Florence Gruber Gruber Allegretti

Flo was an Isle of Hope girl whose fondest memories were of days spent at Barbee’s Pavilion with dance contests and turtle soup. Special among those memories were sheepshead fishing under the IOH docks with her dad. Reportedly many a fish were caught!

In 1954 Flo married the love of her life, “Al” Allegretti, and they spent the next 20 years on the road for the Air Force, serving our country and raising children as many a service family has done. She loved to recount the various duty stations from the start in Puerto Rico to the finish at Chanute AFB in Rantoul, Ill.

In 1972 military retirement came for Al so they returned to Savannah to start their next phase of life. Together they finished raising their children among their Georgia family and friends, and Flo took a job as an EKG technician at Memorial Hospital. Flo and Al never forgot their many military friends and their experiences together, and for the remainder of their lives Flo was the one who could vividly recall events, dates, locations, addresses and names that were obviously special to her. In 1995 Flo retired from Memorial and she and Al settled into their “later” years. They welcomed the arrival of grandchildren, eventually great grandchildren, dance recitals, school events and ball games … oh how she loved the combination of grandchildren and ball games! When not busy with the family, her favorite activity was “exercise” with her Candler Hospital pool buddies. In their final days Al and Flo moved to Rivers Edge where they rested among old friends and new best buddies, and Flo maintained her reputation among the grandchildren as “diva granny.” Her priorities were always clear; children, grand children, great-grandchildren and the Atlanta Braves … win or lose.

Florence will be deeply missed by all her family and friends. She was a loving daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt who will always be remembered for her love of God, family, friends and country.

Florence was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Francis Richard Allegretti, and her parents Marion and Margaret Gruber. She is survived by three children Debbie (Bernie) Moore, Frank (Darlene) Allegretti and Mike (Angie) Allegretti; her siblings Mary (Jimmy) Adams, Marion (Linda) Gruber, Walter (Sheila) Gruber and Dale (Ben) Pevey; grandchildren Patrick (Valerie) Moore, Lauren (Shawn) Herrmann, Adelina Allegretti, Michael Allegretti and Brittany Davis; great-grandchildren Clayton Lewis Moore and Blake Patrick Moore as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will take place June 7 at St. James Catholic Church beginning at 4 p.m. followed by a 6 p.m. Rosary. A mass of Christian burial will take place at 10 a.m. June 8 at St. James Catholic Church with internment to follow at Greenwich Section of Bonaventure Cemetery.

Remembrances:

Hospice of Savannah P.O. Box 13190 Savannah, Georgia 31416