Willie Mae Lofton Lovett, age 82, a resident of Mobile, Alabama, passed away peacefully at a local nursing home on Thursday, June 18, 2020. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry Lovett, and her parents, William Charles Lofton and Essie Mae Headley Lofton.
She is survived by her son, Jerry Alan (Laura) Lovett of Ponte Vedra, FL; three grandchildren: Scott Alan Lovett, Natalie Carroll Lovett, and David Robert Lovett, all of Ponte Vedra, FL; one sister, Brenda Lofton (Kurtis) Thomas of Mobile, AL; niece Karen E. Thomas of Mobile, AL; and other nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.
Willie Mae was born in McLaurin, MS, and at the age of 5 moved with her family to Mobile. She attended South Brookley Elementary School and Murphy High School, and was a member of Riverside Baptist Church. Willie Mae had many friends. She loved to work and enjoyed meeting people. She held part-time jobs at many of the stores in downtown Mobile during high school. After graduating, she worked at Brookley Air Force Base, where she met her husband, Jerry, a communications lineman from Michigan. They married in 1961 and made their home in Mobile. Willie Mae worked for Cong. Frank W. Boykin for a short time and later for Commercial Guaranty Bank until the birth of her son. She enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom for many years. She later returned to work at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as a budget analyst. She was a member of the American Business Women's Association (ABWA) and held several offices in the Mobile D'Iberville Chapter, including president. In 1990 the D'Iberville Chapter named her Woman of the Year for her outstanding contributions to the chapter and community. She and her husband enjoyed going to dances with friends and were involved in two local mystic societies.
Willie, as she preferred to be called as an adult, was devoted to her family. After the death of her father, she made sure her widowed mother and baby sister always had everything they needed and was there for them at every step. She was a best friend and mentor to her son, and was so proud of him and his beautiful wife and family. She loved each one of her grandchildren deeply. She loved her niece, Karen, like a grandchild, and even all of Karen's friends knew her fondly as “Aunt Willie.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a graveside memorial service will be held at a later date at Pine Crest Cemetery on Dauphin Island Parkway.
