"On a sad note, some of you know that long-time arts supporter Anne Rognstad died unexpectedly last Sunday night in her sleep. Anne was a key person in the Chamber Music Society, sustainer and planner for many humanities festivals, famous for in-house musical and literary parties, and author of a memorable book of puns about pears. She also curated her own "pear museum." She worked with international students at Casper College and was much beloved on the campus as well as everywhere else.Condolences from the Wyoming Arts Council go out to Rainer Schwartzkopf and all of Anne's family and friends. I knew Anne for her enthusiastic support of the Casper College Literary Conference and the Equality State Book Festival. She loved books and music and life.
"There will be a memorial event with music from her son and brother on Friday at 3 p.m. at Durham Hall. I will be one of the speakers. She is survived by her long-time companion, Rainer Schwartkopf, an architect, musician and specialist in the repair of stringed instruments. This loss rips a hole my life and all our lives here in Casper."
--Mike Shay
