Mother, wife who died from breast cancer honored by daughter

The daughter of a Medley and a Harrison, Winna Gayle McDougal was New Brockton through and through.

“Momma rode dirt roads, momma rode four-wheelers, momma went SCUBA diving and she may have done that but she always had on her diamond ring and earrings,” said DeAnna Mortensen, one of McDougal’s daughters.

McDougal was also very active with the Southeast Alabama Youth Services, Level Plains Alcoholics Anonymous and Bethany Baptist Church.

In 1998 McDougal was diagnosed with lobular breast cancer.

Upon getting diagnosed, McDougal had a full mastectomy and the family thought the breast cancer was gone.

In 2008 McDougal learned that her breast cancer had come back and metastasized into her stomach and backbone. It was determined to be stage 4.

McDougal fought the cancer for nine more years before finally passing away on May 22, 2017.

“I was holding her hand when she died,” Mortensen said. “I say she saw me take my first breath and I saw her take her last.”

In honor of her mother, Mortensen opened Winna Gayle Gardens in New Brockton. It’s a garden center that sells plants as well as is available for reservations for events such as weddings, birthdays or bridal showers.

“She always used to tell me when she was with hospice that she was going to get better and we were going to open up a nursery,” Mortensen said. “And I told her, ‘Momma I don’t like kids, I got my own kids, I don’t want any (more) kids.’ That’s why I named it Winna Gayle Gardens, it’s a garden center.”

Mortensen sold her business, A You Nique Boutique two weeks after McDougal died to open up the gardens. She has operated the business since 2007.

She opened up her new business in her mother’s house.

“When I opened that door and got that rush (smell of her mother’s perfume), it was insane,” Mortensen said.

This experience was completely new for Mortensen since she had never planted bulbs before. She spent September 2017 until March 2018 researching, planting and learning how to take of plants.

“I planted 6,000 daffodil bulbs because those were her favorite,” Mortensen said. “I had never planted bulbs in my life so I had to plant them over and over to get the right depth. I didn’t know if they would come up or not, and, you know, all those bulbs came up.”

Winna Gayle Gardens officially opened in March 2018.

Mortensen said one of her mother’s biggest wishes was for people to get married in her backyard and Mortensen has the first wedding planned for this month.

She said that everyone has been supportive of the business and her family.

“Momma used to always tell me that she would come visit me as a yellow flower,” Mortensen said. “She’d say, ‘if you ever see a yellow flower and there’s a bug on me, you better get it off.’ And the whole time— I was open from March to June and I’ll reopen from March to June next year—I had this yellow butterfly that was there every single day.”