Ann Arlen Call (Boyd) died peacefully in her home on June 16, 2021, with her husband, James “Jim” Call, and her daughter, Shelley Arlen, by her side. Ann was born in Brooklyn, New York, on July 30, 1930, to Drury Tillman Boyd and Sibyl Sanderson Boyd. After an unsuccessful kidnapping attempt (a copycat of the Lindbergh baby kidnapping), her parents moved their young family to Joplin, Missouri, where Ann enjoyed a quiet upbringing. As a young woman, she developed an eye for color and detail and created a number of landscape paintings, which her family treasures. She attended the University of Tulsa where she met her first husband, Charles Hugh Arlen. On their wedding day in 1950, during the Korean War, Charles was drafted and joined the Air Force, serving in Germany. Their daughter, Shelley Ann, was born during his deployment. The family later moved to San Tome, Venezuela, where Charles worked as a petroleum engineer for Mene Grande (Gulf Oil). For Ann, that experience led to a lifelong love of traveling and learning about other cultures. Tragically, at this time, she gave birth to a boy, David, who died shortly after. Spending five years in Venezuela, the family then moved back to Tulsa, where Ann’s artistic sensibilities led to her work as interior designer for Charles’ home construction company. She also owned an antique shop—The Mermaid in Utica Square, specializing in marine antiques. The shop, with Charles’ help, was known for salvaging and refurbishing parts of retired WWII Liberty ships, selling portholes, hatchcover tables, binnacles, and such.
After a second son, Stephen, also died in infancy, Ann and Charles adopted a baby boy they named Paul. The couple lived in Tulsa for over 22 productive years. But, with their growing love for the salty seas, and once their two children were grown, they retired to Cape Coral, Florida. Three years later, after a cruise to Alaska, they moved again, this time to the Pacific Ocean, residing in Friday Harbor, one of the San Juan Islands in Washington state, where they led an idyllic life cliffside, overlooking the ocean, cruise ships, and whales. In retirement, Ann devoted herself to another passion: the Russian Romanov family. She did extensive traveling, research, writing, exhibiting her collection of vintage photographs and other period pieces, and speaking on the troubled and tragic family, spurred by empathy with Tsarina Alexandra who also had a son with a deadly illness.
Eventually, they moved stateside to Gainesville, to be near their daughter (previous Chair of Library West and librarian at the University of Florida) and her husband, Dr. John H. Moore (previous Chair of Anthropology at UF) and their two daughters and son. When Charles died in 2004, Ann moved to Oak Hammock, where she led an active social life and served on numerous committees. It was then that her high school sweetheart, James “Jim” Call, reconnected with her. A Navy veteran and retired human resource manager, Jim had often thought about Ann and was ecstatic that he had finally found her. It was a joyous reunion and they were married in 2007. Ann and Jim enjoyed taking cruises, learning about other cultures, and reminiscing about their shared experiences as children. They later moved to the Village in Gainesville. She is survived by her husband, Jim, daughter Shelley Arlen, grandchildren Dr. Jessica S. Heft (Jordan) of Gainesville, Alexandra M. Moore of Tallahassee, Jeremy M. Moore (Kara) of Deltona, and four great grandchildren – Caleb, Malia, and Serena Heft, and Allison Moore. She was preceded in death by her parents, three sons, and son-in-law, John. Milam services for family only. Memorial donations may be made to Haven Hospice or a charity of choice in lieu of flowers.
