Florence M. Marks

Florence “Flo” Mae Marks, (USAF SMSgt.Ret.), 75, of North Charleston, SC entered into eternal rest on March 11, 2021. She was born on July 16, 1945, the daughter of Archie Curtis Everett (US Army PFC.Ret.) and Grace May Everett in El Reno, OK. She was preceded in death by her parents and her four brothers, George W. Everett (USN, USMC, US Army Cpl.Ret.) Fred L. Everett (USMC Cpl.Ret.), W. Dale Everett (USMC Col. Ret.) and Archie Everett, Jr. (US Army SSgt.Ret.)

Flo knew at a very young age that she wanted to join the military and leave Oklahoma. Her dreams were to see the world with a much different view than the one she’d grown up with. She said cowboy boots and hats were not what she was looking for. She wanted more. After a year living with her brother, Dale, in Alabama to complete her senior year of high school, Flo joined the United States Air Force in 1963. The USAF quickly became her first true love and would stay that way until her last breath. All of the men in her family were military men and being a woman was not going to stop her.

While on duty in Cape Cod, MA, she met and fell madly in love with her first husband, Ronnie E Allen, who was also in the USAF. They married and began their life and started their family in Richmond, Virginia. At that time, women were not allowed to have children in the military so while she was pregnant with Cheryl, she was dismissed. Her and Ronnie later settled in Charleston, SC where they would soon have a son, David. She earned her Associate’s Degree as a Paralegal at the College of Charleston. From that point forward, she never looked back.

Unfortunately, the marriage did not survive but Flo’s love of country did. She was able to rejoin the USAF as a Reservist in the Charleston AFB JAG Office where she would retire 25 years later. She also joined the US Attorney’s Office as a Paralegal for another 25 year career. Once she retired from there, she worked in multiple Law firms around Charleston over the next 20 years.

She loved her children dearly but she also loved her career. Somehow she made her career/home life balance work being the strong woman that she was. After retiring for the “fourth” time she was finally ready to stay retired. Her days were spent shopping, eating out, and in pjs with a glass of wine watching NCIS, her favorite tv show. She also loved spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchild. If you were to ask any of her grands about a plane flying over, they would say “There’s Goes Nanny’s Air Force”. The one thing she truly taught her children was how to survive whatever life sends your way. She also taught them that God was the way for Everlasting Success. He would get you through any situation one way or another if you called His Precious name, Jesus. Having attended Baptist services in her early life, she later adopted the Church of God as her home. She was a member of New Covenant Church of God in North Charleston.

Flo is survived by her daughter, Cheryl A Ponte, (Kevin Campbell) of Charleston SC, her son, David W Allen (US Army SSG Active) at St Robert, Missouri, three granddaughters, Rachel Marie Ponte, Lauren Ashley Allen and Mylinda-Joelei Allen and one great-granddaughter, Mackenzie Marie Ponte.

Her memorial service will be held at New Covenant Church of God on 2801 Ashley Phosphate Road, North Charleston, Sunday, March 21, 2021 at 3:00pm. Immediately following the service there will be the Airforce military honors ceremony at the Valor Wall at Carolina Memorial Park, 7113 Rivers Avenue, North Charleston.