On January 30, 1988 the world was blessed by a bright, and unexpected, spirit. Anna Katherine Hulick was born to a family of four who were overjoyed to welcome another baby after 6 years. From her birth, her life was proven to be a gift from God for her family and friends.
Anna-Kate's education began at Lollipop Lane Daycare center in Newport News and graduating from Phoebus High School in Hampton as a proud Phantom in 2006. Throughout her formative years, she was always well liked by students and staff. Upon leaving High School, she ventured off to Randolph-Macon College - just like her parents and sister - to pursue a degree in International Relations. Unfortunately, life had unexpected plans and she had to come home to begin an important battle with Ulcerative Colitis. However, she never gave up on education completing an Associates Degree in Psychology and Health Information Systems and was only a few courses short of her Bachelor's Degree.

At an early age she began to show her sense of humor and spunk when she greeted holiday well wishers with a line from her favorite Christmas movie - Christmas Vacation - "Merry Christmas, #@&%$#'s full!" Little did she know, this phrase would become an ironic part of her own journey later in life as she battled Ulcerative Colitis and Chron's Disease for most of a decade. After many rounds of treatments, multiple surgeries, and several serious complications, she finally conquered the disease and became a supportive member of the Ostomy support group along with her trusty new friend PePe.
Along the way, she found love and was blessed with a child, for whom she became Mom. Growing up, she always said she NEVER WANTED TO HAVE A BABY. So the good lord blessed her with a preschooler, whom she adored completely. Jeremiah was never far from her thoughts even when they were physically separated. She loved him with her whole heart.
Putting aside her fear of water she worked for many years with the Miss Hampton 2  where she thought of the team more like family then co-workers as they supported her during her battle with colitis, something her family will always be grateful.
As a young child, her family quickly realized that Anna Kate had a different style of learning. However, she was proud to tell anyone who asked, that she had the highest IQ of her siblings. Her learning challenges forced her to develop coping strategies surrounding numbers and math. True to her outlook on life, SHE PERSISTED, and for the last 6 years she excelled at her career in finance with Bayport Credit Union. She really enjoyed her work but cherished the friends she met along the way even more.
As the youngest child of her immediate family, she knew well the importance of family. One of her prize accomplishments in life was the fact that she worked to maintain and build relationships with everyone around her......even in difficult situations. Her unwavering love and support for everyone she met meant that she was loved by so many. She was quick to offer her opinion, even when it wasn't what people wanted to hear. But it was always followed by her quick witted, dry sense of humor.

On the morning of Sunday, November 22nd, Anna-Kate was suddenly and unexpectedly taken from this world, but the outpouring of love and support from family, friends, and acquaintances has shown all of us the lasting impact of her life. When we are memorialized, the dates of our birth and death are separated by a very simple dash. However, for Anna-Kate, this dash was full of love, light and joy - being a daughter, sister, granddaughter, niece, cousin, aunt and mother. From her surprise entrance to this earth until her unexpected exit from this earthly life, her journey was filled with exceptional experiences that left indelible marks on all those around her.

Anna-Kate was predeceased by her grandparents Clive Knowles Hulick, William H Hulick, III and Edward H Wright. She is survived and lovingly remembered by her son Jeremiah Sedaca, her parents Shirley-Ruth Wright, Derek (Kathy) Hulick, her Grandmother Libby Wright, her sister Betsy (Timothy) Pinder, her brother Edward (Vicky) Hulick, her sister-friend Tara Hardy, her nieces and nephews - Regan, Quinn and Will Hulick; Heath and Kathleen Pinder. Plus a host of family (loving aunts, uncles and cousins) and wonderful friends too numerous to forget!

To celebrate Anna-Kate's life, please consider a donation to The Chrons and Colitis Foundation https://www. crohnscolitisfoundation.org/ or The Colorectal Cancer Foundation https://www.ccalliance.org/ where she was supporting her sister Betsy's battle with cancer.

A public viewing will be held on Saturday, November 28 from 10 AM - 12 PM at R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home, 245 S. Armistead Avenue, Hampton.