Anne Parry – known to her family as Annie – was to me, first and foremost, my dearly loved sister, and I must start this tribute by reflecting on her personal life and what she meant to her family. She was born in Liverpool but grew up mostly in Retford (North Notts), the eldest of four children. My big sister by only 16 months, I always looked up to her and followed her lead in many things – and all four of us continued to be close and enjoyed getting together as often as we could, despite living in three different countries.
Annie studied French and Italian at Leeds University, and it was Italy she fell in love with during her year abroad. After living for several years in Oxford, where she set up an English language school, she returned to Italy to teach English, eventually working at Verona University and Ca’ Foscari in Venice. She was also the national team leader for Cambridge English oral exams in Italy.
Italy was where she had her daughter, Emma, now an NHS consultant in the UK, and where she married Mario, her love, her companion and her support in all her undertakings. She was a devoted Nonna to two granddaughters, whom she adored, and spent as much time with them as she could, travelling with Mario to the UK to see them at every opportunity and reading stories to them by video call in between visits.
The start of activism
Brexit came as a shock to Annie, as it did to so many of us, and was the catalyst for her embrace of political activism. She campaigned and protested against it, and continued to fight afterwards for the rights of fellow Europeans whose lives had been disrupted. She wrote about her own experience for the In Limbo project, lobbied politicians and waved the EU flag all over the UK and Italy.
During the pandemic, Annie continued to campaign for social justice wherever she could, and spent time translating articles for NuoveRadici.World, a cultural and media project in Italy which aims to present a narrative on migration that breaks away from prejudice, polarisation and simplistic ‘good vs bad’ stereotypes. In an interview, she explained: “Our roots are important, they make us who we are, but they are not everything. The roles we take on in society add to our identity, and we can all play our part in making our world a better place.”
Political life after retirement
A committed Europeanist, Annie believed that only a united Europe with a common defence system could stand against the rising tide of fascism and populism. She joined the Italian Federalist Movement and was the Secretary of the Valpolicella branch. In 2022, she stood as a candidate to the country’s Senate on the Più Europa (“more Europe”) ticket. In 2024, she campaigned on behalf of Graham Watson (like Annie, also an Italian citizen) when he stood for election to the European Parliament on the Stati Uniti d’Europa list.
Annie’s political and personal commitment extended to other human rights causes, chief amongst them being Ukraine. She was vehemently anti-Putin, and campaigned hard for the victims of his aggression.
Last days, peaceful but still strong
Annie died on December 28th in Negrar hospital. In her last days, she was surrounded by her family, and it was typical of her that at the end, while she faced death with acceptance, she regretted that she still had much left to do. She requested that the causes she held dear, Europe and Ukraine, should be highlighted and supported at her funeral.
As a lifelong fan of Bob Dylan, it was appropriate that an excerpt from his song Forever Young featured at her funeral too, and our brother read the Christina Rossetti poems Remember and Let me go.
A well-known figure in northern Italy
Annie was a well-known and much-loved figure, both locally in Veneto and among the wider European community, and tributes poured in when her death was announced. Some of the words used to describe her have included indefatigable, kind, caring, an inspiration, a gentle warrior, warm-hearted, joyful, passionate about her family, warm and funny, ahead of her time, open-minded, intelligent and brave. It was her daughter, Emma, who said she was: “a politician like politicians should be: close to her local community, action above words, transparent and with strong guiding values”.
The Italian media have also reported on Anne’s passing, with the regional daily L’Arena lamenting the loss of: “A convinced Europeanist who nurtured the dream of a United States of Europe. A tireless political activist for women’s rights and for the Ukrainian people. A gentle ‘pasionaria’, a committed and courageous citizen” who fought for her ideals “until the very end”. The Verona online magazine Heraldo also described her as a “European citizen” who set an example of commitment to the causes she held dear.
The last word could perhaps go to the British in Europe group, whose Facebook page says: “At a time when civil and human rights are being rolled back across Europe and beyond, the world needs more Anne Parrys.”
Anne Parry. In memoriam. Liverpool, 9 August 1950 – Negrar, 28 December 2025.
