Mary Alma Pepe, a woman who never met a stranger, passed peacefully from us at her home on Fleming Island, Florida on Wednesday, September 1st, 2021, one month after her 97th birthday and in the loving care of her family.
Born Mary Alma Robertson on August 1st, 1924 in Henderson, Kentucky she lived most of her childhood in the lean, challenging years of the great depression. She was a senior at Smithmills HIgh School in Smithmills, KY when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor bringing the U.S. into WWII. She graduated six months later and went to work as a telephone operator for the newly built U.S. Army training facility Camp Breckinbridge near Morganfield, Kentucky. It was there she met and married her husband of 52 years, Stephen (Steve) Pepe, who was training as a medical technician prior to serving in Burma.
After the war she and Steve eventually moved to the nearby city of Evansville, Indiana where they raised three children and lived until their retirements in 1987. Steve worked as a quality control technician for Whirlpool Corporation. Mary became a welder and an active member of the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local; she worked for furniture fabricator George Koch & Sons for 33 years.
In the year they retired Mary and Steve moved to Florida and into their new home on Fleming Island. There they became involved in their new community serving as volunteers in the Orange Park Hospital Auxiliary and participating in the Florida Master Gardner program in Green Cove Springs. After Steve passed in 1995 Mary continued her work in the Auxiliary eventually completing over 20 years of service.
In recent years until the pandemic made it unwise she enjoyed frequent outings with her children who now all live in the Jacksonville area. To the last she took delight each day in reading her paper and watching the Wheel of Fortune/Jeopardy hour with her two small doggies, Teddy and Andy, either on her lap or nearby.
Passing before her in addition to her husband, Steve, was her brother Harmon Robertson Jr. of Evansville, IN. She is survived by her son Donald Stephen Pepe, daughter Rita Diane (Pepe) Curry of Jacksonville, daughter Mildred Gloria Pepe of Fleming Island, and grandson Stephen Ray Curry of Evansville.
Arrangements are with Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home in Orange Park. Out of caution for the health of all involved there will not be a public service. Instead a video honoring Mary's life is being prepared and will made available to all who want to remember this unique lady. In the meantime those who wish to share their thoughts and memories of Mary Alma may do so by entering her name, Mary Alma Pepe, at the following website: www.hardage-giddensrivermead.com.
In lieu of flowers a donation can be made to Cancer Research Institute (cancerresearch.org).
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