On November 26, Joseph “Red” Waddill, a longtime resident of Neptune Beach, passed away peacefully after a short illness. Edmund, as his mother and sister Bettie called him, was born on August 3, 1927 in Jacksonville, FL to Laverne and Mabel Waddill. He spent his early years in the Trout River area moving to the beaches during The Great Depression.
At the age of 16, he and his father built a house on Oleander Street, one block from the beach. He attended area schools and graduated from Fletcher High School before enlisting in the Navy at the age of 17. In the Navy, Edmund served in the Pacific theatre; the year was 1944 and the war was nearly done.
After the Navy, Red earned a Certificate of Surveying from Tri State College, Angola, IN. He put his education to work as a surveyor for companies in the Jacksonville area. Surveying jobs overseas lured him abroad for the next 20 years. He worked on various construction jobs such as: a dam in Iraq and a naval air station in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam.
In, 1963 he met Jo Anne Moore Hinman. After a long-distance romance through letters the next two years, upon Red’s return from Vietnam, they were wed in Folkston, Georgia on March 31, 1967. One year later, the family was blessed with another boy, Joey Waddill. In the early years, the family moved frequently. One move was to Orlando where Red worked on the rides and underground tunnels for the opening of Disneyworld in 1971. Besides Orlando, the family lived in Ormond Beach, Allentown, PA, Mobile, AL and Midland, TX , finally settling down to their home base in Neptune Beach.
From 1977 to 1995 Red worked at the Southern Division Naval Facilities Engineering Command, as an on- site supervisor, Mayport Naval Station. Red and his wife also ushered entertainment functions at the once Civic Auditorium and continued through its transition to The Times Union Center for Performance, as well as, ushering in the Sky Box during Jaguar games. Family life was Red’s real pleasure, fishing with his son Joey, running the beach, traveling to the mountains, exploring the West, Europe and Alaska, along with fish fry picnics or simply sitting in his lazy boy chair and watching westerns.
Joining the Masonic Temple in 1979, Red was a loyal member and active until his death. He became Master of the Ribault Chapter #272 in 1986. He also served in fund raising dinners, Easter sunrise service and lodge maintenance. Along with his fidelity to the Masons, Red was devoted to his gym workouts and his friends at Bailey’s Gym. He was an integral part of the “Over the Hill Gang” and won awards for weight lifting in Texas, Ohio, St. Louis and Charlotte. His commitment to working out was an inspiration to all who knew him.
He is preceded in death by his wife Jo Anne, who passed away earlier this year and his sister Bette. He is survived by sons John, Jeff (Maggie) and Joey (Meri) and grandchildren Spencer, Cady, Michael, Charlie, Sean, Griffin, Eli. He also leaves behind on his wife’s side: brothers Jack (Sylvia), Don (Sue), Phil (Vicki). He is also survived by his niece Candace Mims Sullivan, nephews Rease and David Mims. He will be missed.
A memorial service will be held at 11 am. Friday, December 13th at Hardage-Giddens Chapel, 1701 Beach Blvd, Jacksonville Beach. Interment will follow at 2:00 pm. at Jacksonville National Cemetery, 4083 Lannie Road, Jacksonville, Florida. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Community Hospice & Palliative Care, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257 or give online at support.communityhospice.com.
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