Millie Elaine Redd Watson

Posted on February 23, 2024

Millie Elaine Redd Watson of Odessa was born Sept. 11, 1952, and passed away Feb. 17, 2024, at Melech LifePath Hospice House in Temple Terrace after a long battle with a rare type of cancer.

This obituary is authored by her surviving husband of 36 years, Ansley Watson Jr., of Odessa, and will be in the first person some of the time.

Elaine, or Lanie, as she was known to most of her family and friends, made me promise on more than one occasion during the almost 36 years we were married, that – if she predeceased me – there would be no funeral, memorial service, or celebration of life for her, and those wishes are being reluctantly honored. I never promised she would have no obituary.

Lanie was predeceased by her mother and father, Ella Elizabeth Stripling Redd and James Hansel “Hank” Redd, of Perry; sister and brother-in-law, Rebecca Redd Stokes and Malcolm C. “Mac” Stokes of Tallahassee; brother-in-law, Stephen K. Bartlett of Grayson, Ga.; and sister-in-law, Dianne Parker Redd of Tallahassee.

She is survived by her loving best friend and husband of 36 years; her sister and brother-in-law, Carolyn R. Hagedorn and Zach Hagedorn Jr., of Phoenix, Md.; sister, Julia Hazel Redd “Queenie” Bartlett of Grayson, Ga.; brother, James Hansel “Hank” Redd Jr., of Tallahassee; brother, Ralph Herschel Redd and his partner, Daniel Burkholder of Tampa; nephew, Christopher Malcolm Stokes of Jupiter, who was almost like a son; nieces, Paige Allyson Redd and her husband, James C. Tibbitts, of Smyrna, Ga.; Jacqueline Redd Archer and her husband, Samuel Arron Archer, of Columbia, S.C., and Jessica Miller Field and her husband, Charles Walton Field IV, of Tallahassee; and wonderful and talented grandnieces and grandnephews.

I was blessed when we married to get not only Lanie, but her awesome family.

Lanie was a graduate of the University of Tampa, a former board member of The Chiselers, former president of the Palma Ceia Women’s Golf Association and an avid Florida State Seminoles fan.

She was multi-talented, a great dancer, an awesome cook and could have been a lawyer, doctor, master gardener, florist, award-winning chef or event planner – she could throw a party.

If she finds something can be done better in Heaven, you’d best believe she’ll get it fixed immediately.

Her family and friends – so numerous and diverse – were everything to her, and she would do anything for any of them. She could make you feel like you were the most important person in the world to her, and make you feel loved – and you usually were.

She loved boats, the water, trees, flowers and all animals, of which she had many – and those still here miss her deeply.

Her family want to thank the doctors, nurses and physician assistants at Moffitt Cancer Center; the entire staff of Melech LifePath Hospice; close friends John and Delilah McLellan, Nilda Morales, Kristy Cataneo, Rick and Susan Brafford, Bill and Spiro Moutsatsos, Pat Wilson and Carole Anderson; and the Peeps and their husbands (they know who they are) for their many acts of care, kindness and support during Lanie’s final journey.

If you desire to make a donation in Lanie’s honor, please consider Melech LifePath Hospice House, Moffitt Cancer Center, Metropolitan Ministries or the charity of your choice.