Pauline Gebler

Pauline L. Gebler, 91, passed away peacefully on March 19, 2015 at Community Hospice. A funeral Mass will be held at Holy Family Catholic Church, 9800 Baymeadows Rd (904-641-5838) at 11 am on April 7, 2015. Following the Mass, a celebration of Pauline's life will be held at Camellia at Deerwood, 10061 Sweetwater Pkwy (904-519-1034) for family and friends. Pauline was born on June 23, 1923 and grew up in Syracuse, rural southeast Ohio. She was a proud veteran of the US Marine Corps during WWII where she met and married Robert (Bob) J. Gebler from Jersey City, NJ. Pauline (Paula) raised their three children, Karen, Joel, and Ronald in Michigan, Rhode Island, and New Jersey. Paula and Bob moved to Sarasota, FL in 1973 to enjoy the beaches, boating, fishing, beautiful gardens, and a wonderful Florida lifestyle. After 51 years of marriage, her husband passed away in 1996. She remained in Sarasota until she moved to Jacksonville, FL in 2004. Paula was a member of Holy Family parish for over 10 years and was active in the Young at Heart. Paula's love of art and music left a legacy of her talent, artwork and memories for her family and friends. She loved any type of art -- stone sculpture, mixed media, decorative art, stained glass, watercolor, acrylic, and oil painting, drawing, Scherenschnitte, needlepoint, beading, sewing, quilting, etc. She was a member of the Jacksonville Watercolor Society and the Society of Mixed Media Artists in Jacksonville. In Sarasota, she was active in the Bradenton and Sarasota art communities, taught sculpture at Manatee Junior College and served as a docent at the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art for over 10 years, after studying at the Ringling School of Art and Design. She was also active as a chairperson for several of the Ringling Courtyard Festivals. Paula and Bob also worked on many stained glass art projects before he passed away. Pauline's love of music started when she was young and sang in the church choir, then as a violinist in the Pomeroy High School Orchestra and a clarinetist in the marching band. In New Jersey, Paula was the president of the South Brunswick Sweet Adelines and a member of the Garden Belles quartet, singing and competing with other barbershop groups in New Jersey, Baltimore, and Washington, DC over her 8 years as an active member. Music and jam sessions were part of family life in New Jersey. In Sarasota, Paula and her sister Margaret took electronic keyboard lessons together. Paula loved life, her independence and family gatherings, especially for holidays and birthdays. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt. She will be missed by her family and her many friends -- some from her youth. Paula is survived by her three children, Karen Zelenkov (Sergei) of Jacksonville, Joel Gebler of Jacksonville, and Ronald Gebler (Peggy) of Tampa, FL, and her grandson, Eric Huber of Alpharetta, GA, her sister, Margaret Quisenberry (Roger) of Sarasota, FL, and nieces Judy, Janice (Randy), and Joy and nephew Jeff (Nicole). Paula is predeceased by her parents, William and Dorothy Holmes, her husband, Robert Gebler and her grandson, Michael Huber. During Paula's short stay at Community Hospice on Sunbeam Rd, the staff provided outstanding care and comfort to Pauline and her family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida or the American Cancer Society.