Evelyn A McCardle

Evelyn Auline (Alford) McCardle, 85, of Gulfport passed away on Sunday, April 14, 2019 (Palm Sunday) at her home in Gulfport after a battle with cancer. Evelyn was born on October 24, 1933, in Philadelphia, Mississippi, the youngest of nine children of William Lace Alford and Lillie Myrtle Alford. She grew up in Philadelphia before moving to Mobile, Alabama to pursue a career where she met and married Bobby Joe McCardle. After beginning their family in Mobile, they moved to Gulfport in 1964 where they raised three beautiful daughters, Teresa, Donna and Lisa. In 1968, Evelyn began teaching kindergarten and first grade with Gulfport School System. She taught school for 25 years before retiring in 1993. She was a devoted wife and mother who always put her family first and foremost. She was the quintessential mother that everyone said they wished they had. She stayed home to raise her daughters and only began teaching after all her daughters were in school. A typical day would find her baking cookies, working on a handicraft project, or enjoying her garden alongside the love of her life, her husband of 48 years. She also loved her church family at First Baptist Church of Gulfport. She was an active member for many years who loved her Sunday school friends known as the Blessing Seekers. This devoted group of women provided spiritual support to each other and was invaluable to Evelyn when she lost her husband and during the period of her own failing health. Evelyn had a wonderful joy of nature, especially her garden. She loved flowers, birds and trees, and passed that love along to her daughters. She often spent her spare time growing flowers and vegetables at the family home in Gulfport. Her “green thumb” was well known among her family and friends. This obituary would not be complete without mentioning another wonderful person. Her name is Donna Dykes. Donna was Evelyn’s caregiver during the last few years of her life. During those few years, Donna and Evelyn forged a genuine and loving friendship that was an inspiration to her family and friends. Evelyn’s family wishes to express tremendous gratitude to Donna for bringing such joy and happiness to their mother. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bobby Joe McCardle; parents, William Lace Alford and Lillie Myrtle Alford; brothers, Hubbard (Bobbie) Alford, Tom (Hildred) Alford, Howard Alford, and Austin Alford; sisters, Ellie Ree (Harmon) Seale, Earsel (Don) Bender, and Inez (Dutch) Ferguson. She is survived by daughters, Teresa (Don) Mills of Diamondhead, Donna McCardle of Diamondhead; Lisa (Mark) Davis of Gulfport, and her “other” daughter, Helen Cloyd Elias of Gulfport; four grandchildren, Lauren Eaton, Emily Adams and Barrett Adams all of Atlanta, Georgia, and Garner Vincent of Austin, Texas; one great grandchild, Beckett Unold, of Atlanta, Georgia; and brother, Dezmond (Marie) Alford of Madison, Mississippi. A service will be held at 2:00pm on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, at the BRADFORD-O’KEEFE Funeral Home on 15th Street in Gulfport. Friends may visit from 1pm until 2pm. Interment will follow at Floral Hills Memorial Gardens.