SAVANNAH - Annette was born on June 23, 1926. She died peacefully on October 26, 2015 under the care of hospice at Savannah Square in her beloved Savannah. She was the only child of Barney Durrence and Beatrice (Babie) Johnson.   Annette was always very close with her mother Babie. They lived near each other most of their lives in Savannah until Babie’s death.

Annette spent many weekends at Tybee during her teenage years with her friends. Her best friend all her life was Connie Love Downing (deceased) whose family owned a house on Tybee where Annette spent a lot of her summer days.   Her other close friends were Kitte Morris Cobia, Margaret Barrett Spellman, Jackie Kavanaugh, Freida Chandler, Agnes Willoughby, Clara Rowland, Betty Fogarty, Eleanor Feuger, Jeanne Buttimer, Janice Kase and Jean Kelly. After graduation from Savannah high school Annette graduated from The Powers School of modeling in New York City in 1945.

Annette married James Emmett Moylan on April 19, 1947. He died on March 13, 1971 and Annette never remarried. They had 3 children: Carole Moylan Massey (Dan), James Emmett Moylan , Jr. (Joanne) and John Gary Moylan (Kathy).

After her husband Emmett died, Annette returned to work as a bookkeeper before working at the Department of Agriculture and the Social Security Administration. After retirement, she worked many years with the St. Joseph’s Hospital Auxiliary including being president of the auxiliary. She also worked tirelessly for the Diocese of Savannah and helped to categorize and publish the cemetery records of The Catholic Cemetery. She was also an avid volunteer for the office at St. James Catholic Church.

Her 5 grandchildren, Erin Massey Saxon (Richard), Keith Massey (Tara), Lindsay Moylan Adler (Winter), Michelle Moylan McLennan (Jeff), Laura Moylan Hamilton (Jimmy), all remember the love and patience she showered on them – reading, playing with them, always giving of herself. Other than birthdays and Christmas, Mema seldom showered her grandchildren with material gifts and things. Instead she was very generous with her time and love. Her 6 young great grandchildren will have to be happy with their parents’ stories about “Mema’s” younger days and especially the homemade fudge she beat and beat and poured on a plate, then cut into slanted rectangles. She made many batches of her homemade fudge especially at Christmas to give to friends and family. Her 6^th grandchild, Justin Meloni, came as a special blessing later in life.

Breakfast was Annette’s favorite meal of the day and she could eat a breakfast to rival any man while always maintaining her slim figure. Smells that will always remind us of Annette are warm blueberry muffins and bacon cooking. Chocolate and Caramel sauce were her favorite gifts, but her daughter, Carole’s, homemade pralines were without question the most treasured. Annette was a southern lady through and through and especially loved her family’s oyster roasts over the Christmas holidays.

When Annette did live away from Savannah and her beloved Babie, there were many road trips that have spurred family stories and wonderful memories over the years. Annette never stepped foot on an airplane. When her son Jim and his family lived in Texas she would drive with Babie and Spike, her stepfather, from Savannah to Texas, stay 4 days and drive back on the 5^th day. One time she rode a train from Jacksonville with 3 other friends, played bridge the whole way to San Francisco, to visit her son Gary and his family.

Annette was an avid bridge player and enjoyed her friendships with other bridge players, especially the group she used to host at Tybee where eight friends played bridge for 3 -4 days, stopping only to go to mass on Saturday night, dinner at Sundae Café and back to the beach house for a few Margaritas and more cards. She was also a proud member of the Daughters of Ireland.

In her later years, Annette attended daily mass at St. James Catholic Church and especially enjoyed Fr. Ross’s bible study classes. Her neighbors on Heatherwood Drive were a comforting presence especially Reva and Corbitt Deloach, Berta Gunter and John Hill. They all looked after her, took her trash to the street, brought her paper to the door, called the family during emergencies and brought her home grown vegetables from their gardens. Her family will always be grateful for their friendship.

She had a lot of challenges during her life: her husband’s illness and death when her youngest son was still in high school, returning to the work force after years of being a stay at home Mom, her mother’s death and then her own failing health, especially in the last 3 years. But she had blessings that far outweighed the challenges. Three educated and accomplished children who married and are still married to their long time spouses, healthy grandchildren and great grandchildren, and friendships that lasted her lifetime. She had a sharp mind, an elegance of body and peace of mind knowing that her relationship with God and His church could get her through anything. We will miss our Mother, mother in law, grandmother and great grandmother. We will remember her only as a vibrant, independent spirit who tried her best to be there for us and succeeded!

Visitation will be on Thursday, October 29, 5 -7 PM with a Rosary service at 6 PM, Fox and Weeks Funeral Home, Hodgson Memorial Drive. Mass of Christian burial on Friday, October 30, at 11 AM, St. James Catholic Church. Interment in the Catholic cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Joseph Candler Hospital Foundation.

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