Anne Hiatt, hospice nurse, education supporter

Anne Wechsler Hiatt, a former hospice nurse, died at her home in Weston on Saturday. She was 75.

Mrs. Hiatt immersed herself in such varying subjects as American folk art, ancient artifacts, gardening, and raising goats and ducks in her backyard.

She was an active member of the Weston Community Chorus and referred to herself as ''half-Irish" due to her fascination with Ireland. She had traveled throughout the world, visiting both the Antarctic and the North Pole.

Mrs. Hiatt was born in Brookline. A graduate of Beaver Country Day School in Chestnut Hill, she received her bachelor's degree in child psychology from Vassar College in 1951 and returned to school in the 1970s to become a hospice nurse.

Her motivation, as she described it to her family, was to make people comfortable and at peace as death approached.

Mrs. Hiatt had always made caring for others her priority, her son said.

''She comes from a fairly privileged background, but never really took that seriously," recalled Matthew of Milton. ''She was the type of person who would be washing some guy's feet in the inner city, and the guy would notice her wedding ring, and ask who her husband is. She would reply 'He's the president of Stride Rite,' and the guy would look at her and ask, 'Well what the heck are you doing down there?' "

Mrs. Hiatt also remained involved in education, serving on the boards of Beaver Country Day School, Hospice West in Waltham, Lasell College in Newton, and Cambridge College.

In 2000, she was awarded an honorary degree from Cambridge College.

''She had a tremendous sense of social justice," said Eileen Brown, the chancellor and founder of Cambridge College. ''She was someone who really cared deeply about the school's mission in providing higher education for people who may not have had that opportunity."

In addition to her son, Mrs. Hiatt leaves her husband, Arnold S.; a brother, Joel Wechsler of Lincoln; two other sons, Peter of Newton and David of Waltham; a daughter, Amy of Newton; and two grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held tomorrow at 4 p.m. at the Beaver Country Day School in Brookline.