Celebrating the Life of Annie Schuler
It is with a heavy heart that we share that Annie Schuler, former Director of Creative and Communications, passed away the evening of August 4 after gracefully dueling with stage IV cancer the past 3.5 years. Annie was a beloved member of the NatureBridge community and Development family who constantly brought her warmth, humor, and positive attitude to everything she touched. She was instrumental in important NatureBridge initiatives such as the development of our current website, developing and maintaining our current brand and visual identity, and her incredible support of Development events. Annie is survived by her husband Brian and dog Remy, her mom Cheryl, brother Garrett and sister-in-law Jenee, sister Katherine, her in-laws, and her nieces and nephews.
Annie attended UC Berkeley where she worked at the school newspaper The Daily Californian and majored in Peace and Conflict Studies, eventually going on to work in various design roles around the Bay Area including at the Katherine Delmar Burke School and Google. Annie eventually joined NatureBridge in 2014 as a Creative Services Associate and quickly became an integral part of the team, providing her expertise and insight into graphic design, communication development, photography, video project management, and much more. Perhaps more importantly, she helped foster a strong sense of community for the team as she built indelible relationships through her sense of fun with her colleagues that would help keep NatureBridge bonded together through incredibly trying times such as government shutdowns, historic weather events, and a global pandemic.
In 2020, she moved from San Francisco to San Diego where she continued her work as the Director of Creative and Communications remotely in order to be closer to family who live in the Palm Desert area. Though she had to step away from full-time work in 2021, Annie remained incredibly involved with NatureBridge where she continued doing design work, advised and contributed to major Communications and Development projects and initiatives, and mentored new additions to the Development team. During that time, Annie was constantly traveling to visit and celebrate with friends and family for weddings, taking in awe-inspiring experiences like seeing the Northern Lights, and spending as much time as possible with loved ones.
Her husband Brian wrote, "Through it all, {Annie} remained the beautiful, kind, hilariously witty, and joyous light that we all knew and loved. Annie had a magnetic energy and an adventurous spirit that drew people to her. She was passionate about travel, experiencing the wonders of life, and had an unwavering zest for nature. Her love for her family and friends was deep and steadfast, serving as the foundation of her joyful approach to life. Even before her diagnosis, Annie lived life fully, savoring every moment with those she held dear. She's left an indelible impact on this world, and her spirit will forever inspire us. She will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her."
Somehow, there's even beauty in moments like this… it has been an absolute joy to spend my life with [my family and friends]. My life has been exceedingly beautiful.Annie Schuler
I have always been loved. I have never felt alone.
Her passion for the natural world and the people in it will be remembered by NatureBridge and our community as we keep her loved ones in our thoughts. If Annie's life has compelled you to action, Annie's family asks that you consider donations to organizations that support environmental causes, cancer research, support families struggling to cope with the burden of cancer, or homelessness—all causes important to her. If you have any memories, photos, or videos of Annie that you would like to share, please feel free to send them to communications@naturebridge.org.
Stories
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