Mary JoAnne Tice

Mary "JoAnne" Tice died peacefully on November 11, 2011, gone to join her beloved "Johnny", Captain John J. Tice III in perpetuity. Her last words were to her daughter were "call Daddy". It was fitting that she died on Veteran's Day since she was so proud of her Johnny's stellar career in the military.

JoAnne was born in Melbourne, FL on April 14, 1929 of Vernon Davenport and Mary S. Gindel. She later moved to Miami, FL where she grew up. She was always very proud of her Florida roots, calling herself a "Florida cracker". She graduated from Miami High School at 16 years of age and was working for the telephone company when at 18 years of age, she met a dashing Navy Lieutenant from Newport, RI. It was love at first sight and they later married in Charleston, SC in 1947. She received a telegram from him that told her "to proceed and report to Charleston, SC to be married." They were a love match. They traveled the world following her husband's Naval Career, with many years in the South Pacific and Asia. There she learned to speak Mandarin Chinese. She was an excellent duplicate bridge player. In later life, she became a successful Real Estate Agent. In her husband's retirement she was able to return to her beloved Florida, and where she lived for thirty-two years in Ft. Myers in her dream home. She came to Tallahassee, FL to be near her daughter; spending the last year and a half in a memory care facility. She never knew a stranger and had a loving, generous nature that followed her into Dementia. Everyone recently knew her by her frequent laughs, "thank yous and I like or love you." The greatest loves of life besides her husband were her three children, she was so proud of them and she thought the world of them. She often raised them on her own during her husband's absences, but always stressed the parental unit to her children in his absence. Also, she dearly loved all seven grandchildren and great-daughter.

She is survived by her son, Dr. John "Jay" Tice IV (Dr. Elizabeth); grandson, John J. "J.J." Tice V; her daughter, Dr. Janice L. Tice (Don Collins); granddaughters, Mary Collins and Jane Collins Guadagni (John); grandson, Timothy Collins and great-granddaughter, Maya Guadagni; her son, Mr. Christopher J. Tice (Veronique), granddaughters Erica and Vanessa Kuly and grandson, Christopher J. Tice II.

The family wishes to extend endless appreciation to her tireless caregivers, Ms. Dawn Moore, R.N., Ms. Victoria Bendezu of Ft. Myers, Ms. Linda Smith, Ms. Nikia Thomas of Tallahassee. Their constant care and love extended her life and reduced the vagaries of Dementia. She was happy and content in the last four years of her life; the last year and nine months in close proximity to her daughter, Janice in Tallahassee. Everyone who knew her will remember her for her legacy of love and her independent spirit. She often said "I may be small but I am mighty" and indeed she was.

Funeral Service will be held at 12:00 PM, Wednesday, November 16th, 2011 at Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home and Memorial Park Chapel, 700 Timberlane Rd with Visitation one hour prior to service. A reception will follow in the MeadowWood Event Room at the conclusion of services. Interment will be on Thursday, November 17th, 2011 at 12:30 PM at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell, FL. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society online at http://www.nmcrs.org/index.html or the Tallahassee Alzheimer's Project online at www.alzheimersproject.org.

Arrangements are under the direction of Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home in Tallahassee, Florida.