Ann Lucas passed away February 6, 2012, at University of Utah Medical Center, at age 55 due to a subdural hematoma, which required surgery. She was put on life support, but after three days without signs of improvement, her family made the difficult decision to discontinue life support and donate her organs on the 6th.

Ann was born on Oct. 12, 1956, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Buss and Dorothy Stepp, who encouraged her to follow her dreams. One dream was to become a published author, which she achieved in 2010 with her novel "Life-Dance". She also wrote fan fiction for the television show "La Femme Nikita". When the "powers that be" cancelled the show, Ann joined with other fans and campaigned very hard to get them to tie up loose ends with a final season, which they did.

Ann was also a freelance correspondent for the "Elko Independent" newspaper and had a recurring column called "Shaking the Tree", as well as writing articles for "Elko Daily Free Press", and liked writing short stories just for the practice.

Ann was a passionate animal advocate. She rescued and fostered many cats, two dogs and even a pigeon. She loved "Animal House Shelter and Sanctuary" near Elko, and donations to them in her honor, would be greatly welcomed.

Ann was born in Twin Falls, Idaho, and grew up in Elko, Nevada, graduated from Elko High School, then worked for many years as a telephone operator for C.P. National. She lived for over 15 years in Keizer, Oregon, where she worked for the "State of Oregon" in Salem.

She returned to Elko, getting an apartment in Spring Creek in the summer of 2001, to be nearer to her ailing Father, Buss, who passed away from lung cancer in 2002. Her Mother, Dorothy, had battled cancer and passed away in 1999. Ann was also preceded in death by her infant daughter, Desiree, and her stepbrother, Jerry Tate. She is survived by her brother, James M. Stepp and sister, Terry Stepp, both of Elko, her niece, Sonja Shelledy Laws, of Clinton, Utah, nephew, Eric Villadsen, of Layton, Utah and Brother in Law Viggo Villadsen, also of Clinton, Utah. Ann was a great aunt, and recently became a great-great aunt to little Cash. She also had extensive "adopted family" members whom she welcomed into her home any time they came through.

In 2005, Ann moved back to the house which her mother and father had made into their "family home" in Elko. Her brother, James, had purchased the home after Buss passed, and it made perfect sense for her to live in the house where she was raised. She found the remnants of her mother' s garden, brought it back to life, and discovered a passion for gardening. Her final employment was with "Kimberly Nursery" in Elko. She would arrive long before the rest of the world woke up, water the plants and trees, rescue little critters in peril and take glorious photographs of Elko' s sunrises. She called it her Zen job.

Ann LOVED: her family and friends, animals, all genres of music, reading and writing, the Ruby Mountains and nature. She was a loving daughter, sister, aunt, best friend and champion of all underdogs. The world has lost a bright ray of Sunshine.