Annie McVadon

Annie R. McVadon, age 100, and a longtime resident of Biloxi, died Saturday, January 4, 2020 at her home in Biloxi.

Born in 1919 in Delhi, Louisiana (a preemie and not expected to live) she grew up in Petal, Mississippi during the depression and was the only one of four siblings to receive a high school diploma. Her father, John Myrick, was a carpenter, farmer, and local gospel singer and composer. Her mother, Alma Myrick, as well as her father loved the piano and passed this musical ability along to her. After high school she followed her sister to Mobile, AL where she attended Providence School of Nursing (affiliated with Springhill College) where she was one of 9 to graduate with her RN out of a class of 40. After graduating, Annie joined the Army and proudly served as a nurse during WWII. She was stationed at Fort Benning Hospital, GA., where she nursed wounded paratroopers from Normandy, among others. She regaled us all with her stories of dancing “under the pines” to the famous Big Bands who came to entertain the troops, and the great celebration that erupted and lasted for days at the end of the war.

When the war ended Annie relocated to Biloxi and took a nursing position at the Biloxi VA. She lived in a boarding house on Biloxi Beach Blvd., where she met Robert McVadon in 1948, a local photographer. They married in 1949 at the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer on Beach Blvd., and stayed married for 54 years until his death.

Annie was famous for her sense of humor, storytelling and endless jokes, as well as her great country & coastal cooking, and her love of music from her era. She fed tables of people weekly and always with lively conversation. People often stopped by just for a glass of her famous iced tea and hopes for a piece of pecan or key lime pie.

She is survived by her three children, Carolyn Fossett (Bill) of San Diego, Robert McVadon Jr. (Debbie) of Biloxi, and Phyllis Wilkerson (Chris) of Mobile; three grandchildren, Charles Wilkerson (Jackie) of New Orleans, LA., Owen Wilkerson (Lindsey) of Boulder,CO  and Matt McVadon (Deani) of Charleston, SC.; and three great grandchildren, Elle & Eve Wilkerson of N.O., and Hazel Wilkerson of Boulder.

Burial will be at Biloxi National Cemetery January 10, 2020 at 1:30 where she will be laid to rest beside her husband.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to American Macular Degeneration Foundation at www.macular.org.

RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 274 Beauvoir Road, Biloxi, is serving the family.