Bruce Theo Massey, 63, passed away peacefully in his sleep Sunday, November 3, 2019 while on a hunting trip in Georgia.

Born in Georgetown, S.C., Bruce was a son of John and Mary Massey. He moved with his family to Fernandina Beach, Fla. at a young age. He graduated from Fernandina Beach High School in 1974.

Bruce worked at Terminal Bag Company for many years before beginning work with the Port of Fernandina. He worked there for more than 30 years as a crane operator.

He loved the outdoors. Whether hunting, fishing or working in the garden with his wife, Sue, he would be outdoors whenever he could. Bruce also enjoyed his quiet times at home with Sue. He loved his family and was a wonderful provider and will always be remembered as a kind soul who would do anything for anybody.

Bruce was predeceased by a daughter, Michelle Crofton.

He leaves behind his wife of 30 years, Sue Massey; his parents, Mary and John Massey; his brothers, Mark and Richard Massey; his three granddaughters, Ashlyn, Daneille and Lauren Haley.

A service to celebrate and remember Bruce’s life will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, November 14, 2019 in the Burgess Chapel of Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors. The family will receive friends beginning at 2:30 p.m.

The family asks that donations be made to Cats Angels, P.O. Box 16072, Fernandina Beach, FL 32035.

Please share your memories and condolences at ww.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Hailey Leigh Hutto, 25, of Yulee, Fla., passed away Saturday, November 9, 2019.

Hailey was born in Fernandina Beach, Fla. and was a lifelong Nassau County resident. She was a daughter of Mike Hutto and Misty Spikes Hutto. She attended Yulee High School, where she enjoyed cheerleading and softball.

Hailey loved all things outdoors. Whether it was at the beach looking for shark’s teeth, spending time in the sun, or mud bogging with her dad, she would be outdoors any chance she could. Hailey also loved eating. It was said of her that, if you had food, you were her best friend.

She was very protective of those she loved but that protection was best seen in how much she looked after and loved her daughter. Mila is a sweet bundle of joy that Hailey loved with all her heart.

Hailey leaves behind her daughter, Mila Reneé Hutto; her parents, Misty Hutto of White Oak, Ga. and Mike (Sherree) Hutto of Hanahan, S.C.; her sisters and brother, Charley Hutto of Yulee, Mikhailee Hutto of Hanahan, and Landon Spikes of White Oak; her grandparents, Ricky and Angelia Spikes of Yulee and Leroy and Charlotte Hutto of Yulee; her stepbrother, Morgan Pastorchik; and her stepsisters, Meagan Pastorchik and Baylee Hutson, as well as several aunts, uncles, and other extended family members.

Funeral services will be held at noon Saturday, November 16, 2019 in the Burgess Chapel of Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors. The family will receive friends for the hour prior to the service. She will be laid to rest at Hughes Cemetery.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Charles "Donnie" Davis, 83, of Yulee, Fla., formerly of Jacksonville, Fla., went to be with the Lord on November 10 2019.

He is the son of Charles and Ila Davis of Jacksonville and a graduate of Andrew Jackson High School, Class of 1955. He served his country in the U.S. Army. He was a carpenter by trade and retired from Anheuser Busch. He was a member of Teamsters Union No. 947 and was an avid Florida Gator fan and member of the Alumni Association.

A Christian who loved the Lord, he was a good son, devoted husband, and great father and grandfather.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Charles David Davis, and grandson, Charles "Rusty"Davis.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mary Jane Davis; sister, Mary Avchin (Steve); and a number of nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be held noon to 2 p.m. Friday November 15, 2019 in the Stephens Chapel at Green Pine Funeral Home. The service will begin at 2 p.m. Elder James Blackwelder of Alabama will officiate and the eulogy will be given by Patriarch Joel Warner of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Interment will follow in Green Pine Cemetery. The pallbearers will be Steve Avchin, George and Greg Morgan, Thomas Peterson, John Fleming, and Bob Euler.

To sign Mr. Davis’ online register book, please visit the Green Pine website at www.greenpinefuneral.com.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Albert Augustus Stoddard Jr., 93, of Yulee, Fla., died November 6, 2019 at Community Hospice & Palliative Care’s Warner Center for Caring in Fernandina Beach, Fla.

