Ann Letitia McQuead's Obituary
Ann Letitia (Spencer) McQuead passed from the loving arms of her family into the loving arms of her beloved savior, Jesus Christ, on the first full day of spring March 21, 2025. Just as the roses in her favorite garden began to bud with the first signs of spring and new life, Ann was taken by the hand and entered into her new life in heaven.
Ann was born in Vancouver, British Columbia; Canada on May 15, 1949 to Robert Spencer and Letitia “Tish” (Evans) Spencer, joining her older brother, Robert Evans Spencer.
In 1952 Ann’s family moved from Canada to La Canada, CA. Ann spent her early years in La Canada learning to create a garden of her own, cooking with her “mum”, building forts and riding bikes with her older brother “Bobby”, and playing with her bulldog “Queenie”. Growing up she spent summers in Summerland, British Columbia with her mother’s family on the Okanagan Lake. Her grandparents and their three children, were one of the founding families of Summerland, at one time living in a log cabin on the lake.
Ann attended La Canada Highschool where she was known for her warm smile and great sense of humor. She enjoyed home economics classes and loved to design and sew her own clothes, often creating her own patterns. With her natural beauty and tall frame, she was asked to model on several occasions. She had initially thought of being a landscape architect, but eventually applied for and was accepted to Central Washington University to major in Home Economics and Fashion. However, God had another plan for her life. On her high school graduation night in June of 1967, she attended a Grad Night event at Disneyland, where she met the love of her life and future husband, Bob McQuead. It was a heaven-sent encounter at the Coca Cola Corner that led to the exchanging of a forever famous photo taken of the two new graduates that night. Ann and Bob would part only briefly and soon find themselves never to part again, as they went on to share a whole lifetime together.
Ann soon changed her college plans and took a chance. She moved to Lake San Marcos, CA where her parents had providentially previously purchased a retirement property which she would live in while attending college locally with Bob. They enjoyed 2 years of playing and surfing at the local beaches with friends, attending classes at Palomar College where she was a cheerleader and Bob was a football player, and falling in love. Then on April 27, 1969 they were married and moved to Arizona where Bob would obtain his degree in Architecture from Arizona State University, and they would start a family welcoming their two sons, David and Kevin. In 1975 they moved back to Escondido, CA and welcomed their youngest and only daughter, Christen.
In 1975 Ann and Bob moved their little family into a home that they built with their own hands. Several generations and many friends and family would be welcomed inside the walls of that home they built. Ann lovingly decorated each room, encircled the yard with fruit trees (an homage to her grandfather’s orchards in Canada), and cultivated botanical quality flower beds and a seasonally fresh garden surrounded by a hedge of all kinds of berries, which she would make into jam preserves annually for all to enjoy. In the years to come Ann was a devoted wife and mother. She was Bob’s partner in both life and business, and her three children’s everything. She did it all, acting as Cub scout-Den-Mother and Busy-Bee Leader, Sunday school coordinator, home nurse and at times ER nurse, master chef capable of creating all kinds of cuisine including her Christmas crepe brunches and high school football team dinners, veterinarian to her children’s many pets, teacher and mentor. She was a cheerleader, a confidant, and a comforter. And as the years went on, she became a Grandma, a role she relished and was extraordinary at. Ann taught each of her grandkids to bake special family recipes and was quick to sit on the floor and play with them. She spent many hours in thought and deed pouring into the lives of her grandchildren and later great grandchildren.
Ann was a refuge and made a home for us all and many others in her life as well. A portion of her childhood had been quite difficult, but as a young wife and mom she found her refuge and real home in her lord and savior Jesus Christ. She then shared this home and faith with her family and friends and many others for the rest of her days. Ann poured her love out to many, often intentionally encouraging a waitress or store clerk, pausing to pray for a stranger in need, or offering a place to stay to her children’s friends. She didn’t see her possessions as her own but as a gift from God to be shared, taking this to a new level when she and Bob renovated a 1910 house in downtown Escondido and turned it into “The Parsonage Bed and Breakfast”.
Her final years on this earth came too quick due to a difficult neurological diagnosis, but were filled with many beautiful memories of trips taken with her husband Bob and other family members, time spent with her growing grandchildren, church and brunch on Sundays, and gatherings with family and friends.
Ann Letitia McQuead is survived by her husband of almost 56 years, Robert Alan “Bob” McQuead, sons David Cullen McQuead (Mara) and Kevin Alan McQuead (Lacey), and daughter Letitia “Christen” Freund (Eric). In addition, she is survived by her 11 Grandchildren: Samantha Springer (Nathan), Meghann McQuead, Rachel Burrows (Blake), Zachary McQuead, Andrew McQuead, Devin McQuead, Nathaniel McQuead, Kylar McQuead, Rylan McQuead, Caleb Freund, and Abigail Letitia “Abbey” Freund, and her 3 Great Grandchildren.
Please see The McQuead Family Caring Bridge for donations toward flowers and Ann’s favorite nonprofit Hope on the Hard Road, Inc.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, May 10th at 11:00 am in the Chapel with lunch to follow downstairs in honor of Ann’s gift for hospitality at
Emmanuel Faith Community Church
639 E. 17th Ave.
Escondido CA 92025
760 745-2541
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