”
Lunnie and Thompsan got married on Oct. 7 in Philadelphia. The ceremony was held in the middle of South Broad Street, with Lunnie’s sister as the officiant, and the reception was at Triumph Brewing Company.
Lunnie said Thompsan proposed, however the couple knew that wedding bells were in their future.
“We both knew marriage was what we wanted. It was very important for us to mark our commitment to each other in the presence of those we loved,” Lunnie said. “We wanted a life together, children together and a home together. We were on our way to that.”
The two met at Sisters in 2010, at the prompting of their best friends.
“She was out with her best friend at Sisters, and I was with mine. My friend was chatting her up at the bar, trying to set us up, and she came over to buy me a drink and I was just so nervous,” Lunnie said. “She walked me and my friend to get our cab and then exchanged phone numbers and I got a call from her the next day. We joked that we had a couple dates and never looked back.”
Lunnie said Thompsan had an infectious personality.
“She was easy to fall in love with; everyone that knew her felt that way — her friends, my friends and my family just loved her. She had the most powerful personality I have ever met in my life. She just had a way of sucking everyone in and you couldn’t help it. It was like gravity.”
While it was initially Thompsan’s humor that caught Lunnie’s attention, she said she quickly learned Thompsan had a wealth of strengths, including devotion to her loved ones.
“She had the most ridiculous sense of humor in the world and she was totally out there in the best way,” Lunnie said. “She was a force of nature. She was unflinching and fierce and full of love and would do anything for the people she loved.”
While she worked in the financial sector, Thompsan was fascinated by politics — among her varied other interests.
“She loved politics. She would go on and on and if she found a person to talk to about politics, you couldn’t pull her away,” Lunnie said. “And she loved music so much. She had a life-long love affair of Riot Grrl. She loved beer and good whiskey and hanging out at bars with the people she loved. She loved to read and stay active in the community.”
Lunnie said Thompsan’s passion for working with youth led her to become a supporter of and donor to The Attic Youth Center.
“She donated a lot because of her past and because she did not have a place like that when she was growing up. The Attic meant a lot to her,” Lunnie said.
A small memorial service was held at the William Way LGBT Community Center Aug. 3.
Thompsan is survived by Lunnie and friends from all over the country. Donations can be made to The Attic Youth Center, www.atticyouthcenter.org.