Annie Ruth Southerland

Annie Ruth Southerland was a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend. She was born to Jessie Lee Brown, Sr and Ruth Brown on October 24,1940 in Laurinburg, North Carolina. Annie became a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Laurinburg, N.C. at an early age. She was very active and led youth groups for several years while enjoying fellowship and guidance from the church elders. Her sisters describe her as outgoing, smart, organized and the one who always had a plan to accomplish her goals. She is remembered as ‘THE MONITOR’ because she always watched her siblings and made sure they stayed on the right path. She started her formal education at Lincoln Heights High School in Laurinburg, N.C. and graduated as valedictorian of her class. She went on to earn a Nursing Degree from Grady Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Atlanta, Georgia. Her family proudly remembers being asked by the Head of the School of Nursing to stand as she graduated with top honors. Upon graduation she enlisted in the Army as a nurse and was promoted to First Lieutenant at Walter Reid National Military Hospital in Washington, D.C. She returned to Laurinburg often to help her parents and her siblings finish their higher education. On April 4, 1965, Annie married the love of her life, Paul Southerland of Laurinburg, N.C. in Washington, D.C. To this loving union their two daughters Paula Denise and Kim Valette Southerland were born. She was a devoted wife and mother who loved them beyond measure as they loved her. She also left lasting impressions and countless memories as the beloved ‘Aunt Ann’ to her nieces and nephews. After leaving the military she worked most of her nursing career as a Registered Nurse at D.C. General Hospital in Washington, D.C. In that time, she progressed to the Head Unit nurse and groomed several nurses and resident doctors some of which became her longtime personal doctors who would proudly introduce her saying this is Mrs. Southerland, she ‘raised me.’ She was known for being very generous and often made sure her less fortunate patients went home with clothes or whatever she knew they needed. Annie Ruth Southerland wore many hats, but she was consistently known for her unique blend of showing love, care, and concern with her no nonsense and honest style which made her loved and respected by friends, family, and her colleagues. She enjoyed reading, sewing, and cooking her family and friends their favorite things. She taught herself how to use a computer to stay organized and manage her affairs. Learning to play the piano was important to her and she made sure she had a piano in her family’s home and that her daughters took lessons as well. She retired from D.C. General Hospital in 1998 to enjoy the fruits of her labor with family time, exploring the city, and taking frequent trips with her beloved husband. Annie Southerland passed away on Mother’s Day May 14, 2023, holding her loving husband’s hand. The timing is poetic in that her first child was born on Mother’s Day in 1968 and she gained her wings to join with her second child who preceded her in death on Mother’s Day 2023. Annie was also preceded in death by her parents Jessie Lee Brown, Sr. and Ruth Brown, her brothers Luther, Jessie Lee, Jr., James (Bill) and Clyde Brown. Annie is survived by her beloved husband, Paul Southerland and daughter, Paula Southerland Forte, as well as her sisters, Geralean Tobias and Catherine Brown and a host of nieces, nephews, other family, and friends.

Tributes

Annie Ruth Southerland

October 24, 1940 - May 14, 2023