Obituary of Ann M. Hiden

Ann M. Hiden died peacefully at her home in Rye, New York on April 20, 2024. She was 89 years old. Mrs. Hiden, the daughter of the late Warren A. McCracken and Dorothy F. McCracken of Barrington, Illinois, was born in Chicago in 1935. Ann grew up surrounded by woods and farms and developed a strong kinship with the natural world. In the winters, she skated on a woodland pond and warmed herself by campfire. She spent her summer days at the local pool where she won ribbons for swimming and diving. Ann attended a small countryside  grammar school where she cultivated beautiful penmanship and preferred playing canasta to studying algebra. Her extended family lived nearby and were known throughout Cook County for their laughter-filled soirees. Ann graduated from Dana Hall in Wellesley, Massachusetts in 1953 and Briarcliff Junior College in 1955. She also attended Sarah Lawrence College, where she discovered her love of literature and painting. In 1956, she married Robert (Bob) Hiden, Jr. of Stockbridge Massachusetts and later New Canaan, Connecticut, with whom she shared 62 years of marriage until his death in 2018. In 1960, they moved to Larchmont, New York, where they raised three children. Ann was a soprano and loved music. She often broke into showtunes, jazz standards and the occasional verse of “Ave Maria”, but her sense of humor was her greatest gift. As one old friend said, “She lit up the room.” A classmate recalled that, “Wherever there was laughter, Ann was at the center of it.” She was a candid and animated conversationalist and beloved amongst her children’s friends, despite having a padlock bolted to the refrigerator door to prevent late night partyers from devouring the contents. She was a natural entertainer. Anyone who knew her smiles at the mention of her name. Ann is survived by her children Robert III and his wife Karen of Lone Tree, Colorado, Elizabeth of Norwalk, Connecticut, John and his wife Cheryl of Orleans, Massachusetts, and her grandchildren, Christian, Chloe and Paige. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on May 18, 2024 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 4 Fountain Square, Larchmont, New York 10538. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Ann’s memory to the Public Broadcasting Service, pbs.org, the network that provided her with countless hours of education and entertainment.