Rebecca Noelle Vasey, 55, of Tampa, Florida passed away on June 15th, 2024 due to complications from cancer. She had most recently lived in the lovely high rise condominium at 345 Bayshore Blvd in South Tampa for many years. She was born in Oakland, California on September 14, 1968. Rebecca graduated from Tampa’s Jefferson High School. She followed with coursework at Hillsborough Community College in preparation for managing the family Antique and Book store on South MacDill Ave. Now years later after her time spent there, shop customers still ask “where is the young girl who used to greet us at the door?”
Rebecca is survived by her father Frank, mother Paulette, brother Matthew, and sister-in-law Tiffany. She has aunts, uncles and many cousins living in Florida and around the country. Previously departed family members are grandparents, Rose and Victor Bardini, and Hamilton and Martha Vasey.
After her cancer diagnosis and emergent treatment in March 2020, Rebecca did amazingly well. She was feeling well and in good spirits even throughout her following surgery and chemotherapy. She had a strong will to live and love as she would guide her health care decisions. Paulette and Rebecca would go every other week to the TGH Cancer Center for a “chemo party” with food, drinks, iPad Hallmark movies and camaraderie with her wonderful health care team.
Despite Rebecca’s special need, a spastic quadriplegia type of cerebral palsy with musculoskeletal limitations requiring her wheelchair, she was the happiest, smartest and kindest person we knew. She donated some of her healthy organs, to quote her journal because “she thought it was a good thing to do, and she could help people and she could live forever in somebody’s body and maybe I could actually walk for once in my lifetime, because I would never be able to do it when I was alive by myself”.
Rebecca traveled extensively with her family and friends, from California, through the National Parks, to Alaska, the Midwestern Lake country, Detroit, and the east coast. She lived in Kingston, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. She cruised the Caribbean, and gambled in Las Vegas! She swam with dolphins, and loved to watch them at the aquarium. She was amazed, along with Matthew and Tiffany as giraffes ate lettuce snacks off her wheelchair’s lapboard while at the zoo. She loved living her most independent life in her condo with the loving care of her Aunt Joanie and all the wonderful health care team members who assisted her through the years.
She was the center of our lives for 55 years. She loved her mother and father. She adored her younger brother Matthew and her sister-in-law Tiffany. She loved her pal Alfred, the family schnoodle dog, and all of the prior family pets. A light went out of our lives. You “did good” Rebecca. We are so proud of you. A visitation for Rebecca will be held Saturday, June 22, 2024 from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, with a funeral service starting at 12:00 pm at Blount & Curry Life Event Center, 605 S MacDill Ave, Tampa, FL 33609. Following the funeral, a 2:00 pm committal service will occur at Serenity Meadows Memorial Park, Funeral Home & Crematory, 6919 Providence Rd, Riverview, FL 33578.
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