Judy Sue Moore Blakeley
Judy Sue Moore Blakeley, born March 9, 1943, at Chickasha, Oklahoma, passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 4, 2018, at her residence in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Fashion designer, international flight attendant, and avid world traveler, she led a lively and colorful life. She attended the University of Oklahoma where she was president of her sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta, while earning her degree in fashion design in 1965. She worked in the fashion industry in Dallas, Texas, for Stockton and later launched the clothing brand Gotcha Covered in the early 1970s. After leaving the fashion world she became a flight attendant for Airlift International, servicing Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.
She and her husband Richard made their home in Lawton, Okla., eventually retiring to Sun City Center, Fla. In late 2016, she moved to Jonesboro, Ark., to be nearer to family.
Those who knew her would agree that she had a vibrant passion for life. Outgoing, boisterous, and witty, she lived life with no regrets; undaunted by challenges. Her approach to life could be formulated in two mottos: “I do what I want” and “That’s just the way I roll.”
She was preceded in death by husband Richard A. Blakeley, sister Amy Jo Moore Ridpath, and parents Frank B. Moore and Pauline M. Walker. She leaves behind brothers Roy (Kaye) Moore – Lawton, Okla. and Tom (Vallory) Moore – Pauls Valley, Okla.; nieces Darla (Ron) Smith – Edmond, Okla., Darise (Scott) Farris – Edmond, Okla. and Erin (Brent) Metcalfe – Jonesboro, Ark.; nephews George Ridpath Jr. – Dennison, Texas, Jared (Tracy) Moore – Marlow, Okla. and Jaron Moore – Oklahoma City, Okla.; and several grand- and great-grandnieces and nephews.
She and her beloved husband Richard are inured together at Ft. Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, Okla. Memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org.
Nellie Wanda Elrod
Nellie Wanda Doss Elrod, born June 21, 1937, peacefully passed away on July 27, 2018.
Predeceased in death by her beloved husband H.D. Elrod and devoted son Don Elrod. Survived by daughter Debby McIlroy, son-in-law Calvin McIlroy, granddaughter Laura Webb and grandson Billy Webb.
She loved the Lord with all her heart and enjoyed listening to gospel music and reading the Bible.
She was a homemaker who enjoyed cooking, gardening, canning, crafts and antiques.
Please honor and celebrate the legacy of Nellie Wanda Elrod by sharing stories, photos, thoughts and condolences on her online memory board at www.zipperersfuneralhome.com. No services per her request.
Grace Procopio-Gentile
Grace Procopio-Gentile, 76, of Sun City Center, Florida passed away July 12, 2018.
Grace retired from Half-A-Car, Inc., where she served as Vice-President of Operations. She was a volunteer for the Sun City Center Emergency Squad and the Sun City Center Security Patrol. She was a member of the Sun City Center Bridge Club and Mah Jongg Club.
Grace was preceded in death by her husband of 24 years, Nicholas J. Gentile Sr. Survivors include her stepchildren Deborah (Larry) Cylc, Maria (Patrick) Ward, Barbara (Jack) Casta, and Nicholas Gentile Jr.; a brother Bruno (Dorothy) Procopio; two sisters Dolores (James) Hazel and Jean (Joseph) Smith; seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, August 8, 2018, at Sun City Center Funeral Home, 1851 Rickenbacker Drive, Sun City Center, Florida.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Sun City Center Security Patrol, 1005 Pebble Beach Blvd. N., Sun City Center, FL 33573; The Sun City Center Men’s Club, 1002 Cherry Hills Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573; or Samaritan Services, 1207 Pebble Beach Blvd. N., Sun City Center, FL 33573.
Frank R. Gomez
Frank R. Gomez passed away July 21, 2018. Survived by his loving wife of 37 years, Sharon “Shay” Gomez, his stepson Johnny Hosford and wife Lizza, granddaughters Raven Peters and Abigail Hosford, stepdaughter Allegra Scheirer and husband Dan, grandsons Jeremy and Cameron Scheirer, father-in-law Walter Dunn, brother and sister-in-law Michael and Roslyn Brunner, brother George Gomez and partner Patsy, sister Martha Aguero, and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces, and an uncle and aunt.
