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LOWER Ana

 

Born Edith Ana Atchinson (also found under the name Ana Edith Atchinson).

Aunt of Grace McKee; sister of William Wallace Atchinson, Grace's father.

Date of birth : January 17, 1880, Bakersfield, California.

Date of death : March 14, 1948, Los Angeles ().

 

Addresses

* 1900 : Bakersfield, California

* 1920 : 3714 El Monte Way, Fresno, California ()

* 1935-1948 : 11 348 Nebraska Avenue, Sawtelle, West Los Angeles

,,,,

 

Portrait ,,

Story

Her parents were William Allis Atchinson (August 30, 1837, New York-May 29, 1911, Los Angeles) and Louisa

Ann Thompson (April 12, 1844, Iowa-January 28, 1907, Los Angeles)(,).

She was an ardent Christian Science practitioner.

Between 1900 and 1920, she married a Mr Evans. She appeared under the name Edith A. Evans in 1920 

(). She then lived in Fresno, California and lived with her nephew Francis C. Atchinson, son of her brother Samuel C. Atchinson.

No date of divorce.

A woman named Edith Evans, without any other information, appeared in the census 1930, hospitalized at the

Agnew State Hospital (). 

She married William Nicholas Lower (October 6, 1878, New York-November 9, 1958, Los Angeles)

(), a musician.


Wedding between 1920 and 1935. It's known that in April 1935 he lived in Los Angeles and she already lived in the house located 11 348 Nebraska Avenue. It's also known in the census 1940 that he was a Christian Science Practitioner too.

In the 1940 census, she appeared as divorced (). However she kept the name Lower.

The divorce gave her the the property of 2 houses in the area in which she lived.

In the house of Nebraska Avenue where she lived, there was a 4-rooms apartment she rented.

The other house she owned was located in Odessa Avenue, Van Nuys 

,; she rented it to her niece Grace McKee.

 

Between 1937 and 1942 Norma Jeane lived with her, for periods, and spent many time with her.

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In 1942, she made Norma Jeane's wedding gown and led her to the altar. 

When Norma Jeane fell out with Jim Dougherty, she took refuge at Ana Lower's home, and lived in the small apartment she owned underneath her house.

When Gladys came and lived at her house, she stayed in the big room on the first floor; Norma Jeane shared the rest of the floor with Ana.

;-

Letter to Marilyn dated October 10, 1944  ,

Letter to Marilyn dated October 23, 1944 ,,,,

.

 

On March 14, 1948, she died from a severe cardiac deficiency.

She was cremated 4 days later and her ashes were buried at the Westwood Memorial Park .

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