HITZING, MABEL W.

Mabel Whitehead Hitzing, age 93 passed away on September 8th. She was married to Ellis W. Hitzing for almost sixty-nine years. She lived most of her life within a mile of where she was born in Jacksonville and was a faithful member of the North Main Street Baptist Church. For the past five years she and Ellis had lived on their ranch outside Alachua, Florida and were blessed to be members of the Santa Fe Baptist Church.

While she and Ellis had traveled the world she was happiest riding the ranch with Ellis checking the cows and the corn and talking on the phone with her relatives and friends.

She is survived by her husband Ellis; two sons, Bert and his wife Katherine who live in Jacksonville and Wade and his wife Kathleen, from Fort Myers; five grandchildren, Julia West Hartleib, Ellis Hays Hitzing, Michael John Davey, Christopher John Davey and Julie Ann Johnston, ten great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews who loved her very much.

She was preceded in death by her Father, Lafayette Whitehead her Mother, Della West Whitehead and all her brothers and sisters, Harold Whitehead, Bernice McLeod, Lida Thrower, Cora Hansen, Edgar Whitehead, Thelma Smith, and Marian Strickland. During her recent illness she was provided wonderful care and support by Haven Hospice, Hospice of the Nature Coast and most of all Ms. Ethel Hart. Mabel Whitehead Hitzing was a light and inspiration to all our lives, she left us far too soon and will be sorely and profoundly missed but never, ever forgotten.

Services will be held Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 10:30 at Santa Fe Baptist Church with Reverend Richard Cason II officiating. Burial will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville at 2:45 PM. Visitation will be held at Evans-Carter Funeral Home of Friday, September 11, 2009 from 6 - 8 PM.

Published in Gainesville Sun from September 10 to September 11, 2009