Al was born September 20, 1926 in Jacksonville Beach, Fla. to Albert A. Stoddard Sr. and Ruth Mier Stoddard. He grew up in Neptune Beach and Palm Valley (Ponte Vedra Beach), graduating from Duncan U. Fletcher High School in Jax Beach in 1944. After high school and during the ending years of World War II, Al was a cadet-midshipman at the Merchant Marine Academy and was deployed as an assistant engineer in tanker convoys crossing the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, and Red Sea. He returned from sea to Jax Beach in 1947, working as a draftsman and marrying his high school sweetheart, Phyllis McGahan of Ponte Vedra, in 1948. During the Korean War, Al was called back to service as an active-duty lieutenant in the Navy based in Norfolk, Va. In 1954, he returned again to Florida and attended Jacksonville University and the University of Florida, where he graduated with a degree in engineering in 1957. He remained in the Naval Reserve until 1971. From 1957 to 1986, Al worked in defense contracting for Western Electric, Bell Labs, and Lucent Technologies in the Triad Region of North Carolina. In 1985, he moved to Yulee, working as a supervising HVAC engineer in base operations at Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base near St. Marys, Ga. until 2000.

As a hobby, Al restored, rebuilt, and drove countless cars – from Model-A Fords to Mercedes. He was a generous and industrious man who would often fix his neighbors’ cars and boats for only the cost of the parts. From his Palm Valley youth, he loved fishing and hunting. He knew all the waters throughout the St. Marys River tidal estuary. Over the years, he assisted his wife happily in her many professional pursuits and personal projects.

Al leaves behind his loving wife of 72 years, Phyllis, and his son, Bert, also of Yulee. He was an active member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Fernandina Beach.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, November 18, 2019 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Fernandina Beach and will be followed immediately by interment of his ashes in the parish’s memorial garden and a reception in the parish hall.

As a memorial, please consider a donation to Community Hospice & Palliative Care at 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257 or CommunityHospice.com.

Please share your memories and condolences www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Mr. Herbert Hover Montgomery, 91, of Jacksonville, Fla., passed away Monday morning, November 11, 2019 at Community Hospice at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Jacksonville, Fla.

Born December 30, 1927 in Brooklyn, N.Y., he was the second youngest of eight children born to the late Joseph Isreal Clay Montgomery and Estella Mae Simmons. He grew up in Brooklyn, where he graduated from Food Trades High School. He was a professional baker for Herman Star Bakery on Long Island as well as Marita Bread on Long Island specializing in wedding cakes. In 1950, he married Christina A. Montgomery, a seamstress also from Brooklyn. Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery had three children of their own but served as foster parents to 27 more, raising three of them with their own children into adulthood.

Mr. and Mrs. Montgomery traveled the country camping with their children into adulthood. Having visited his longtime family property on American Beach for many years, Mr. Montgomery and his wife came to Fernandina Beach, Fla. in the early 1980s. After settling here, he opened a business as a handyman and worked for a designer and The Plantation as an independent contractor. Mr. Montgomery was a faithful member of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, enjoyed bowling and movies, and became affectionately referred to as “Dad” by everyone that came to know him. After his wife died, he moved to Jacksonville with his youngest daughter and attended For Your Soul Gospel International Ministries, where he frequently attended.

Preceding him in death were his wife, Christina Montgomery, in 2014; a son, Herbert H. Montgomery Jr. in 1986; a granddaughter, Antoinetta Melcarne, in 1995; and his son, Ronald J. Brown, in 2009.

He leaves behind two daughters, Sondra Lynn Christina Melcarne and husband Luigi Melcarne of South Huntington, N.Y., Mitziann White and husband Clifford H. White III of Jacksonville; and a grandson, Damiano Herbert Melcarne, along with his extended daughters, Francine Dawn Smart-Flexer of Tampa, Fla. and Nina Flores-Lopez of San Diego, Calif., his extended son, Todd Winters of Long Island, N.Y., and countless nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews as well.

