Joan Marie (Rhoades) Flutie, 73 years old, went home to be with the Lord on November 18th, 2015. She was born on March 1, 1942 to Marie T. (Gribbin) and William W. Rhoades of Baltimore, Maryland. She had one sister, Diane (Rhoades) Harney, who was her constant companion and best friend.
Joan attended All Saints Catholic School from first grade through eighth and then went on to Seton High School, both in Baltimore, Maryland. Joan and Richard “Dick” Flutie met in high school and have been together ever since. You never saw one without the other. They enjoyed playing bridge with Joan’s sister and brother-in-law, Diane and John Harney, and especially enjoyed watching all their children’s athletic events. In their later years, they enjoyed watching the Melbourne Beach Orioles, where both Bill and Doug played, and the team members loved them. They were “season ticket holders” and rarely missed a game. They lived in Brevard County from 1967 to 1976 and returned from 1999 to 2015. From 1976 to 1999, they lived in Natick, Massachusetts and Joan worked at Roche Brothers for many years.
Joan was an extremely loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and caretaker. She was an athlete and loved golf, tennis, swimming, the beach, and all sports. Mostly she enjoyed taking care of her family. They were her pride and joy, along with taking care of her home, yard and gardens to the extreme.
Joan is survived by her daughter, Denise Flutie-Morgan (Scott), her sons, William E. Flutie (Gwen), Douglas R. Flutie (Laurie), and Darren P. Flutie (Terri), as well as her dear daughter-in-law, Donna Donovan-Flutie.
She also leaves behind grandchildren, Jennifer Flutie, Brooke Flutie-Mulcahy, Billy Flutie, Brittany Alberghini, Brett Flutie, Alexa Flutie-Sumner, Dougie Flutie Jr., Taylor Flutie, and Troy Flutie, and great grand-children, Capri, Bria, and Decker Mulcahy. She is also survived by her sister, Diane (Rhoades) and brother-in-law, John Harney, Sr.; cousin, Ronald T. Plotka of Marblehead, Massachusetts; great friend/sister since childhood, Louis Bates of Baltimore, Maryland, and special family friend, Luann Darras Jarvie, who Joan thought of as a daughter.
Joan and Dick were together for 60 years in this life, and celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary this past October. She passed while saying her final goodbyes in the hospital room of her husband, who had just passed. As they lived their lives together, now they will spend their eternity together.
Mom, we love you! You left us too early. You were truly meant to be with Dad through eternity. You will forever be in our hearts and your legacy lives on through all of us.
RICHARD EDWARD FLUTIE:
Richard Edward Flutie, 76 years old, passed away November 18, 2015 at 8:45 am. Born July 29, 1939, Richard, known by family and friends as “Dick”, was the son of Edward Elias and Theda Jacobs Flutie, who passed at his birth. He was raised by Ruth and Raymond Gabler of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, attending Forest Park High School, and then moved to Natick, Massachusetts. After graduating from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania in 1999, Dick moved to Melbourne, Florida, working at Harris Semiconductor and Digital Equip Corporation, and then spending his final years in the Brevard County area.
Dick was married to his loving wife, Joan Marie (Rhoades) Flutie, celebrating their 56th wedding anniversary in October. He is survived by his children, Denise Flutie-Morgan, William E. Flutie, Douglas R. Flutie, and Darren P. Flutie; his grandchildren, Jennifer Flutie, Brooke Flutie-Mulcahy, Billy Flutie, Brittany Alberghini, Brett Flutie, Alexa Flutie-Sumner, Dougie Flutie, Jr., Taylor Flutie, and Troy Flutie; his great-grandchildren, Capri, Bria and Decker Mulcahy; a sister, Alinda R. Flutie; also cousin Ronald T. Plotka; great friend since childhood, Louis Bates; and special family friend, Luann Darras Jarvie, whom Dick thought of as his daughter.
Dick was a loving husband and father. Words could never describe how much his wife and family meant to him, and how proud he was. He loved photography, classic western movies and the Lone Ranger. He was a professional musician and had his own “Richard Flutie and his Orchestra” at various times during his lifetime. He coached all his children in sports, not to mention hundreds of others in Natick, Massachusetts and Melbourne, Florida. Dick was an avid dog lover and considered his animals to be his babies, especially his “Sheba girl”, his closest four-legged friend. Joan and Dick were together for 60 years in this life, passed within minutes of each other, and will spend their eternity together.
Dad will be forever missed and loved by all his family and friends, and remembered as a man who always put his children before himself. We love you, Dad! We will carry you in our hearts forever.
VISITATION AND SERVICES:
A visitation for Joan and Dick will be held on Sunday, November 22nd, 2015, at the Life Event Center at Florida Memorial, 5950 S. US Highway 1, Rockledge, Florida, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Their funeral service will be on Monday, November 23rd, 2015 at 1pm in Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 420 East Fee Avenue, Melbourne, Florida.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in their names to the “Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism” at 1001 Worcester Rd., Framingham, MA 01701 (508-270-8855).
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