Jefferson Davis Persse

Our beloved father and friend, Jefferson Davis Persse, Sr., passed peacefully on 1/08/24, surrounded by family. Born in Savannah, GA, on 12/13/27, his was a one-of-a-kind disposition — upbeat, kind, funny, and generous. He never acted like he was old, never complained of ailments. He was just pleasant — always.

Dad had a passion for good music (Rachmaninoff to Rodgers and Hammerstein) and was a self-taught pianist. Sharing the old standards he learned, his repertoire numbered over 300 songs. He loved to play gigs regularly “for the old folks” at any senior home he could find, and they would come streaming down the halls to hear his style that was soft and soothing. These talents were also debuted in Paris, Amsterdam, and on cruise ships.

Dad was also an accomplished artist/painter, and reproduced many works after the old masters. He was fortunate enough to see many of those originals in person during his travels.

He attributed his long life to a strict diet of ice cream, donuts, and Coca-Cola. A punster who loved to tell jokes, he had a sharp wit to the end, loved crossword puzzles and Scrabble, history, air shows, Georgia Tech football, and family vacations. He was always looking forward to his next adventure.

Jeff is predeceased by his parents, Winnifred and James Henry Persse; brother Harry, sisters Margaret Trexler, Patricia, and Winnifred Persse; daughter Jamie (Roger) Kiser; and grandson Ricky Perales.

He is survived by 7 children: Mary Ellen Matthews, Kathy (Al) Irizarry, Theresa Persse, Jeff (Lisa) Persse, Patricia (Bob) Shaw, Michael (Pam) Persse, John Persse, 13 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren, 2 nieces and 4 nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held at 12:00pm, Saturday, January 13, 2024 at The Rock Church, 11231 Ponce De Leon Boulevard, Brooksville FL 34601.