Anna Marie Joyce Hornbacher

Anna Marie Joyce (Varriano) Hornbacher, 88, of Moorhead, MN, passed away on Sunday, July 28, 2024, in her home in Moorhead, surrounded by her loving family.

Anna Marie was born on October 26, 1935, she was one child of fifteen, to Joseph and Carmella (Bell) Varriano, in Moorhead, MN. She grew up in Dilworth, MN, where she attended and graduated from Dilworth High School in 1953. She then attended Moorhead State Teachers College where she graduated with a degree in education in 1957. She began her teaching career at Shanley High School where she taught for two years. She was united in marriage to Lyle Hornbacher on June 14, 1958, in Dilworth, MN. They moved to Heron Lake, MN, where she taught high school for two years before moving to Minot where she taught Physical Education for two years at Minot State College. Anna Marie and Lyle then moved to Fargo where she taught at various schools in the area and worked many odd jobs for many years.

Anna Marie was a prominent athlete in her younger years, playing softball in high school, and continued her athleticism into her adulthood enjoying sports such as tennis. She also had a talent for singing and would sing at funerals and weddings. She and Lyle were members of the Fargo Country Club and the Oxbow Country Club where she enjoyed golfing with her family. She was known for her amazing cooking throughout her life. She was also an avid reader and would read anything under the sun, especially murder mysteries, and could never leave a book unfinished. She loved watching college sports. She was an independent, strong-willed woman, and will be sorely missed by her family and friends.

Anna Marie is survived by her loving husband, Lyle; children, LeeAnn (Chuck) Townsend and Gary Hornbacher; grandchildren, Heather (Brandon) Geist, Ryan (Chelsey) McGinnis, Chaney Hornbacher, and Aubri Hornbacher; great-grandchildren, Riggins, Rowdy, Raya, and Sullivan; siblings, Philomena Nelson, Patrick (Donna) Varriano, Elizabeth (Jim Finn) Marston, Anthony (Karel) Varriano, and Richard Varriano; and many other loving relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Carmella; and siblings, Carmen, John, Teddy, Leonard, Jerry, Delores, Elvira, Sue, and Rosemary.

Memorials are preferred to Hospice of the Red River Valley or Great Plains Food Bank.

Visitation will be from 10:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M., followed by the Celebration of Life at 11:00 A.M., Friday, August 30, 2024, at Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead, MN. A livestream of the service will be available here on Anna Marie's webpage.