Edna Davidson Nesbit

1917 - 2017

Edna Davidson Nesbit, 99, of St. Augustine, passed away on Feb. 12, 2017, at Baptist Medical Center South in Jacksonville with her daughter at her side.
She was the 12th of 13 daughters born to George and Ida Davidson. Born and raised in Bridgewater, Maine, Edna was a graduate of the University of Maine. After graduating from college, she moved to New York where she started her career working for the United Nations. Edna served as executive secretary for Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary General of the U.N. In the early 1950s, she relocated to Washington D.C., where she was employed in the White House as a secretary and stenographer.
Edna was a perfectionist by nature and was highly skilled in her work. A chance temporary assignment assisting President Dwight Eisenhower, led her to become his executive secretary. Edna moved with her family to St. Augustine in 1955. She worked for the FEC Railroad until they went on strike. She then was employed as secretary to the mayor of the City of St. Augustine, later deciding to continue her work in civil service by becoming executive secretary for the Production Engineering Division at NARFE / NAS Jax.
She attended McDowell Baptist Church. Edna achieved many accomplishments in her life, but none compared to that of being a loving wife, mother and grandmother. A long life, well lived, Edna will surely be missed by her family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Nesbit in 1973, a daughter, Jill Nesbit Whaley, two sons, Jack Nesbit and Glenn Nesbit and her 12 sisters.
She is survived by her daughter, Diane Mills, and her husband, Jerry, of St. Augustine; grandchildren, Greg Mills, Taylor and Chris Nesbit, Samantha Nesbit, Brooke and Chad Whaley; and great-grandchildren, Brandy, Rachel, Stormie, Summer and JR.
A funeral service will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at McDowell Baptist Church with the Rev. Clarence Blalock officiating. A visitation beginning at 10 a.m. will precede the service. A private interment will follow at Mills Family Cemetery.
St. Johns Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.