Helen Elizabeth Vann

Helen (Betty) Vann joined her beloved Ken on October 17, 2021. She was pre-deceased by Ken, her husband of 73 years, in 2015, as well as three grandchildren – Drew, Matthew, and Laurie. She is survived by their four daughters: Carole Dasher, Cheryl Vann-Gordon, Melanie (Doug) Gorman and Michele (Dave) Russell; Seven grandchildren: Ted, Courtney, Sean, Sonya, David, Devin, Casey; And, sixteen great-grandchildren.

A life well-lived: Betty often marveled how a girl, who rarely ventured beyond her hometown of Scranton until she was 17 then spent her life traveling the globe as a Navy wife and also having fun during their post-Navy life. She left home after high school graduation in the summer of 1941, heading to the big city of DC for a job. As someone sang, she was just 17. This lively redhead caught the eye of a sweet handsome brilliant sailor who was just 18. The stories of life in DC after Pearl Harbor, especially during blackouts, with their other teenaged friends are both serious and teenage fun. Ken and Betty married in the summer of 1942, and soon after Ken was shipped out to Guantanamo manning a sub-chaser during WWII. Betty, now pregnant, moved to Miami to be with Ken’s family while he was deployed.

Betty spent almost 30 years following Ken around the globe as the Navy shipped him here, there, and everywhere, delivering children where they happened to be stationed – from Miami to DC to Japan. She managed to get these children and their household from Miami to Guam (and back), to California to the East Coast and back multiple times, to Japan and back to the States two times, with 3 moves in Japan. These moves included riding out typhoons in a Quonset hut (no AC) in Guam, living in a Japanese house in a Japanese village, and all types of base housing. Betty and Ken added their own side trips including visiting Hong Kong in the early 60s.

Upon Ken’s retirement from the US Navy, Ken and Betty settled back home in Florida but did not slow down. As members of the Miami Outboard Club, they spent countless days and nights (and many hours of the wee morning) enjoying their friends and family on the water and off. Their favorite adventure was cruising on the big cruise ships, mainly with groups of friends or family. They especially cherished the many cruises with daughter Cheryl and her husband Rick and were always thrilled with the unique backcountry tours that Rick took them on.

Ken and Betty were incredible dancers, dancing at parties, weddings, and on cruise ships well into their 80s. Betty was was extremely proud to note that they cruised to every major Caribbean island, as well as through the Mediterranean, and the Panama Canal. They loved to share details of these trips, including the very interesting trip through the ruins of Pompeii and the Museu de l’Erotica in Barcelona. They also bowled all over the world, and were still bowling in leagues until their 90s. Until recently, Betty was still advising bowlers to “Follow through”, “Step like this”, “Use this type ball”, etc.

Betty loved her family, and while she may have provided her usual advice to her children and grandchildren, she also loved to play with them. She celebrated so many milestones of birthdays, graduations, weddings and new babies. There are too many memories to count but each one of her family has his/her own treasured ones. The stories will live on.

A graveside services for Helen will be held Monday, November 1, 2021 from 1:00 PM to 1:15 PM at Florida National Cemetery, 6502 SW 102 Avenue, Bushnell, FL 33513.

Betty was distressed immensely by the thought of hungry children, saying that she could not imagine anything worse as a parent than having a hungry child with no food to feed them. In lieu of flowers, please contribute to your local food bank or other means of feeding hungry children.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.aycockportstlucie.com for the Vann family.