Annie Laura Bailey Wildenradt (also known as A.L., Lolly, or Anne) was born in Statesboro on February 27, 1921. The eldest of 8 siblings told me, “Longevity in ancestors probably accounts for my long life.”
At a young age, Annie moved to a boarding house in Claxton, after the owner assured her parents she would finish school. She started as a housekeeper, trained to be a telephone switchboard operator, and achieved the goal of graduating from Claxton High School.
World War II started in 1942 and the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps was born.
“One day at lunch, I saw the famous sign ‘Uncle Sam wants you’ and I walked in and signed up! The bus taking the recruits to Daytona Beach Training Center stopped in Statesboro, and I had a chance to tell my parents what I had done. My father wasn't too happy but said, 'Well if that's what you want go ahead,' and I did. Switchboard operators were needed, so I immediately went to work after being processed. The WAAC became the Women's Army Corps (WAC) and one thing I didn’t like was having to exercise,” she smiled.
"Daytona Beach was a naval training base, and I liked being with thousands of other young men and women. It was there, I met a handsome, blond, Naval recruit, Wallace Wildenradt, who became my husband. He wasn't anything like the country boys I grew up with in Statesboro,'' Annie added.
They were married 65 years, had 1 son, 2 grandsons, 4 great grandchildren, and 2 great great grandsons.
After leaving the military, they lived in New York City until 1965. Annie was hired at the Associated Press as an administrative secretary in 1945. She fondly remembers, from the 6th floor window, seeing the skating rink at Rockefeller Center. She wrote poems for family occasions and collected them into a book. In 1985, they moved back to Bulloch County, where Annie wrote and published a book, about growing up in a rural community and also entered her beautiful crochet work into the Kiwanis Ogeechee Fair.
Annie shared, “My happiest memory is being able to remember good times, and my birthday wish is: Nothing special ... but I like decorated pound cake!”
Let’s ALL celebrate Annie -- wishing for her continued GREAT health, HAPPY memories, and YUMMY decorated pound cake!
