Annie C. Hedgecock

Annie Bernice Cook Hedgecock Fulton was born on December 17, 1928, in Forsyth County, North Carolina. She was the youngest of ten children born to hardworking tenant farmers. With five sisters and four brothers, there was a remarkable 19-year age difference between Annie and her oldest sister, Lessie. She was preceded in death by all her siblings.

Her family often joked that Annie was "a born cook" because she was born with the surname Cook, a name that suited her perfectly. Throughout her life, she expressed her love through food, filling her home with the comforting aromas of homemade meals, baked treats, and the warmth of generous hospitality.

At the age of ten, Annie met the love of her life, Birchal Devon Hedgecock, affectionately known as "Shine." He was thirteen years old, and Annie loved telling the story that the first time she saw him, he had a cigarette hanging from his mouth. Their childhood friendship blossomed into a lifelong love story.

Annie graduated from Sedge Garden High School in 1946 as one of only 26 graduates. Among her classmates was her future sister-in-law, Irma Willard. The two played basketball together, a love of the game that became part of the family lore. Years later, Annie and Irma assembled a team of women their own age to play against the girls' basketball class at Satellite High School, where Annie's daughter was a student. To everyone's delight, the women soundly defeated the high school team- a story that remained a favorite family memory.

The day after her graduation, on May 25, 1946, Annie and Shine eloped to South Carolina to be married at 9:15 a.m. They even brought along witnesses for the occasion. Annie was only 17 years old, so Shine cleverly wrote the number 18 on a small piece of paper and tucked it into her shoe. If the judge asked her age, they planned to say, "She is over 18." It became one of the family's favorite stories and marked the beginning of a marriage filled with love, adventure, and laughter.

In 1952, Shine and three of his brothers moved to Miami, Florida, where they began building homes. Four years later, in 1956, they purchased land in Brevard County and moved their families there to help develop a new community to support the growing space industry. Along with his brothers Percy and wife Helen, Hub and wife Irma, June, and their cousin Jimmy and Nancy Caudill, they established Michigan Beach Homes, the community that would later become the Town of Satellite Beach.

While Annie never worked outside of home, she was an indispensable partner in the family business, faithfully keeping the books and records while raising her family and creating a warm and loving home. Shine, a respectable builder, built the home where Annie would live for more than 61 years, a place where family, friends, and neighbors were always welcomed with delicious food and genuine hospitality.

Annie was an active member of the Satellite Beach Garden Club and the Satellite Beach Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary. Shine proudly served as the first Fire Chief of the Satellite Beach Volunteer Fire Department from 1957 to 1967. Even after Shine's passing, Annie continued to show her appreciation for the firefighters by delivering plates of her famous homemade brownies- a simple but heartfelt tradition that reflected her generous spirit.

Annie found joy in the simple pleasures of life. She loved cooking, sewing, playing bridge, and challenging herself with crossword puzzles. She and Shine discovered a love for golf and became founding members of Suntree Golf Club. Annie continued playing golf until she was 91 years old, an impressive accomplishment in itself. Even more remarkable, she recorded seven holes-in-one, an extraordinary achievement that reflected both her skill and her love of the game.

Annie and Shine shared 35 wonderful years of marriage before his passing. She was later married to William Fulton for 25 years.

One of Annie's favorite past times was visiting garage sales, where she enjoyed not only the treasures she found but also the conversations she shared. She genuinely loved meeting people and was known for beginning conversations with her favorite question: "Where are you from?" That simple question often led to lasting friendships.

Above all else, Annie cherished her family. She is survived by her two daughters, Brenda Jones and husband Donald, Sheila Barrett and husband Gary; five grandchildren, Kevin Jones and wife Amanda, Aubrey Barrett and wife Molly, Karen Jones and fiance Rob Brehl, Brian Jones and wife Cristina, and Heather Barrett and partner Ewelina Grzybowska; and six great-grandchildren, Zander, Ryder, Ariyah, David, Jackson, and Tyler. She especially enjoyed attending her grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's sporting events and cheering them on from the sidelines.

Annie will be remembered for her unwavering devotion to her family, her remarkable cooking and baking, her kindness, generosity, quick wit, and sincere interest in everyone she met. She had a gift for making people feel welcome, whether they were gathered around her table, standing beside her on the golf course, or simple chatting at a neighborhood garage sale.

She leaves behind a legacy of treasured memories, enduring love, and a family who is forever grateful for the example she set. Though she will be deeply missed, her kindness, strength, generosity, and loving spirit will continue to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing her.