‘She Certainly Deserves This Attention’: Parade to Celebrate Mrs. Beadie’s 102nd Birthday this Saturday

VICKSBURG, Miss. – A drive-by parade in honor of Beadie “Mrs. Beadie” Thompson Ridley’s 102 birthday will be held this Saturday, November 23 beginning at 3 p.m.

Known as “Mrs. Beadie” to her long list of admirers, she has spent her life taking care of others. She spent over thirty years with the custodial staff at Warren Central High school, after retiring from a processing plant in Muskegon, Michigan in the late 70’s. She retired from the Vicksburg Warren School District around 2012 at 90 years old. She is also an active member, life long member of her church, Traveler’s Rest.

“I remember her telling me, when she first retired from the school (at 90 years old), that she was going to visit the elderly at the nursing home,” said Mrs. Beadie’s granddaughter, Julia Ridley. “There’s a lot of people that know her in the community.”

Coach Lucy Young has been friends with Mrs. Beadie for roughly forty years.

“She and I are family to each other, and the faculty and staff at Warren Central respected and admired her so much,” said Coach Lucy Young. “She knew every teacher, every administrator’s family, and their children.”

When Warren Central completed the girl’s field house in the early 2000s, the then Warren Central principal, Mack Douglas, allowed Mrs. Beadie to change her duties from the main campus to the newly built field house.

“She spoiled those girls rotten,” said Coach Young. “Doing their laundry, cleaning up the dressing room, which they were supposed to do, but she would go in and do it so they wouldn’t get in trouble with me. She’s an amazing person.”

Mrs. Beadie is a person that doesn’t like the spotlight, but instead prefers to focus on taking care of others. When asked what Mrs. Beadie thinks of the idea of a parade in her honor, Coach Young laughed.

“She won’t be, but she’ll be glad to see some of the ones that are driving by, which are former faculty members. She still remembers everybody and asks [about them] and almost goes down the hall from [class]room to [class]room asking about different ones,” said Coach Young. “She’s not one to step out and call attention to herself whatsoever, but she certainly richly deserves this attention.”

Coach Young said that Mrs. Beadie has two favorite sayings “Everybody’s in a hurry and going nowhere and “You got to hope and pray.”

“I think that’s good wisdom for all of us,” said Coach Young.

Those who wish to attend, they are asked to meet in the parking lot of Morgan’s Supermarket, 4306 Halls Ferry Rd. For additional information, contact Julia Ridley at (662) 820-1144.