Elvis World magazine's Bill E. Burk advises:
Sadly, from Tupelo last night, came this message from Rachel Harden:
Annie Cloyd Presley of Tupelo MS passed away last Thursday. She was a friend of Gladys Smith Presley and was interviewed over the years by numerous authors of Elvis books. We visited her last December and she was her usual delightful self---always glad to see us. We remember her saying "Ya'll are so good to come visit."
You will find her in the family tree as Annie Virginia Cloyd. She was the only person we have found that married into both Rosella Presley's line and also Rosalinda (Mary Jane) Presley's line. She first married Sales Presley (Rosella's line) and then, years later, married Sales cousin, John Delton Presley (Rosalinda's line). She was a delight to know and she will be missed.
I was one of the "numerous authors" to interview Aunt Annie for our EE: The Tupelo Years book. We probably spent more time recording Aunt Annie's interview than any other the others. And, in writing the book, I noted in print that I was leaving her quotes exactly in the language she used since she talked SO typically Southern.
We visited Aunt Annie as often as possible in the years following the book's release. She was always in good spirits and had such a good memory.
It was Aunt Annie who told us it was purely Myth that Gladys walked Elvis to and from school every day.
They both had kids about the same age and she said "sometimes" they would walk the kids "up to the corner" Highway 6 and watch them cross the street safely; but did not even do that often since Elvis' 5th grade teacher lived across the street and most of the neighbourhood kids walked to/from school with her.
STILL, writers write that Gladys walked Elvis to/from school every day, even all the way thru Humes High School (yet another Elvis Myth).
Posted: 27th. February 2008