Mary P. Joyce Gatches

Mary P. Gatches, 91 of Brooksville, FL., (Cloverleaf Farms) died January 7, 2015. She was born on July 7, 1923, in Newark, New Jersey, to the late John George Joseph & Mary (McGlynn) Joyce. Mary moved to St. Petersburg in 1973 from Hazlet, NJ, and to Brooksville from Ellenton 21 years ago. Mary was a World War II Navy Veteran serving in the South Pacific as a Yeoman 2nd Class under Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz. She was a former member and past president of the local chapter and National chapters of the WAVES National and a former member of American Legion Post #24 of Bradenton. Mary was a legal secretary for Prudential, Newark, NJ; a Travel Agency Manager; and secretary for the Florida Highway Patrol having worked in Bradenton, and retiring from the Land-O-Lakes Station. She had many interests throughout her life and had belonged to both a ballet and dance troupe as a young adult. Mary was Catholic by faith. Mary is survived by her daughters Cindy Buday of Spring Hill, and Pam Gatches-Fort, of Brooksville; a son-in-law, James Fort; granddaughter, Jacquelyn Baxter of Tallahassee; and great-granddaughter, Camryn Hay of Spring Hill. For family and friends a Visitation will take place on Tuesday, January 13, 2015, from 10 am – 12 noon, at the Turner Funeral Homes, Spring Hill Chapel, 14360 Spring Hill Drive, Spring Hill, FL 34609. A brief Prayer Service will be held at 12 noon, and then Military Honors will be held at the Florida National Cemetery, in Bushnell, Fl. at 1 pm. In lieu of flowers, Mary’s family request that memorial donations be made to the American Parkinson Disease Foundation, Inc. 135 Parkinson Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10305and or to the American Cancer Society. 8159 State Road #52, Hudson, FL 34667