Born in Miami, Frank graduated high school from Archbishop Curley High. He was a graduate of the University of Florida where he majored in business. Frank worked for ATT in Miami for 30 years and retired to Sun City Center in 2010.
In Sun City Center he was an ambulance driver and cook for the Emergency Squad and a member of Kings Point Stained Glass Club, Sun City Center Sportscar Club, and Sun City Corvette Club. In addition, he was a season ticket holder of the Miami Dolphins from the very first game.
He and Shay loved to travel and had visited all 50 states plus Europe, Asia, Canada, Caribbean islands, South America, Russia and China. Frequent trips to Sanibel Island spurred on his avid collecting of seashells. He was an accomplished amateur chef, scholarship baseball and softball slugger in his younger days, and lover of ’60s music. He will be greatly missed. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Sun City Center Emergency Squad. Celebration plans pending. Arrangements by Zipperer’s Funeral Home.
Lorene Steines Howe
Lorene “Tootsie” Steines Howe, 92, of Sun City Center, Florida, passed away on July 24, 2018, after a brief illness. She was born on a farm in Pond, Missouri on Oct. 31, 1925. She loved growing up on a farm and often talked about having adventures with her five brothers and sisters. During World War II, she moved to Washington, D.C. and began working for the government. During her time in Washington, she met Harlow “Bucky” Howe, a U.S. Army serviceman from Wisconsin and they would marry on April 15, 1950, and spend 34 wonderful years together until his death in 1984.
In 1965, they moved to Miami, Florida to raise their daughter Alice. Lorene was an Executive Secretary for Southern Apparel Exhibitors and an avid volunteer. In 1992, she retired and moved to Sun City Center, Florida where she continued her volunteer work. She volunteered at Cypress Creek Elementary School for several years and at South Bay Hospital for 20 years. Lorene was also active at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, serving as a deacon, greeter and providing communion to those unable to attend church.
Lorene loved line dancing, playing cards and winning at bingo. She was an avid world traveler, having visited all seven continents. Lorene was a five-time cancer survivor, and all who knew her admired her unwavering faith and will miss her warm heart, beautiful smile and tremendous generosity. She was deeply loved by her family and friends.
Lorene was preceded in death by her husband Harlow “Bucky” Howe and by her five siblings. She was a wonderful mother to her daughter Alice and son-in-law, Sam Lindsay, and beloved aunt to Ann Hamilton, Jane (Scott) Labun, Ruth (Chris) Palmstrom, Lois (Gordie) Nickels, and Alan (Sherry) Steines, and loving sister-in-law to Lorraine Steines.
A Celebration of Life will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 4, 2018, at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 1239 Del Webb Boulevard W., Sun City Center, Florida. Private Interment will be in Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, Florida. In keeping with Lorene’s spirit and love of life, everyone is requested to wear bright colors. Arrangements by Sun City Center Funeral Home, 813-634-9900.
Richard C. Linsley
Richard C. Linsley passed away July 18, 2018, after an illness exacerbated by a fall in his home in Sun City Center, Fla. He is survived by his older brother Jim and nephews Richard, Thomas, Ted and Mike Linsley. He was preceded in death by his parents and wife Arlene (Susie) Linsley. He will be missed by his extended family of in-laws and friends in Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan and beyond.
Richard was born in Champaign, Illinois on June 16,1932, to Clyde and Mary Linsley. He graduated from Urbana High School in 1950 and from the University of Illinois College of Engineering in June 1955. Enrolled in Air Force ROTC while at the University of Illinois, and he was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force in 1955 following graduation. Richard spent two years in the U.S. Air Force active reserve. While working for John Deere, he pursued and received a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University in 1970. He met Arlene (Susie) Kohn while at Purdue and they married on July 5, 1969, making their first home in Cincinnati, Ohio where Richard started work for General Electric.
Within a few years, Richard decided he wanted to have his own business. Rich and Susie bought a Budget Car Rental franchise in Lansing, Mich. and began their careers working together as owner/managers of this business for over 30 years. The two of them were inseparable, working together every day.
