Annabelle Cook Kellogg

Annabelle Kellogg often surprised people by the strength of her handshake. She was the kind of person who kept track of every birthday in the family, sent gifts even when no occasion demanded them, and invariably turned conversations around to hear about other peoples’ families and whatever was most important in their lives. But along with that gentle and accepting exterior, she was a force, a person who demanded much of herself. She was a proud alumna of Wellesley College, and fully internalized the Wellesley motto, “Non Ministrari, sed Ministrare” (not to be ministered unto, but to minister).

On the evening of July 25, 2025, Annabelle Cook Kellogg passed away peacefully with her family by her side in Concord, MA. She was feisty, optimistic and coherent to the end; she even sported her signature rosy cheeks and wanted to ensure everyone had plans for dinner.

Annabelle was born on November 9, 1926, the daughter of a food broker (Harry E. Cook) and a minister’s daughter (Grace Pardew Cook). She grew up in Baltimore, MD with her adored older brother, Bob. She treasured the memories of the two of them serving as ballroom dance demonstrators at a local dance studio. There were stories of occasional mischief when she and Bob jumped the fence to sneak into Pimlico to watch the horse races. She noted that her bright red hair was often a liability in that she was easy to recognize among any group of kids, even if they were running. An avid - and often fiercely competitive - lifetime athlete, she participated eagerly in any sport available to her, from lacrosse and field hockey to her favorites, tennis and golf. She attended Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, and then traveled north to Wellesley, from which she graduated in 1948. During her first year in college her brother was killed while fighting in Belgium. She kept a photo of his grave site in The Netherlands on her desk for the rest of her life. Her subsequent years at Wellesley were less painful as the world recovered from the war. One day, while making mashed potatoes in her dormitory kitchen, she met Jack Kellogg, an MIT student visiting his sister on campus. Jack introduced her to the kinds of sports he favored, taking her on dates and teaching her to sail, ski and ice skate. She was game for them all.

During their courtship and while Jack was in law school, Annabelle worked in a medical lab and as a teacher. They married in 1950 and raised their three children initially in Cleveland, OH, then Nashua, NH, and finally Concord, MA. Along the way, Annabelle was a committed volunteer with her local churches, community organizations, and was a friend to all. She took up curling in Nashua long before most people had heard of the sport, and continued playing in Wayland, MA well into her eighties. She delighted in family sailing and skiing trips, varnishing the boat with her keen eye for perfection. She and Jack spent summer weekends in Marblehead, MA and were a frequent presence at the Corinthian Yacht Club.

As her children grew more independent, Annabelle took on additional pursuits. For many years, she was the bookkeeper for several of the small companies Jack ran, keeping the accounts with intense attention to detail and insistence on accuracy down to the penny. As her children grew up, she put her accounting skills to work at Carlton and Duran, CPAs during tax season. She received an MBA in Health Care Management from Boston University School of Management. True to form, she powered through her studies despite health challenges and took her final exam for her degree in the hospital while having a pacemaker implanted. Following that, she was President of the Visiting Nurse Association of Boston.

After years of sailing along the coast of Maine, Annabelle and Jack dropped anchor in Harpswell, ME, and bought a long-abandoned house facing west over Middle Bay, with a view that extended to Mount Washington on a clear day. They undertook the vast project of renovating, clearing, and bringing the home and land back to life. About the same time, Annabelle welcomed the first of her four grandchildren, and became known as Grannabelle. The house was transformed into more than a labor of love; it became the focus for the growing family. Summers and weekends were spent in Maine, exploring the Casco Bay region and enjoying an assortment of boats.

When Annabelle and Jack moved into Newbury Court in Concord, MA in 2006, Annabelle continued her community involvement, joining the Scholarship Committee and the Spiritual Life Committee while still maintaining her other activities. At TriCon Church in Concord, she was an active member of the planning committee, one year producing a report so comprehensive that it was referred to within the church as simply “the Kellogg Report”. She was a mentor to the Confirmation classes and gladly involved herself in the lives of the teens with whom she met.

Annabelle’s most enduring legacy will surely be her kindness, grit, humility, sharp intelligence and genuine interest in everyone she encountered. At the first signs that her hearing might be weakening, she insisted on getting hearing aids because she didn’t want to miss a thing. And she didn’t. She lived long and well in her own judgment-free zone. Even though she told her children and grandchildren, “You are judged by the company you keep,” she never seemed to find fault with anyone. That was Grannabelle.

Annabelle was predeceased by Jack and is survived by her three children, Elizabeth (Toby) of Cambridge, MA, Rebecca of Harpswell, ME and Boston, MA and Robert of North Yarmouth, ME, and their spouses Peter Stevens, Kevin Dennis and Sue Travis Kellogg respectively, her grandchildren Luke Dennis, Harry Stevens, Charlotte Miller and Bo Dennis, and nine great grandchildren.

A celebration of Annabelle’s life will be held at Trinitarian Congregational Church, 54 Walden Street, Concord, MA on Saturday, Nov. 15th at 2:00 PM.

Annabelle requested that in lieu of flowers any memorial gifts be sent to
Trinitarian Congregational Church
54 Walden Street
Concord, MA, 01742
www.triconchurch.org
or
Elijah Kellogg Congregational Church
917 Harpswell Neck Road
Harpswell, ME 04079
www.elijahkelloggchurch.org

Arrangements under the care of Concord Funeral Home, 74 Belknap Street, Concord, MA 01742  978-369-3388 www.concordfuneral.com