Our beautiful mother, Thelma Pitzer Beach, 94, has danced her last dance here on earth and is now dancing on streets of gold. Mom was born May 12, 1928 to Clinton B and Gracie Bartlett Johns Pitzer in Garden City, Jacksonville, FL and passed away November 28, 2022 in Haven Hospice, Orange Park, after being diagnosed with metastatic cancer.
Thelma grew up in Campville, FL graduating from Hawthorne High School in 1946. She met her husband, Walter Linder Beach on a blind date, and they married October 15, 1949.
She was a member of Lakeshore United Methodist Church. She has been attending Westside Baptist Church where she was a member of the Agape Sunday School class.
After more than 30 years of service, she retired from the Duval County School Board Administrative offices just before her 70th birthday.
She found her life's passion for dancing in the 70’s, beginning with a disco class taken through community education, which led her to begin ballroom dance lessons at Arthur Murray's. Long after her dancing shoes had been retired, she continued attending dances into her 90’s. She was involved in several ballroom dance clubs in Jacksonville including ABCDA and ABDA. For over 40 years, she sometimes danced every day of the week.
In addition to sailing with a close friend and going on numerous cruises, she traveled extensively throughout the US, Canada and abroad. As she would say, she did it all.
Thelma is predeceased by her parents; husband; brothers, OG, Doug, Burke and Leslie Pitzer; sisters, Gracie Hall, Charlene Hosford Sturm, Carol McLarty (Ronald) and Lawanna Brown; and great granddaughter, Penelope Ann Sowers.
She is survived by her two devoted daughters Beverly Beach and Sheila Beach Sowers-Hofmann and her "son" Charlie Hofmann; two beloved grandsons and their families, including 5 great grandchildren, Kyle, Angela, Maren & Frankie Sowers and Tyler, Lindsey, Foster, Afton & Calvin Sowers. She is also survived by several generations of nieces and nephews from both the Pitzer and Beach families. She was the last surviving descendant from her generation in both her Pitzer family and her husband Walter's family, who descend from Eddie Peeples and Hester Ellison Beach.
Thelma was a kind, generous, fun-loving woman with a razor sharp wit, who lit up any room she entered. Not one for serious conversation, she had a knack for offering sound advice when asked. She was independent and strong willed to the very end, doing it all "her way".
It is our greatest blessing to have had this beautiful woman as our Mother and very best friend.
A celebration of life will be held at Westside Baptist Church, 7775 Herlong Rd, Jacksonville, FL on Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 11:00am with a visitation at 10:00am.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Haven-Custead Hospice, 745 Blanding Blvd, Orange Park, FL 32065 or Pine Castle, Inc, 4911 Spring Park Rd, Jacksonville,FL 32207.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.hgriversidefuneralhome.com for the Beach family.
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