Lasting Memories

Ann Teitler Ozer
Sept. 11, 1935-Jan. 10, 2023
Palo Alto, California

Ann Teitler Ozer died peacefully at age 87 on January 10th at her home in Palo Alto.

Ann embodied a go-getter spirit of living life to the fullest, always seeking connections with people and ideas. She will be remembered as a scholar, a social activist, a loving and supportive mother to her five children, and “Grannie Annie” to eight wonderful grandchildren.

Ann loved learning, especially about politics and science. Ann was a Westinghouse Science Talent Search scholar during high school in Forest Hills, New York and graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 1956 with a degree in psychology. She went on to study early childhood education at Harvard, where she also met her husband of 20 years, Dr. Mark Ozer.

Ann was a lifelong social activist. She worked to develop the federal Head Start program in the 1960s, helped elect progressive candidates from coast to coast, and ran for public office herself to bring attention to important issues.

Ann loved Palo Alto, first living in the Bay Area in the late 1950s, returning with family in 1979 after two decades living in New York, London, and the Washington, D.C. area, and then moved to Palo Alto permanently in 1989. She was an active parent at Palo Alto High School and a longtime member of Congregation Beth Am. She frequented Stanford University events and enjoyed more than 30 years living at Oak Creek, with regular swims in the pool and playing tennis with friends.

Ann was beloved by her children Katherine, Elizabeth, Mark, Emily, and Nicole Ozer; brother Michael Teitler and sister-in-law Judith; brother Bob Teitler; daughter-in-law Ava, sons-in-law David, Cliff, Tony, and Sean; grandchildren Sam, Max, Benjamin, Anais, Elena, Nico, Emilia, and Jack; and many nephews and nieces.

A celebration of life will be held at Congregation Emanu-El in San Francisco - 2 Lake Street - on Friday, January 20 at 10:30 AM (livestream also available).

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the National Family Farm Coalition, ACLU of Northern California, and Bryn Mawr College.