A Homegoing Memorial Service will be held at noon Monday, November 18, 2019 at For Your Soul Gospel International Ministries, located at 49 N. Bowlan St. in Jacksonville, with Archbishop Camelot Bonaventure officiating. Mr. Montgomery will be creamated and laid to rest with his beloved wife in Bosque Bello Cemetery at a later time.

The funeral service for Sylvia Horry will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 16, 2019 at the First Assembly of God, located at 302 S. 14th St. in Fernandina Beach, Fla. The visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, November 15, 2019 at Harvest Outreach Ministries, located at 905 Broome St. in Fernandina Beach. Interment will be in Bosque Bello Cemetery.

Please sign the family guest book and view the video tribute at www.tswarden.com.

Funerals by T.S. Warden

Dylan Bartolo Hernandez, 19, died at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego, Calif. after a devastating accident on Friday, November 8, 2019.

Dylan Hernandez, loving son of Sylvie and Bart Hernandez and youngest brother to Kayla and Julia Hernandez, was born September 30, 2000 in St. Marys, Ga. He attended St. Michael Academy on Amelia Island, Fla. from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and was a graduate of Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Fla. He moved to San Diego, Calif. in the fall of 2019 to begin his studies at San Diego State University.

Dylan loved the California weather and beaches and loved to play basketball with his friends. He truly enjoyed the time he spent at SDSU.

Dylan was fun, loving, smart, so caring and always had a smile on his face. He was a friend to all he met and never failed to make everyone laugh. He was able to touch so many people during his short time with us, and his memory will live on in all who knew him.

A Memorial Mass will be held in his honor at 10:30 a.m. Saturday November 23, 2019 at St. Michael Catholic Church, located at 505 Broome St. in Fernandina Beach, Fla.

Linda Bowen Gibson passed away November 7, 2019 at the age of 78. She was surrounded by her family at home in Amelia Island, Florida.

Born September 14, 1941 in Charlottesville, Va., Linda was the only child of James Enich Bowen and Helen Louise Bowen. Raised in Charlottesville, she graduated from Saint Anne’s-Belfield School, Hollins College, and the University of Virginia’s Graduate School. After living in Memphis, Tenn. and Lynchburg, Va., she found her home(s) on the St. Lawrence River in the Thousand Islands of New York and Amelia Island, Fla.

Linda loved to dance, cook, garden, play bridge, and walk on the beach. She could make friends in any grocery store aisle and had a handbasket and Tervis cup for every occasion. She loved her alma mater, University of Virginia (Wah-hoo-wah!) and cared for every stray cat her children brought home. She was known for her laugh, her smile, and her generosity, and she will be missed and always remembered by her friends and family.

Linda is survived by her daughters, Bowen, Jennifer, and Louisa; granddaughters, Reese, Greer, and Chloe; and longtime partner, Edward Shorney Mills of Oak Island, N.Y.

Memorial services will be held at a later time; however, a plaque memorializing Linda’s life will be placed at Riverview Cemetery in Charlottesville at the family plot. An announcement will be made for future services.

If you would like to make a donation in memory of Linda, the family suggests the Nassau Humane Society (Florida) or Monticello Gardens (Virginia). Please contact the family with any questions.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

Charles "Donnie" Davis, 83, of Yulee, Fla., formerly of Jacksonville, Fla., went to be with the Lord on November 10 2019.

He is the son of Charles and Ila Davis of Jacksonville and a graduate of Andrew Jackson High School, Class of 1955. He served his country in the U.S. Army. He was a carpenter by trade and retired from Anheuser Busch. He was a member of Teamsters Union No. 947 and was an avid Florida Gator fan and member of the Alumni Association.

A Christian who loved the Lord, he was a good son, devoted husband, and great father and grandfather.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his son, Charles David Davis, and grandson, Charles "Rusty"Davis.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mary Jane Davis; sister, Mary Avchin (Steve); and a number of nieces and nephews.

A viewing will be held noon to 2 p.m. Friday November 15, 2019 in the Stephens Chapel at Green Pine Funeral Home. The service will begin at 2 p.m. Elder James Blackwelder of Alabama will officiate and the eulogy will be given by Patriarch Joel Warner of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Interment will follow in Green Pine Cemetery. The pallbearers will be Steve Avchin, George and Greg Morgan, Thomas Peterson, John Fleming, and Bob Euler.

