George Richmond Waits

Published 2:57 pm Tuesday, September 13, 2022

George Richmond Waits died on July 7, 2022, at his home in Westminster Towers, Winter Park, Florida.

Mr. Waits was born in Pensacola, Florida on April 22, 1927, when his parents were living in Bagdad, Florida. Richmond’s father was in the lumber business there and in Caryville, Florida.

When Richmond was seven, the family moved to Andalusia where both of his grandparents had been living. He graduated from Andalusia High School and Staunton Military Academy and then joined the Navy during World War II. He was in flight training when WWII ended. Richmond graduated from Auburn University where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta, then took graduate studies at Emory University. He was called back into the Navy during the Korean War and served on a destroyer in the Pacific.

On Oct. 5, 1957, Richmond and Nancy Ronsaville Vreeland were married at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Orlando and began their married life in Savannah, Georgia.

During his working years, Richmond was a sales representative for several companies in Savannah, Andalusia, Jackson, Mississippi, Nashville, Tennessee, and Mary Esther, Florida. After retirement, he and Nancy traveled on their sailboat to the Bahamas every winter for 15 years and sailed twice to Maine. They moved to St. Pete Beach, Florida, and later to Orlando to be near their daughters. Richmond was a former member of the Andalusia Rotary Club, the Jackson Yacht Club, the Miami Yacht Club, and the Mary Esther Yacht Club. He loved fishing, hunting, sailing, photography, cooking, and gardening.

Richmond was predeceased by his son, George Richmond Waits Jr., (2015), and his sister, Jane Barnes (1998).

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Nancy, and daughters, Christy (Archie) Woodruff and Mary Waits. He leaves behind grandchildren, Kelly Giaimo and Josh (Lydia) Woodruff, four great-grandchildren, and many Barnes nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life service will be held on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Andalusia.