Alice Jean Weickhardt Herndon, “Addie”, 87, of Alexandria, VA, formerly of Tantallon, MD, passed away on September 2, 2024, in Alexandria, VA. Born on October 21, 1936, in Washington, D.C., she was the daughter of the late Alice F. Weickhardt and CDR Charles E. Weickhardt, USN. Addie was the loving wife of the late Ronald “Sonny” Herndon, whom she married in St. George’s Episcopal Church, Valley Lee, MD, and who preceded her in death on August 26, 1973. Addie is survived by her son, Charles C. Herndon, of Alexandria, VA and one grandchild, Cassidy Herndon. In addition to her husband, she is preceded in death by her siblings, Carolyn Drake, Col. Arther “Fritz” Weickhardt, Dr. George Weickhardt, and Lt. Charles “Buzzy” Weickhardt.

Addie graduated from Anacostia High School in 1955. She was an accountant for Assurance Technology Corp., retiring in May 2015. Addie moved from Tantallon, MD to Alexandria, VA in August 2003.

Addie’s life certainly was not easy at times. After her husband passed in 1973, she struggled and triumphed again and again—but you would have never known. She was always the steadfast anchor of the family. She taught her son, Charles, many things, including perseverance, forgiveness, patience, determination, and how to look at obstacles in life, not as roadblocks, but as opportunities. Her supportive and unconditional love allowed her son to take on these opportunities without fear of disappointing her if he did not succeed, as long as he kept trying. Her fighting spirit lasted until the very end. She never really let on how bad she had to have been feeling, always insisting she wasn’t in any pain. She did not want me or her granddaughter, Cassidy, to worry about her. She was the worrier for the family, worrying about them and never herself. She was always “fine” as long as the family were okay.

Addie was a second generation native of Washington, DC. She went to Anacostia High School, where she met her husband, and graduated in 1955. She went on to the once prestigious Washington School for Secretaries and thereafter began working at Shaw Pittman Pots and Trowbridge. She was married at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Valley Lee, Maryland in August 1959. Just before her son was born in 1964, she decided she would be a stay-at-home mom. In the mid 1970’s she wanted to go back to work and invested in a Ford Tractor dealership. But that wasn’t really her calling. She reached out to Trowbridge, beginning a 20-year career as an account for the firm. In the 1990’s she moved on to Assurance Technology Corporation, as an accountant, where she continued to work until retirement at 78. In 2003, she left the Maryland home that she raised her son in and settled at Montebello in Alexandria. Then in 2018, she moved to the retirement community of Paul Spring to be with her twin sister. Their time together there was brief, but they kept the staff there on their toes. Carolyn passed just two weeks after Addie moved in. Addie lived out the rest of her life at Paul Spring.

The family will receive friends on Friday, September 13, 2024, from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM in St. George’s Episcopal Church, Valley Lee, MD, where a funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM with Rev. Greg Syler officiating. Interment will follow at the church cemetery, where she will be buried next to her husband.

Condolences may be made to the family at www.mgfh.com.

Arrangements provided by the Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home and Cremation Services, P.A., Leonardtown, MD.