Also, having a love of aviation, Richard owned and piloted his Cessna airplane, flying with Susie back and forth over Lake Michigan to Wisconsin, visiting family and attending the EAA convention in Oshkosh for many years. They were both avid Michigan State University football and basketball fans, holding season tickets and always cheering for their Spartans. After selling their business and retiring, they bought a winter home in Sun City Center, Fla. in 2010 near several of Susie’s family members. Richard remained active in business, managing family farm leases in Wisconsin with his brother Jim until his recent illness.
A memorial service will be held on Aug 25, 2018, in Oshkosh, Wis.
Walter Thomas Nixon Sr.
Walter “Tom” Nixon passed away peacefully at LifePath Hospice House on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, in Sun City Center, Florida at the age of 90.
Tom is survived by the love of his life, Felicia, daughter Carol Hackney (John) of Florida, son Tom Nixon (Christine) and step-granddaughter Autumn Neff and step-great-grandchildren Tristan Neff and Skyler Leponto, all of New York, a sister Jean Wise of Pennsylvania, and many loving nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Walter and Mary Nixon of Pennsylvania and brothers Wilson, John, Ray, Clark, Dave, Dan, sister Orea and step-great-granddaughter Brett Neff.
Tom was born in 1927 in Robinson, Pennsylvania to Walter and Mary Nixon. After graduating high school he served in the U.S. Navy supporting the troops stateside in Great Lakes, Illinois, Bayonne, New Jersey and Brooklyn, New York receiving a World War II Victory Medal. He met his wife Felicia at the U.S. Navy Base in Bayonne, New Jersey and they would have celebrated their 70th Anniversary this October. After his Navy service, Tom spent his working career as an Industrial Engineer at various companies in New Jersey and upon retirement moved to Sun City Center, Florida. As a resident of Sun City Center, he served proudly on the Security Patrol for 20 years, received many blood-donor awards, and joyfully displayed his collection of bowling trophies at home. No matter where he lived, Tom was a “country boy” at heart, and his passion for fishing, love of nature, and daily walks in the neighborhood was enthusiastically shared with all who crossed his path.
Friends and family are welcomed to attend the funeral service Saturday, August 4, 2018, 11 a.m., at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Sun City Center, Florida. A Celebration of Life will be held at Sun Towers Retirement Community immediately following the service. Cremation by Zipperer’s Funeral Home and Interment will be at St. Catharine Cemetery, Sea Girt, New Jersey.
Flowers may be sent to the church or a memorial gift in the name of Walter Thomas Nixon Sr. can be made to: LifePath Hospice, 12470 Telecom Drive, Tampa, FL 33637 or at: www.chaptershealth.org/give/donate/. Arrangements by Zipperer’s Funeral Home.
Russell Heavilin Rowe Jr.
Russell Heavilin Rowe Jr., 94, died July 23, 2018, in Sun City Center, Florida. Surviving are daughter MaryAnn; sons W. Douglas (wife Margaret) and Edgar S. (wife Donna); grandchildren Blake Alan, Brandy Nicole and Sean Douglas; and great-grandson Barry Allen.
Russell was born in Lepanto, Arkansas, but spent the majority of his childhood and adolescence in Florence, Alabama. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy training sailors to aim and shoot the 50 caliber machine guns on aircraft. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Alabama in 1948 and a Masters of Social Work from Vanderbilt University in 1950. That same year he married Hester Ann Hare. Their marriage lasted 65 years ending with her death in 2015. For 26 years, Russell served in the U.S. Army as a Psychiatric Social Worker, retiring with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1972. After retiring he worked for Rogue Valley Memorial Hospital in Medford, Oregon.
In college Russell played both basketball (shortest player on the team) and tennis (making the Southeast Regional). But for most of his adult life, Russell was an avid golfer playing 18 holes two to three times a week up to the week before his death. Next to golf, Russell loved to travel and had visited all 50 states and U.S. territories, Canada, Mexico, South America, Australia, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, Europe, Guam and Samoa. Russell thoroughly enjoyed people and was well-known for his wit and humor.
A memorial reception was held on August 1, in the Aston Gardens ballroom, Sun City Center. He credits much of his success in life to the encouragement and support he received during his two undergraduate years at Florence State College (now University of Northern Alabama) and would like to see others receive like positive support. Memorial contributions to the University of Northern Alabama Foundation (In Memory of Russell Rowe), UNA Box, Florence, AL 35632, would be appreciated.
