Edna Erle Bush Loftis Obituary Edna Erle Bush Loftis, age 87, passed away with loving family by her side on August 15, 2013, at Providence Hospital in Mobile, AL. Edna was born October 31, 1925, in Columbus, MS, to the late Edgar Jackson Bush and Ellen Juanita Bush. In 1943, Bush graduated from French Camp Academy, a boarding school at the time, located in French Camp, MS. Edna graduated Nursing School at Samford University in Birmingham. After internship at Charity Hospital in New Orleans, Edna became a Registered Nurse. While both were working as teenagers, Edna met A.O. Bubba Loftis at Woolworths in Columbus. After WWII, they married in 1947. She survived Bubba by 16 years. As a friend to many and loving mother, she was fun-loving in active family activities such as her early morning round of slalom water skiing at Smith Lake, AL, with such great form. Edna was very independent. As a child, she had some lively times. She would strap on roller skates and hitch a ride uphill by being pulled along College Street to Market Street by horse drawn wagons to then skate back down College St. At age 18, she took flight training and solo piloted a single engine airplane to earn her pilots license. For 13 years, she owned and operated the Dari Dip on Highway 82W as well as other properties. She was a member of Central Methodist Church in Columbus (now Covenant United Methodist Church). Edna is survived by her daughter, Linda Loftis Thornton and her husband, R. Bruce Thornton, Jr. of Mobile, AL; son, Thomas Edward Loftis, Sr. and his wife, Rebecca Jane Smith Loftis, of Atlanta, GA; granddaughter, Laura Ellen Thornton Bradford and her husband, Jarrod Bradford, of Mobile, AL; granddaughter, Leanne Thornton Stamper and her husband, Nathan Stamper, of Flowood, MS; granddaughter, Meredith Frances Loftis of New York, NY; grandson, Thomas Edward Loftis, Jr. of Yosemite National Park, CA; grandson, Benjamin Avery Loftis of Carrollton, GA; great granddaughter, Lilly Kate Bradford, of Mobile, AL; and great grandson, Jackson Ray Bradford, of Mobile, AL. Memorial Funeral Home (located at 716 2nd Ave. N., Columbus, MS 39701) is in charge of the arrangements. Graveside services and visitation will be held at Friendship Cemetery in Columbus, MS, Sunday, August 18th, and in the event of rain, Memorial Funeral Home. Graveside visitation will begin at 4pm followed by graveside services at 5pm. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent to Covenant United Methodist Church at PO Box 9552, Columbus, MS 39705; or Palmer Home for Children, PO Box 746, Columbus, MS 39703.
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