Annie Tucker

Annie Grace Boykin Tucker of Long Beach died December 23, 2019 at the age of 87.  She was born in Drew, MS on April 25, 1932 to Robert Gale and Ava Lee Langley.

She was preceded in death by her husband Charles William Boykin, her parents, and three brothers, Sam Langley, Cecil Langley, Robert Langley, and sister, Patsy Wolleson.

Survivors include her husband, Ernest O. Tucker, of Batesburg, SC; two daughters, Lee Anne (Richard) Ryan and Susan Grace Molesworth of Long Beach; grandchildren, William Blake (Jenny) Ryan of St. Joseph, MI, Juliane Rae (James) Cole of Tucson, AZ and Charles Allen Molesworth of Long Beach; six great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by her step-daughter, Julie (George) Starnes of Columbia, SC and their children Robert  Starnes of Greenville, SC, Will (Erica) Starnes of Columbia, SC,  Charlotte (Logan) McGill of Lubbock, TX,  and step-son  Mark (Cindy) Tucker of Marshall, NC and their daughter, Sarah.

Grace graduated from Holly Bluff High School in 1951 and married Charles later that year.  The army moved them from Mississippi to Texas and Oklahoma, then back to Mississippi.   She graduated from Jackson Commercial College and worked for the Jackson Public School District for several years.  After Charles left the army, he began working for the Coca-Cola Company, and they lived in Louisiana and Texas before settling back in Mississippi on the Coast in 1971.

They were members of First Baptist Church in Long Beach and active in Sunday School and teaching toddlers in the nursery.   Grace also enjoyed teaching Girls’ Auxiliary and visiting elderly shut-ins.  She was a former member of the Gulfport Yacht Club and Harrison County Republican Club.  She loved talking politics, playing bridge and working in the yard.   She was employed by the State of Mississippi, Bureau of Marine Resources as the administrative assistant to the director until her retirement in 1992.  She and Charles enjoyed their remaining years together until his death in June, 2000.

In 2001, Grace organized a 50 year high school class reunion where she and Ernest reconnected. They dated and married in 2002.  Their life together was shared between their homes in Long Beach and South Carolina.  They traveled around the country, gardened, and enjoyed a competitive game of Scrabble!  Grace was very fond of Ernest’s children and grandchildren and enjoyed their many visits.

The family wishes to express our heartfelt appreciation for her loving caregivers, Ginger Gladney and Kathi Major, who remained by her side until the end, and for all the former caregivers who have taken such good care of her through the past few years.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 28, 2019, at RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 11280 Three Rivers Road, Gulfport, at 1:30 pm.  Visitation will be held one hour prior.

Burial will be in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Long Beach, and memories may be shared at www.riemannfamily.com .