El Jobean honors Spence at park - El Jobean, Florida, USA
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News Article Location for dedication of local park.
Waymark Code: WM12A0Z
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 04/10/2020
Views: 1
The El Jobean Community League honored the late Loranda “Randy” Spence, who was known as the unofficial Mayor of El Jobean.
The pre-Memorial Day ceremony May 25 featured the renaming the park on State Road 776 in El Jobean in his honor.
“We hold our Memorial Day service early so our members and the local service organizations can attend other Memorial Day ceremonies on Monday,” El Jobean Community League President Beverly Cisco said. “Today is even more special as we are renaming the El Jobean Park in honor of Randy Spence who has been the heart of this community for many years.”
Spence died at age 74 in December. Spence and his wife, Pat, moved to El Jobean in 1987 and quickly became an integral part of community. He presided over the traditional Memorial Day ceremony and a variety of other events in El Jobean.
In part because of the renaming ceremony, attendance at the program was more than double previous years.
Participants included the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard; Rotunda American Legion Post 113, which posted the colors; Boy Scout Troop 37; Tokie Bobby’s Broken Bike Group; and state and local representatives.
Sixteen-year-old Marcella Brown, the Charlotte Idol this year, sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” with music by Leslie DaCosta.
After the ceremony, members of the Charlotte County Fire Department and EMS hosted a cookout at the park.
Troop 37 member Karl Hachmann, 18, brought a bouquet of flowers to Pat Spence and gave her a hug, his thanks for her husband helping him become an Eagle Scout in 2010.
Spence “also cared deeply about the kids of Charlotte County,” Charlotte county Commissioner Stephen R. Deutsch. “He was a huge supporter of the program For the Love of Kids here in the county and would help anyone in need.”
During the ceremony, a facsimile of Randy Spence, a cardboard cut out, stood next to the rock, occasionally weaving and bobbing in the wind.
When Pat Spence took her turn at the podium, she promptly advised those in the audience to “get your tissues out” as she proceeded to share a story written by and about the “boys” who served and gave their lives at Iwo Jima.
“Randy was a true American patriot,” Deutsch said. “Married 52 years, he loved his family, country, El Jobean, and this park more than anyone could imagine. This park is the jewel of the community and he was responsible for it being here.”
- Betsy Williams, correspondent
Type of publication: Newspaper
When was the article reported?: 06/02/2013
Publication: Herald-Tribune
Article Url: [Web Link]
Is Registration Required?: no
How widespread was the article reported?: local
News Category: Society/People
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