Anita Wade

Anita "Dilly" Wade of Jackson's Gap, Alabama, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2026, in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the age of 94.

Exuding class and sophistication, Dilly was the quintessential Southern belle from New Orleans. She was always impeccably styled, often wearing her signature orange lipstick and matching nails. Wherever she went, people would stop just to compliment her. She was an active member of Flint Hill Methodist Church, loved working puzzles, tending to her garden, and was an accomplished artist. Her presence was truly a light in the lives of those who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Gerald Ray Wade; her mother, Katie Gagliano; her mother-in-law, Edith Strain Wade; her daughter, Deborah Rae Wade Smith; her son-in-law, Robert Adrian Smith Jr.; her son, Gary Wade; and her great-granddaughter, Avery Picklesimer.

Dilly is survived by her daughter, Sue (Shelby) Rotolo of Metairie, Louisiana; her grandson, Robbie (Gillette) Smith; her granddaughter, Nikki (Jason) Picklesimer, both of Cumming, Georgia; and her grandson, Brad (Neema) Rotolo of Beverly Hills, California. She also leaves behind the great-grandchildren she adored: Georgia Smith, Addison Picklesimer, Wade Smith, Roman Rotolo, and Ariella Rotolo. Dilly is also survived by her dear friends Mary Perry and Angela Young, whom she loved so dearly.