To sign Mr. Davis’ online register book, please visit the Green Pine website at www.greenpinefuneral.com.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Francis J. "Frank" Falter Jr., 82, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Thursday, November 14, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Thomas Sheilds Henderson, 87, of Amelia Island, Fla., passed away Friday, November 15, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Caroline B. Morse, 96, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away November 17, 2019.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Mary M. Pierson, 85, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Thursday, November 14, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Larry C. O'Daniel, 67, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away November 17, 2019. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, November 25, 2019 at Jacksonville National Cemetery with full military honors.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Carl J. Strange, 83, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away November 14, 2019.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Richard J. Zak, 63, passed away November 17, 2019 at his Yulee, Fla. residence.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Mrs. Mildred M. Thomas, 90, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at Quality Health of Fernandina Beach.

Born in Milton, Fla., she was a daughter of the late Christopher Columbus and Lydia Floyd Mitchell.

After graduating from Milton High School, she attended Massey Business College in Jacksonville, Fla. and worked for several businesses in the Jacksonville area. She married Kasley Thomas in 1953 and lived the rest of her life in Fernandina Beach.

Mrs. Thomas worked for the city of Fernandina Beach in the city manager’s office and worked as a legal assistant for Joseph Ripley. She was a member of the GFWC Woman’s Club of Fernandina Beach and a member of the American Business Women’s Association. She retired in 1973. She was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Fernandina Beach.

Mrs. Thomas is survived by her husband, Kasley Thomas of Fernandina Beach, and two daughters, Linda T. Chaplin of Fernandina Beach and Cindy T. Tiner of Brunswick, Ga. She is also survived by two grandchildren, Candice F. (Ross) Smith and Robert Eric Tiner, as well as two great-granddaughters, Casley and Catherine Smith.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, November 22, 2019 in the Burgess Chapel of Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors with Rev. Wayne Arnold and Rev. Zach Terry officiating. She will be laid to rest in Bosque Bello Cemetery. Mrs. Thomas’ family will receive friends 5-7 p.m. Thursday, November 21, 2019 at Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors.

The family asks that any donations, in her memory, be made to First Baptist Church of Fernandina Beach.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Betty Jo Reese, 75, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Tuesday, November 19, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

The funeral service for Christopher Raynard Clayton will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 23, 2019 at New Zion Missionary Baptist Church, located at 10 S. 10th St. in Fernandina Beach. Interment will be in Bosque Bello Cemetery.

Please sign the family guest book and view the video tribute at www.tswarden.com.

Funerals by T. S. Warden

Elouise Bloodsaw transitioned to her heavenly home, Wednesday morning, November 20, 2019.

Elouise was born August 12, 1944 to P. C. Walker and Elouise King in Fernandina Beach, Fla. Later, she and her mother moved to Vidalia, Ga., where she attended public school. Elouise and her mother eventually relocated back to Fernandina Beach.

She was a member of Kingdom Ministries, where she attended church and Sunday school when her health permitted. She was devoted to her pastor and church. She was employed with Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort for many years.

Due to failing health, Elouise was relocated to Quality Health of Fernandina Beach.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Pete Bloodsaw, and two children born to this union.

She leaves to cherish her memory her loving cousin, Kevin G. (Corliss) Brown; special and close friends, Lynn Smith and Mrs. Marion Harris; nurses, Vanessa Hamilton and Tammy Lynch; a host of brothers, sisters, cousins, and sorrowing friends, including staff and residents of Quality Health.

J. E. Fralin & Sons

On November 1, 2019, Carmela Austin danced her way into God’s faithful arms, with family by her side. Let it be known that she opened her eyes to see her daughter, Cindy, and granddaughter, Kaylin, and enjoyed one last taste of her brandy before taking her last breath in their hands.

