Valda Myrl (Livingston) Brown, 81, of Shalimar, passed away peacefully at home on the morning of Sunday, August 21, 2016, while surrounded by her family.  As a wife, mother of four, and grandmother of eight, Valda was known for her quick humor and fun-loving, happy spirit.  A native of Mississippi, Valda’s southern charm and selfless devotion to her family will be dearly missed.
Valda was born in Jackson, Mississippi in 1935 to Burley Suber and Annie Mae Livingston.  She is survived by her husband, Col. Ralph L. Brown (USAF, Ret), children, Ralph L. Brown, Jr. of Pensacola, FL., Kendra Ann Shafer of Fernandina Beach, FL., Sharon Faircloth of Fort Myers Beach, FL., and Gary Brown of Clinton, MS.,  grandchildren, Kayla, Evan and Rachel Brown;  Natali and Emma Shafer;  Bailey, Ben and Kacie Faircloth;  and sister LaCelle Livingston Bowen of Jackson, MS.  Her brother Lowell Livingston and sister Emma Mae (Mimi) Livingston Sharp, preceded her in death.
Valda attended Sunflower Jr. College in Moorhead, MS., and later earned a Bachelor’s Degree in art from Mississippi Southern College in Hattiesburg, MS.  Soon after, she met her husband Ralph when he was stationed in Greenville, MS., as a flight instructor.  She had two babies at home while Ralph was serving as a fighter pilot in Vietnam, and two more soon after his return. She was an active and supportive Air Force wife.  She always said her greatest joy was her children, and she spent many years driving them to and from gymnastics, soccer, baseball, and football practices and games.  When her children were in college, she worked as a receptionist at Allstate Insurance for seven years.  In her sixties, Valda took up tap dancing and performed with an “old lady troupe”, as she called it, around town for many years.  Her family fondly remembers her grand entrance to her 70th birthday party in full dance costume.  She liked to laugh, play cards, have fun and tell stories.  She loved spending time with her grandchildren, and delighted in every little thing they did.
Valda was Baptist, but she enjoyed attending St. Mary’s Catholic Church with her husband.  In her later years she became very interested in genealogy and spent countless hours researching her family history, tracing several lines as far back as the 15th century.  This accumulation of research has been a valuable gift to her family.  Her favorite place to relax was on the back porch, where she and Ralph spent many hours sipping coffee and quietly watching birds and squirrels, and listening to the rain on the tin roof.
Valda always supported the Salvation Army, who helped her family when she was young. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Salvation Army.
The family will accept visitors on August 26, 2016, from 5:00 PM, until 7:00 PM, at the Emerald Coast Funeral Home Chapel.  There will be a Celebration of Life Service at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Fort Walton Beach, on August 27, 2016, 10:00 AM, immediately followed by an Interment at Beal Memorial Cemetery.   Followed with a reception held at, Knights of Columbus Hall, 205 Carol Ave.

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