Anna M. Gref

Anna M. Gref of Jeffersonville, NY, a lifelong area resident, died unexpectedly Monday, May 4, 2026, at her home. She was 36.

Anna was born July 8, 1989, in Middletown, NY, to Kevin and Barbara Gref, who loved her dearly. An artist of deep natural talent and a treasured sister to her siblings, she was the proud mother of Colby, now 11, a kind and caring boy who was the center of her universe.

Anna attended Jeffersonville-Youngsville Central School, later Sullivan West. She attended college at the SUNY Sullivan, where she pursued studies in nursing and liberal arts. Persevering through the Covid pandemic and her own health challenges, she earned her AAS degree with distinction on the President’s List in May 2022.

Anna was loved by many for her brash sense of humor, her strength of character, and her compassionate approach to those less fortunate, an approach she applied to the many elderly and ailing patients she served as a home health aide.

Her greatest talent was her skill as a visual artist, something that seemed to come as naturally to her as breathing did to everyone else. She was never without her sketchbook and leaves behind a varied and often uniquely stylized body of work, mainly drawings on paper in pencil and marker. Most recently, she was studying to become a licensed tattooist.

Anna is survived by her parents, Kevin and Barbara Gref of Jeffersonville, NY; her son, Colby Gonzalez, at home; her sister, Emily Gref of Jeffersonville, NY; her brother, Joseph Gref of Monticello, NY; several beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins and a wide community of friends considered family. She was predeceased by the love of her life, Carlos “CJ” Gonzalez, Jr.

A celebration of life, “The Art of Anna Gref,” will take place on Sunday, June 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Delaware Youth Center, 8 Creamery Road, Callicoon, NY. The exhibition of her work will include interactive art stations for adults and kids plus the participatory completion of a mural she had only just begun at the time of her death. All who knew and loved Anna are welcomed to attend and belong.

The family would like to thank the many people who have shown their remarkable support. The outpouring of love and generosity has been a genuine comfort.

Donations honoring Anna may be made to the Delaware Youth Center, 8 Creamery Road, Callicoon, NY 12723 or through the donation portal at delawareyouthcenter.org

Dignified cremation has been provided by Harris Crematorium, LLC.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Harris Funeral Home West Street at Buckley, Liberty, NY 845-292-0001 or 845-439-5200 or www.Harris-FH.com