Born to parents Giacomo Parillo and Philomena Rolio Parillo, Carmela danced into the world January 7, 1933 in Mendham, N.J. Carmela would later move to New York City, where she attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, performing on Broadway under her stage name, Candi Parsons, in various plays, including Wish You Were Here, and even guest starring on The Arthur Godfrey Show. Though she eventually left the spotlight for a career as an airline stewardess and retired many years later from INPO, she remained a true star to anyone who was blessed to be around her when music played. The choreography, always a showstopper at any family event, increased in creativity with the influence of chardonnay and tunes from Tony Bennett, Sinatra, Deano and Mel Torme.

Candi met her first husband, Sam Nunneley, in Dallas, Texas while flying with the airline. Together, they had their two children, John and Cynthia. Six years after Sam’s passing, Candi married Al Austin, known to their grandkids as “Papa Al,” and eventually moved to Kiawah Island, S.C., where the family’s favorite memories were made. After Al passed, Candi decided she needed a change so she left for Florida, where she has been ever since – never far from the beach.

Candi has had many loves, including the beach, dancing, her dogs, the Atlanta Braves, the Dallas Cowboys, and a good glass of wine, but none would come as close to her heart as golf and her family. She served as the president of the Women’s Golf Association at the Indian Hills Country Club in Marietta before becoming an active member in the golf communities of Kiawah Island, Palm Coast, and Amelia Island Plantation. To her grandbabies, she is hands down one of the most hilarious individuals God created. To the family, she is truly one in a million. To herself, she is “fabulous,” and to the men still asking her out on dates, you sure had great taste. She was the woman who never acted or looked her age, jumping on the bandwagon of every exercise craze and still investing in the finest skincare products well into her 80s.

If there is one song that perfectly encapsulates the life of Candi Austin, it would be Sinatra’s “My Way,” which was appropriately played and sang to her on her last day.

Her life and legacy will live on through her family, including her son, John Nunneley and his wife, Jackie; daughter, Cindy and her husband, Stan King; grandchildren, Ryan, Kaylin, Michael, and Davis; great-grandchildren, Elizabeth and Jameson; her sister, Theresa Cayo; and her dog, Lucy (the favorite child).

First dance: 1/7/33 – Last Dance: 11/1/19.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Karen Bente, 72, passed away November 23, 2019. No local services are planned at this time.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Kelly Chastain, 58, passed away November 15, 2019.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

Otis C. Mobley passed away Saturday, November 23, 2019.

Funerals by T. S. Warden

Martha Swafford, 64, passed away November 19, 2019.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

Brenda Faye Rothwell, 70, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Saturday, November 23, 2019.

A daughter of the late Lonnie G. and Minnie McSwain Mabry, she was born in Albemarle, N.C.

Brenda and her family moved to Nassau County in 1987, coming from Gretna, La. Shortly thereafter, she began a career with government service working for both Nassau County and the city of Fernandina Beach in various positions including code enforcement and animal control. She retired and maintained her residence in Fernandina Beach.

She leaves behind her sons, Joseph Rothwell and his wife, Crystal, of Jacksonville, Fla. and Richard Rothwell of Fernandina Beach; her three sisters, Eunice Hatley of Norwood, N.C., Carolyn Carriker of Mint Hill, N.C., and Judy Allen of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; a brother, David Mabry of Albemarle, N.C.; and her three grandchildren, Kamre, Hannah, and Tegan, as well as several other extended family members.

Her family is planning to celebrate Brenda’s life at a later time.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Betty Jo Harris Reese, 75, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Tuesday, November 19, 2019 at her home.

She was born in Fannin County, Ga., one of eight children born to the late Hobert L. and Myrtle Earley Harris.

Betty Jo attended and graduated from Fannin County schools. While in high school, she was captain of the girls basketball team. She also participated in cheerleading and softball.

Over the years, she held many jobs. She was an insurance adjuster, managed a music recording studio, and worked for Scientific Atlanta, and she became the second female in the state of Georgia who was certified to weld steel framing for highway bridge construction.

Always a free spirit, Betty Jo loved the outdoors and music and always considered herself a “Flower Child.” She attended the Woodstock music festival, and even as she grew older, she loved to be outside tossing a Frisbee. She was not afraid of any new adventure. She was even known to drive in "Powder Puff" dirt track car races.

