Mildred L. Rector

Mildred L. Rector, age 92, of Biloxi, passed away peacefully to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, January 3, 2018. She is preceded in death by her parents, Harold Straughan and Willie Redden Straughan, one brother Gerald Straughan, her loving husband Bob Rector and son-in-law John Hamilton. Mildred was born July 8, 1925, in Biloxi, Mississippi. She was raised on the MS Gulf Coast and was a graduate of Biloxi High School. After graduation Mildred worked as a secretary at Keesler AFB where she met the love of her life, the late Bob Rector, who was enlisted in the U.S. Air Force assigned to active duty at Keelser AFB. They married after a courtship of just four short months in 1943 and celebrated seventy years together raising four children. Family and friends were Mildred’s passion and delight. She was a long time member of the Young Matrons Carnival Club and served as the club’s 50th Anniversary Queen in 2001. She loved the Mardi Gras season and made delicious King Cakes to celebrate with her friends and family at the parades throughout the years. She loved to dance and in addition to attending Mardi Gras Balls, she and Bob could be seen cutting the rug at numerous Ingalls Shipbuilding events and dances. Gardening was also a passion and she had a green thumb for growing roses, various potted plants and colorful flowers. She won numerous awards for flower arrangements as a long time member of the North Biloxi Garden Club. She also did beautiful handwork such as embroidery on pillow cases and clothes. Her door wreaths were really something beautiful to behold and she had a vision to capture any theme or natural beauty into all of her crafts. Mildred also enjoyed reading books and traveling all over the world with family and friends. Her last trip in 2016 was a long awaited Alaskan Cruise with her eldest daughter Cheryl and husband Seth, along with her youngest daughter Ellen where she fulfilled a wish to see whales frolic in their natural habitat. She was an active member at Bay Vista Baptist Church and enjoyed her pastor’s sermons because of the gentle way they were preached as Christ did when He spoke to the multitudes during His presence on earth. She loved the songs of praise and her favorite hymn was Amazing Grace, My Chains are Gone. Mildred was a beautiful and loving mother, friend, encourager, and a wonderful inspiration to all. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her but she wanted everyone to remember all the happy memories that were shared with her precious family and friends throughout her life. Survivors include her four children Cheryl Hamilton (Seth) Kirk, Camille (Quin) Gautier, Keith (Jill) Rector, and Ellen (Dana Thompson) Fryou; four grandchildren Trisha Hamilton, Beth Reed, Bobby Genna, and Laise Rector and four great-grandchildren Jax Ray, Dallas Summerlin,Caed Reed and Dax Reed. Services will be held at Bay Vista Baptist Church on Monday, February 5, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation for friends begins at 10:00 a.m for one hour. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to Bay Vista Baptist Church 2485 Pass Rd. Biloxi, MS 39531. Condolences may be left in Mildred’s online guestbook at www.bradfordokeefe.com and guest register at the services. A reception for relatives and friends will follow the ser-vice at Bay Vista Baptist Church. The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the Ocean Springs Singing River Hospital Light of Hospice and second floor nurses staff for their wonderful care and support in her final days.