12/23/2025
Anne Sweetser Ireland
October 17, 1926-
December 17, 2025
Anne was born in Bronxville, NY to George Theodore Sweetser and Eugenia Nichols Sweetser. She graduated from St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, VA and Finch College in New York City.
After marrying William Steele Gray, III (Bill) on June 29, 1946, they lived in Greenwich, CT for over 40 years where she raised four lively children and was active at Greenwich Country Day School. Additionally, she was president of the Greenwich Garden Club and a director of the Garden Club of America. After Bill’s death in 1983, she married Robert Livingston Ireland, III, (Tim) on April 14, 1990. They resided in Thomasville, Georgia with homes in New York City and Pemaquid, Maine. During this time Anne served in Thomasville on the Board of Trustees of Thomas College and on the board of Thomasville Landmarks, Inc.; in Washington, DC on the Collectors Committee at the National Gallery of Art and was a member of the Senatorial Trust; and in New York City she served as Chairman of the Orchid Committee at the New York Botanical Garden. She was also a member of the Colonial Dames. After Tim’s passing in 2002, Anne moved to new homes in Thomasville, GA and Lake Placid, NY. In 2014 she moved to Colebrook, CT where she lived with her son Bill Gray and his wife Virginia, who took wonderful care of her.
Anne had many interests including birding, gardening, golf, flower arranging and collecting decorative arts. She was never without dogs, always had multiple birdfeeders wherever she lived, installed bluebird houses where appropriate, and could tell you the times to expect migrating birds wherever she lived! Always curious, she loved reading history and biographies, and every morning tackled the New York Times Crossword Puzzle. She travelled extensively, was quite knowledgeable about early American and English antiques and European ceramics, and, as a life-long Republican, rarely missed the opportunity to discuss politics. Athletic Anne played tennis when younger, was a good fisherwoman, skied, and loved golf. She enthusiastically rooted for her favorite NFL football teams while watching television and shared outcomes with her family with gusto. She would take walks almost every day with her dogs, check on the surrounding birds and wildlife, and inspect her gardens with delight. A force of nature, Anne was continuously creating and needed to be surrounded by beauty! She was always beautifully dressed, had beautiful homes, won flower arranging competitions, enjoyed entertaining, and loved visiting museums and art galleries. Her family and friends shared innumerable, amazing adventures with her. She was loved and is missed!
Anne’s family includes her four children: Margaret Gray in Santa Fe, NM; Susie Bretachger (Bill) in Stamford, CT and her three children Tim Townsend in Houston, TX, Emily Prince with Penny, Piper and Hugo in Stamford, CT, and Brooke Lord (Wes) with Willa in Weston, CT; Bill Gray ( Virginia) in Colebrook, CT and his two children Will Gray (Tricia) with Georgia in Lexington, KY, and Victoria Martin (Jon) with JJ in Sheridan, WY; and John Gray in Old Lyme, CT with his two children Jake (Erika) with Sloane and Jack in McLean, VA, and Ali (Nick) Gantsoudes with Olivia in Redding, CT. In addition, Anne was particularly close to her two sisters Nancy (Bill) Flather and Sally (Merle) Thorpe and to their families. Together they shared many of the same interests, much laughter, vacations, travel, and their families.
At her request, there will be no funeral service. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Anne’s memory to The Norfolk CT Public Library, the Muddy Moose Mutts Rescue in Winsted, CT, The Greenwich Audubon Center, or the New York Botanical Garden Orchid House.
