Exploring the Neighborhood: A Tribute to Anne Marie Bosque Collins (1923–2023)

Have you ever wondered what it was like to grow up in the 1920s? Our guest this week knows, as she was born in 1923! Anne Marie Bosque Collins was a mother of nine children, an SFUSD primary grade teacher, and a San Francisco Native. Anne’s childhood days were spent in the avenues of the Sunset/Parkside District where she played street hockey, rode go-karts, slid down the sand dunes, and watched the construction of new houses. The Prohibition, Great Depression, and World War II shaped her coming of age. After graduating from San Francisco College for Women, Lone Mountain, Anne married T. Gregory Collins. She raised their 9 children and grandchildren through the many cultural phases of San Francisco, embracing every moment along the way. Her children’s friends became her friends, and she was the first person with whom everyone wanted to share their good news. Anne adored dancing, spending time with children, and continually learning about people around her. In her retirement, she spent time in Europe and joined the Peace Corps. She embodied life-long learning and an open-minded San Francisco spirit. On August 1st, after 100 years of life in the city of her birth, Anne Marie passed away quietly at home. We feel so lucky to have been able to learn from her before she died and will treasure our interview for a long time to come. This episode is a tribute to her. In memory of Anne Marie Bosque Collins April 1923 — August 2023