She lived in Macon, Ga. for a number of years but moved to Fernandina Beach seven years ago to be with her family.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by six of her siblings, Hubert, Willa Mae, Harold, Gerald, J. L. and Ruth.

She leaves behind her children, Melinda (Daniel) Hendrick of Fernandina Beach and Dan’a (Matt) Chamberlain of Los Angeles, Calif.; her brother, H. L. Harris Jr. of Mineral Bluff, Ga.; her grandchildren, Emily Buchan of Commerce City, Colo. and Damien Hendrick of Fernandina Beach; and one great-grandchild, Oliver Buchan, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

There are no services planned for Betty Jo. She will be returned to her native Fannin County, where she will be laid to rest with her parents.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Janet McMahan, 69, passed away Friday morning, November 22, 2019 at her Pirates Woods residence in Yulee, Fla. while surrounded by her family.

Mrs. McMahan was born in Tampa, Fla. and grew up in Thomasville, Ga. before relocating with family to Atlanta. She and her husband, Ted, moved to Fernandina Beach, Fla. from Atlanta in 1980, then to Pirates Woods in 1981.

Mrs. McMahan was a devoted wife and loving mother and grandmother. She loved gardening, travelling and her pet dogs. She enjoyed walks around the neighborhood and lunches out with Ted and family and friends.

She was a member of and advocate for the Guardian Ad Litem program. She was an active member and past secretary-treasurer and president of the Pirates Woods Homeowners Association. She was retired from the state of Florida after 35 years serving in various capacities as a social worker.

She was predeceased by her father, G. Lynwood Horne.

Survivors include her husband of 49 years, Ted McMahan, her daughter, Rachel Thomas, and her mother, Nell Horne, all of Yulee; a brother and sister-in-law, Randy and Lori Horne of Panama City, Fla.; and two grandchildren, Teddy and Amelia Thomas.

There will be a private gathering to celebrate her life.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial donations be made to the Guardian Ad Litem program at galfirstcoast.org.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Thomas Shields Henderson, longtime resident of Amelia Island, Fla. and previously of Chatham Township, N.J., passed away November 15, 2019 at the age of 87, after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Born in 1932 in Chicago, Ill., Tom was the son of the late Joe Shields and Mercedes McCall Henderson. Tom was raised in Hamilton, Ohio and graduated from Hamilton High School in 1950. He attended Williams College (1954) and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Economy. During his senior year of college, Tom married Sally Sue Sohngen. Tom earned his MBA at Harvard Business School and then served two years as a specialist with the U.S. Army. Tom and Sally settled in New Jersey in 1958, when Tom began his investment career as a securities analyst at Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in New York. Tom joined Lord Abbett & Co. in N.Y. as a portfolio manager in 1979, became a partner in 1982, and retired from Lord Abbett in 1996.

Tom and Sally retired to Amelia Island, where they were very active in the local community. Tom had several interests and hobbies, particularly travel, sports, and music. He was passionate about helping others and enjoyed volunteering and supporting several local organizations. Tom will be remembered for his faith, kindness, sincerity, gentlemanly ways, sense of humor, and, above all, his love for his family.

Tom is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Sally; their two daughters, Marcy Murphy and Amy Henderson; five granddaughters, Sara, Erin and Melissa Murphy and Lauren and Jaime Inglesino; two sisters, Jane McAdams and Sheila Baden; son-in-law, Jay Murphy; brother-in-law, Jim Baden; and several nieces and nephews.

The family expresses their deep gratitude to Tom’s devoted and caring Angel Watch caregivers who became part of the family during his illness. A special thank you to his doctors at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, the staff at Osprey Village, and the nurses at Community Hospice & Palliative Care’s Warner Center for Caring in Fernandina Beach, Fla. for their care and support.

A celebration of Tom’s life is planned for January 25, 2020 at the Amelia Plantation Chapel, located at 36 Bowman Road on Amelia Island. Additional details and times will be available after the first of the new year at oxleyheard.com.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at 110 E. 42nd St., 16th Floor, New York, NY 10017 or alzinfo.org or Amelia Plantation Chapel (in support of outreach missions) at 36 Bowman Road, Amelia Island, FL  32034 or ameliachapel.com.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors