Obituary of Anne Hendrick Newhart

Anne Hendrick Newhart (formerly Trucker), of Minneapolis, passed away peacefully on October 18, 2024, at the age of 91.

Born on December 9, 1932, in Minneapolis to Helen and Ellwood Newhart. Growing up in South Minneapolis, Anne attended Kenwood Elementary School and graduated from Northrop Collegiate School in 1950, earning her degree from Carleton College in 1954, focusing on French and Theatre Arts. A lover of classical music and an aspiring actress, Anne’s love for the arts remained a cornerstone of her life.

While in Boston, Anne met Harvard medical student Earl Trucker, a fellow Minnesotan from St. Louis Park. They married on April 12, 1955, and shared a deep love and partnership that brought them four children. Tragically, Earl passed away from Hodgkin’s lymphoma on November 26, 1966, at the age of 34, leaving Anne to raise their three young sons and baby daughter.

Anne’s resilience shone as she moved her family from Minnetonka to Minneapolis in 1967 for a fresh start, closer to her roots and support network. She briefly ventured into the business world in the early 1970s but soon realized her true calling lay elsewhere. Anne devoted herself to the arts, volunteering with the Guthrie Theater, and became a passionate activist for peace, joining efforts like The Honeywell Project, Women Against Military Madness, and later, Grannies for Peace.

Anne was a seeker of spiritual wisdom and a lover of nature. A longtime member of Plymouth Congregational Church, she later expanded her beliefs to include Vajrayana Buddhism in the Nyingma tradition. Her happiest moments were spent at the family’s cabin on Rainy Lake, Ontario, where she found profound connections to water, sky, and land.

Throughout her life, Anne embraced creativity and leadership. She was a filmmaker in the 1970s, a massage therapist in the 1980s, and a two-term president of the Rainy Lake Conservancy in the 1990s. Her advocacy for the environment, the arts, and nonviolence left a lasting legacy.

Anne is preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Earl Trucker; her parents, Ellwood and Helen Newhart; her niece, Catherine Martineau; and her grandson, Justin Miller. She is survived by her sister, Sally Martineau; her children, Mark Trucker (Catharine Rettger), Eric Trucker (Linda Pedersen), Frederick Trucker, and Ruthanne Miller; her grandson, Jake Miller; her niece, Helen Martineau; and her nephew, Jim Martineau.

Anne’s unwavering commitment to peace, the arts, and the natural world continues to inspire all who knew her.

A celebration of Anne’s life will be held  April 25, 2025 at 1pm at Lakewood Cemetery Chapel, 3600 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408.

Memorials are preferred to Chagdud Gonpa Foundation, Iron Knot Ranch, Women Against Military Madness, Nonviolent Peaceforce, Rainy Lake Conservancy, Guthrie Theater, or an arts, environmental, or peace organization of your choice.