I lost a dear friend recently – a friend who made relocating to a new community where I knew absolutely no one a little bit easier.
When Vince Saia passed away on March 18, the City of Winona lost a community leader and a long-time proponent of historical preservation. Personally, I lost a wonderful friend, one who is part of some of my best memories made in the 13 years I have spent in this community.
Vince and I had many things in common, I learned. We both loved history, historical architecture, the arts and music, and promoting the Crossroads community. I spent much time with Vince coming up with BIG ideas to make Winona even better. We were true kindred spirits when it came to creative ways to promote our community. I wish I had just a fraction of his ingenuity and enthusiasm! And thankfully, his attitude was infectious. When he got excited about something, everyone got excited.
I had the pleasure of serving with him on many committees and in civic organizations. He was a valued member of the Christmas parade committee, the Winona Rotary Club, Winona Business Association, and Winona Main Street.
It was also one of those people who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it – always lending a helping hand to those in need. And he always took care of those he loved, his friends and family.
I had the honor of interviewing Vince a couple of years ago. I’d like to share a little of his extraordinary life.
A native of Indianola, after graduating from Indianola High School, Vince went on to Sunflower Junior College, now Mississippi Delta Community College at Morehead, where he studied building technology. There, he learned how to build a home and draft blueprints.
In 1960, he married the former Ann Weeks, and while honeymooning in New Orleans, the two found employment and settled there. Not long after, the couple moved to Winona.
At first, Vince worked in the office at McGregor Manufacturing, but he said life inside an office was not for him. After a few months, he said he went to work managing the produce department at Piggly Wiggly.
“I was there for four years,” said he. “After that, I sold eggs, delivered milk. Then I found a job with a contractor and building supply in Greenwood doing drafting and stayed four years.”
Saia said he started drawing house plans by request after hours, and he drew up plans for a couple in town. That was the start of his career in construction.
For the first 15 or 20 years, Vince said he focused on residential construction, custom homes and spec houses. Vince, who himself is an avid tennis player, also found a lucrative business in constructing tennis courts.
During the early years, Vince said he was asked to design and build Winona Academy, now Winona Christian School. He said the Thursday before classes were to begin on Monday, the school office was completed, but the rest of the school consisted of just brick walls.
“Before Monday, the roof was on, the lights were put in, the plumbing fixtures, and the chalk boards – thanks to the parents,” said Vince. “People just pulled together and did what needed to be done. They worked until 1 or 2 in the morning.”
Eventually, after connecting with a Greenwood doctor who was building Sonic Drive-In restaurants around Mississippi, Vince said he moved into commercial construction.
He also took an interest in commercial real estate. He purchased the commercial building, located at the corner of Summit and Academy Streets, which once held the Piggly Wiggly market where he was produce manager. He leased it to Bill’s Dollar Store.
When the dollar store went out of business years later, Vince contacted the area developer for Pizza Inn to ask about putting a Pizza Inn in that building. He and his wife, Ann, owned and operated Pizza Inn up until a couple of years ago.
In downtown Winona, Vince purchased and restored the old Illinois Central train depot on Front Street in 1989, which had greatly deteriorated from age. He restored it, and leased it to several businesses over the years.
In addition to the Depot and the Dotson Service Station building, Vince owned several other commercial properties in downtown Winona.
On Summit Street, he purchased the property at the corner of Summit and Vine Streets, where Schneider’s Department Store once stood, saying he always envisioned doings something special with it.
“Somewhere down the road, I developed visions for Winona,” Vince said, in that 2017 interview. “I didn’t invent procrastination, but I perfected it.”
Vince was a fixture in the Winona business community. He volunteered his time, donated his money, and was always willing to go above and beyond for his community and the people in it. To me, as I think about Vince and everything he contributed to this community, his legacy will include his efforts to restore and protect so many historical properties in the City of Winona. Because of his vision, future generations will enjoy a hometown filled with historical treasures.
For those of us who were lucky enough to call Vince our friend, that was its own kind of treasure.
