Meet Ann Taylor Roux

Ann Taylor Roux is a dynamic, energetic volunteer’s volunteer. Retired teacher and Evergreen resident since 1977, Ann has an unabashed relish for life, for learning and for helping others. She tackles each challenge with enthusiasm, determination and humor.

Nearing the end of two years as president of the Jefferson County League of Women Voters, she doesn’t plan to ease up, but will continue her league work in other capacities as well as her extensive involvement in other causes and organizations. In her “spare” time, she will travel.

Her passion for travel began early in life. Born and raised in the Seattle suburb of Bellevue, Ann was bit by the travel bug in high school when she spent a year as an exchange student in Frankfurt, Germany. Since then, Ann has stayed in contact with her host “mother” and surprised her by attending her 90th birthday in 2011. Her German mom called it “the best gift of all.”

One of her greatest blessings now, she says, is to be able to travel as much as she and her husband Leo want. They take three major international trips each year. She has been to every continent but Antarctica; traveled to Europe 15 times; visited Russia, Germany, China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Africa, South America, Egypt, Australia and New Zealand; and lived in Australia as well as Germany.

Ann earned a bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in elementary education from the University of Washington, a master’s degree in gifted education from the University of Denver and spent her first three years teaching sixth grade in San Francisco.

She moved to Denver in 1973 and four years later to Evergreen. After an 11-year hiatus to raise her children – son Mark, Seattle; and daughter Madeleine, Evergreen – she returned to work, teaching gifted children in Jefferson County Schools, including Bergen and Parmalee elementary schools.

During that hiatus, she found welcome intellectual stimulation through the League of Women Voters. She reduced her involvement when she returned to work but upon retiring, once again became active. In addition to the presidency, she has served in various capacities on the Jefferson County League of Women Voters Board of Directors. She has enjoyed working with the LWV’s “wonderfully collaborative” board, but she says she’ll be glad to be a worker bee again.

In 1994 Ann married Leo, with whom she shares a love of travel and many volunteer pursuits and interests. The couple moved to Perth, Australia in 2001 where Ann spent a year as an exchange teacher. Both fell in love with Australia and spend two to three months there every other year. They enjoy their many Australian friends and have become accustomed to being called “Yanks,” and to the cleaning lady who comes in to “Hoover” the carpet. Back home, her schedule is crammed with many volunteer pursuits:

• Ann and Leo work on The (Jeffco) Action Center’s school backpacks project and Santa’s Workshop to help needy families enjoy the holidays.
• She serves on the board of The Colorado Foothills World Affairs Council and is a member of The Denver World Affairs Council. She and Leo have hosted some 150 foreign visitors for dinner at their home, including guests from Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, and delights in learning about and from them.
• “One of my favorite volunteer jobs,” Ann says, is walking dogs during a weekly three-hour shift for The Denver Dumb Friends League.
• She also helps with its annual Furry Scurry.  Ann and Leo frequently serve as volunteer ushers at various events at the University of Denver’s Newman Center.

Ann serves on the board of Forest Heights Lodge, a home for troubled youth and is current president of the Children’s Hospital Guild.

Previously, she served as chair of the Jefferson County School District’s Accountability Committee, appointed to that position by Luanne Hazelrigg, longtime board member and former Evergreen resident. She also participated in the National Repertory Orchestra’s “Adopt a Musician” program. Ann was active in the American Association of University Women, served as president and in other capacities of her homeowners group, belonged to the Junior League of Denver and was involved with the Great Decisions program. She belongs to three book clubs, plays tennis and mahjong.

Ann loves learning from every aspect of her life and acknowledges that “I don’t have to be right all the time. I’m very open to another way….” And what does the future hold? Upcoming trips to Bermuda, Italy and Africa and more time in those volunteer pursuits that she loves.