Marita Jo “Skeet” Gist went to be with her heavenly Father, her husband Phil, and her mother and father on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at the age of 73. Skeet was born on August 21st, 1946, the only child of Joe L. and Hansel Smith, in Dallas, Texas. She grew up in Arlington, Texas and graduated from Arlington High School in 1964. After high school, she married her husband of 48 years on June 12th, 1965. She was a dedicated Navy wife during Phil’s Navy career, moving and caring for her family from California to Spain to Hawaii and Florida. While stationed in the Panama Canal zone they welcomed their only son, Andy and later their only daughter Amber while stationed in Rota, Spain. In 1988, her and Phil moved to Pensacola and settled down for good when he retired from the Navy in 1991.
Skeet was the manager of the Pensacola Convention and Visitor Center for over seventeen years and will be remembered by her wealth of friends and for the positive impact she had on the hospitality industry in the greater Pensacola area. She was also a long-time member of the Ladies Auxiliary at the American Legion Post 240 in Pensacola where she volunteered countless hours serving veterans and members of the community.
Most importantly, she will be remembered as a loving and devoted wife to her husband Phil; a loving and kind mother to her daughter Amber and her son Andy, and his wife Beth; a loving and proud grandmother to her four grandchildren Jordan, Autumn, Rachel, and Zachary; and a loving and cherished cousin and sister in law.
Skeet was a country girl at heart, a proud American, and a Texan through and through. She was a baseball team mom and a Girl Scout Daisy troop leader. She loved to dance, fish, ride horseback, and could always make you laugh and smile with a witty story. She is loved and will be missed, but not forgotten.
A graveside service will be held at Barrancas National Cemetery at NAS, Pensacola, on Thursday, August 13, 2020 at 2:30pm. Barrancas National Cemetery is not accepting flowers, so the family requests that donations be made to the American Legion Post 240, in memory of Skeet Gist. All are welcome to make online condolences to the guestbook at www.oaklawnfunerals.com.
DONACIONES
American Legion Post 240
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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