William Bill Karl Mouro Sr.

William Karl Bill Mouro, Sr., age 88, died November 19, 2014 peacefully at home and in the presence of the Lord. Born July 15, 1926 in Jacksonville, Florida and a life-long resident of Jacksonville, his childhood years were spent in Hope Haven Hospital for one and a-half years, followed by six years in the Boy's Home which at the time was located at 33 West 6th Street. This was due to his mother's illness and hospitalization at that time, but at age 15, he and his younger siblings were reunited with their mother and her new husband, Lester VanBenschoten. He continued to have a bond with the Boys Home and served on the Board for the Boys Home Association for a number of years. He was an alumnus of Andrew Jackson High School, after which he was an apprentice mortician for what was then Elliott Funeral Home, then a sub-clerk and rural mail carrier with the US Post Office, when he was drafted into the U.S. Army at the age of 18. He served in the US Army Infantry in the Central Europe Campaign at the end of WWII as a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) rifleman and was awarded a Combat Infantry Badge & Battle Star, an E.A.M.E. Medal, and a WWII Victory Medal. In 1948 he embarked upon what became a very successful career in the insurance industry that spanned 59 years, 40 of which were with the former Independent Life Insurance Company as a district sales manager, then personal producing general agent, followed by 19 years as an insurance, retirement and estate planning consultant while a partner with Capital Analysts of Jacksonville, where his youngest son, Mark Mouro, is also a partner. During his career he earned his LUTCF degree, and earned numerous sales achievement awards and recognitions, including qualifying for the industry's prestigious Million Dollar Round Table for 10 years straight and one year at the Top of The Table. He served in a leadership capacity in many industry-related organizations, as well as many civic organizations including the Jacksonville Jaycees as a life-time member, was a member of the Research & Development Authority which was instrumental in bringing about the development of the Kernan Blvd exchange on JTB, was Board Chairman of the Duval County Hospital Authority, the Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Jacksonville, and a past president of the Mandarin Community Club. He was interested in the local political scene, and was active in the first mayoral race of Mayor Jake Godbold, as well as instrumental in the handling of investiture receptions for a number of newly appointed or elected Circuit Court and County Court Judges. Bill was a 32nd-degree Mason and member of the Scottish Rite, the William B Barnett Lodge # 187, was a Morocco Shriner, and member of the Jacksonville Elks Lodge # 221 and American Legion Post #88. Throughout his life, whether it was misfortunes in childhood, the obligations of raising his three young sons or the onset of Parkinson's, Bill was the pillar of strength for the entire Mouro family. He instilled, by example, a good work ethic and determination that would overcome many shortcomings in life. He was always ready to help anyone he could and enjoyed people so much. He never met a stranger and had a great deal of love and respect for not only his family but also for the many friends he made over the years. He would want all who knew him to celebrate his life and live theirs to the fullest, and would find great comfort in the supportiveness of his friends during this difficult time for his sons, Bill Jr, Lester and Mark, his sister Harriet, and his wife, Cynthia, whom he cherished so much.

He is predeceased by his father, William Penn Mouro; mother, Elizabeth Edith Mouro VanBenschoten; step-father, Lester B VanBenschoten; brother, Robert V Mouro S; sister, Shirley Oliver; and Una Mouro, his first wife and the mother of their three sons. Survivors include his loving wife, Cynthia Mouro; his sons, William K Mouro Jr, Lester E Mouro, Mark A Mouro (Tamie); and grandson, Alex Mouro; his sister, Harriett Holladay; a host of nieces, nephews and life-long friends.

A celebration of life will be held at eleven o'clock in the morning on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at Hardage-Giddens, The Oaklawn Chapel, 4801 San Jose Blvd, Jacksonville FL 32207. Interment will be held at a later date at Jacksonville National Cemetery on Lannie Road. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be made to a if charity of one's choice ; Safe Harbor Boys Home, 4772 Safe Harbor Way, Jacksonville FL 32226, or St Paul's Episcopal Church, 5616 Atlantic Blvd, Jacksonville FL 32207.

Hardage Giddens THE OAKLAWN CHAPEL is serving the family. -