Marcia J Smith

MARCIA J. SMITH Death of Marcia Smith closes another Sloppy Joe's chapter. Former owner and operator of Sloppy Joe's Bar, Marcia J. Smith, died Thursday, December 23, 2010 in Boca Raton, FL at the age of 83, after suffering a heart attack. She had moved to Boca Raton, FL from Key West in 2001 to be near her son. Marcia leaves a hole in the hearts of the many devoted family members and friends who loved her for her generous spirit and her joyful approach to life. She was born April 21, 1927, in Detroit. After moving to New York as a young girl, she studied advanced hair design in Manhattan and upstate New York. She opened a salon in Norwich, NY where she met and married Stanley J. Smith, with whom she would eventually move to Key West and become the well-known Marcia and Stan of Sloppy Joe's Bar. The move to Key West followed ten years in North Miami Beach where Marcia and her business partner Vera Fielding started from one salon and grew their business to three salons located in major Miami Beach hotels. When Stan and Marcia bought the Key West landmark in 1960, Marcia commuted for several months before deciding that Key West would be home. Marcia and her late husband Stan owned and operated Sloppy Joe's in Key West from 1960 to 1982. Sloppy Joe's was started by Ernest Hemingway's buddy and boat captain, Joe Russell at the close of Prohibition. Marcia and Stan bought the bar during the time when the military was a large presence and tourism was not the main industry. However, in the early 60's Hollywood film making came to Key West, where Marcia and Stan entertained many of the celebrities, who called Sloppy Joe's home. Some of the more notable celebrities were Johnny Weissmuller, Muhammad Ali, Steven Boyd, Paul Lynde, Tennessee Williams, President Harry Truman just to name a few. Of course the celebrity most associated with Sloppy Joe's Bar was the writer Ernest Hemingway. Many of his manuscripts were written in the back room of Sloppy Joe's. He and his wife Mary befriended Marcia and Stan, which after Pappa's passing, Mary gave them many mementos of Hemingway's. Sloppy's was a favorite of locals where everyone knew your name. Marcia was a direct descendant of William Pope Duval, the first Territorial Governor of the State of Florida. Ironically Sloppy Joe's Bar is located on Duval Street. Marcia and her late husband Stan were long time members and supports of the Key West Yacht Club. As a young woman, Marcia was an avid pilot who participated in "Powder Puff Derbys" held through out the Southwest.Her other hobbies included fishing, boating, traveling and of course entertaining. She is survived by her son Stanley J. Smith Jr. and his loving companion Shelia Jones of Delray Beach, FL; daughter Stacey E. Smith and her loving companion Dennis Sharpe of Osprey, FL; her niece Bernadette (Jim) Brown; great nephews Jeff Brown and Kevin Brown; great nieces Shelly Brown and Jamie Deats, all of upstate New York; grandchildren Allisa Garcia, Anna Garcia and Nick Bayly; her cousins Maggi (Ronnie Sr.), Ronnie Scarbrough Jr., Arthur Scarbrough, and Vivian Ethridge, all of Houston, TX; and her devoted friend, Freddy Voigt of Key West. Funeral arrangements are being made by Babione Funeral Home, 1100 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton, FL 33432. Services will be held Tuesday, December 28, at 11 AM at the Ascension Catholic Church, 7250 N. Federal Hwy. in Boca Raton, FL. A private Burial Service will be held at the family mausoleum in North Miami Beach. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Hospice of Palm Beach County, 3500 East Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33407 or Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, attn: Marketing and Development, 900 N.W. 17th Street, Miami, FL 33136. To express condolences and/or make donations Visit PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries Published in The Palm Beach Post from December 27, 2010 to January 3, 2011