Jill Fletcher Pelaez

Jill Fletcher Pelaez died early Monday morning, July 2, 2012, after a two month battle with pancreatic cancer. She was born April 24, 1924 in San Turce, Puerto Rico. She grew up in Orlando, and moved to Tallahassee ten years ago to be close to her daughter Wendy Morgan. Jill was a dancer throughout her childhood and into her teens, studying in New York with several well-known teachers, but she returned to Orlando after realizing that she really wanted to go to Rollins College and be at home in the state that she loved. She married Emmanuel Antonio Pelaez, and Air Force pilot, after he returned from Italy where he was stationed during World War II. Her life as an Air Force wife took her to many US duty assignments and to Spain and Germany. She began writing children’s stories and published Donkey Tales, a collection of stories that takes place in Spain. Most recently, in the last weeks of her life, she learned that her Civil War novel, Day is a White Tablet, will be published by WiDo press later this year. In addition to her daughter Wendy, she is survived by her daughter Jill Baumgartner (Martin), her son David (Theresa), eight grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. Memorial services will be held August 12 at 2:00 at St. Stephen Lutheran Church on Meridian Road. There will a reception at her home afterwards. In lieu of flowers donations should be sent to the American Cancer Society, Covenant Hospice of Tallahassee, or the Leon County Humane Society.