Richard Arthur Stokes Sr.

Richard (Dick) Stokes, 81 of Pt Charlotte Florida, passed away on October 9, 2020 after battling complications following heart surgery. Dick was born January 24, 1939 in Vero Beach Florida, the third of five children born to George and Chloe (Jones) Stokes. He was a 1957 graduate of Vero Beach Sr High School.

Dick served in the US Navy from 1958 to 1962 on the aircraft carrier ships the Shalimar and the Wasp. Upon discharge from the Navy, he returned to Vero Beach, FL and worked for Piper Aircraft before going to work for McDonnell-Douglas at Cape Canaveral as a missile instrument technician. From there, Dick entered the ministry and served as a Minister of Music and Youth in several Southern Baptist churches in Florida. Dick retired as a sales associate from Ace Hardware, Pt Charlotte, Florida.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Joseph, James, and Patrick. He is survived by his loving wife Donna (Schlaht), his sister Marcella Avery of Leesburg, FL., Five children with his first wife Joann McCall; Richard A. Stokes Jr. (Christine) of Iron Station NC, Deb Scanlon (John) of Holiday FL, Beverly Hall (Garry) of Lincoln DE, Kim Edgecomb (Tom) of Vero Beach FL, Jodi Meer (Shawn) of Monroe NC. and one stepson, Donny Newbry (Lestee) of Churchill TN. He was grandfather to fourteen Grandchildren and fifteen Great Grandchildren.

Dick enjoyed singing and had a talented tenor voice which he used in high school glee clubs and during his years as a music minister. He also enjoyed a talent for art and excelled in oil painting, charcoals and wood carving which was his passion. He was an active fisherman and enjoyed kayaking Florida’s many waterways. He had a lifelong love and appreciation for horses and all things in nature. He had a great sense of humor and will be sorely missed by all those who knew and loved him.

A memorial service will be planned at a later date due to the on-going coronavirus pandemic.