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DAVID LEMONS Obituary
LEMONS, 65
WINTER HAVEN - David Ford Lemons, 65, of Winter Haven, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 21, 2013 due to cancer. He was born on April 6, 1947 at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI. He attended the Greenfield Village School, Dearborn, MI, thru the 3rd grade before his family moved to North Miami Beach before settling in Winter Haven in 1958.
He was a graduate of WHHS Class of '65 and the University of South Florida with a B.A. Degree in Geography. During his high school and college years he was a drummer with the Mischief Makers and the Spades. He served in the Army National Guard of Florida and was a Reserve of the Army. He was Honorably discharged as Staff Sergeant in 1976 after 6 years of service. David had a love of flying from a very young age and at the age of 16 he earned his solo flying license in his fathers J-3 Cub. From 1972 - 1975 he flew commercial light aircraft flight instructing, charters, small cargo and corporate. He continued on with his career flying for Air Sunshine Inc. in Key West, FL and Aero Virgin Islands Inc. in St Thomas, VI as a DC-3 Captain. In 1977 he was hired by National Airlines which was taken over by Pan American World Airways where he was First Officer on B-727 until 1991 when Pan Am went out of business. David went on to fly for Alaska Airlines where he retired as a B-737 Captain in 2007. In his retirement he had fun playing golf, snow skiing, and riding his motorcycles.
David was predeceased by his mother Carol "Tootsie" Bryant Lemons, niece of Henry Ford, his father William "Buck" Brewer Lemons, II, and brother William "Bill" Brewer Lemons, III. He is survived by his brother Bob (Jan), sons David Ford Lemons, Jr., (Laura), Marine Lance Corporal Caleb Daniel Lemons, daughter Mary-Elizabeth Carol Lemons, grandson Daniel Rhys Lemons, niece Kathryn "Katy" Lemons Smith (Brian), nephew William "Buck" Lemons IV, stepson Jonathan Winfree (Jamie), and his faithful, loving partner Patricia Gessler Forum.
A Memorial Service will be held at the Church of the Redeemer, 1410 Dundee Rd, Winter Haven, FL 33884, Wednesday, April 3, 2013, at 10 AM.
In lieu of flowers it was David's request that donations may be made to the Sweet-Savant Scholarship Fund at the Church address.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for DAVID LEMONS
Sponsored by anonymous.
Rebecca
November 5, 2023
Missing you. Thank you for being a father figure for the short time I stayed with you. I miss our chess games.
Mystery
June 16, 2023
Dave, I am missing you today and always. I really need that father figure in my life. Wish I had more time with you and would have opened up more and asked more questions. I hope you are watching out for me. I miss you.
May 17, 2016
Thinking of you
Rebecca H
April 23, 2016
Thinking of you Dave. I'm sorry I never told you how much you impacted my life.
Rebecca H
February 20, 2016
Dave! I never told you how much you and Denise had impacted my life. When I called you from the phone booth that one day you guys picked me up with no questions asked. You were the only ones in my whole address book who helped me and yet you knew me less than all of them. I still watch Good Will Hunting when I need a reminder of the lessons you taught me. I never have overcome all of my childhood traumas but you guys were like a real family to me and took me in when no one wanted me. You were the only ones still to this day that took me in your arms and loved me like a daughter. With tears streaming down my face as I write I send my gratitude and forever love.
Gary Tang
August 18, 2015
You are well remembered, old friend, let this be a place you can be remembered forever. Undying friendship.
Captain Gary Vinant-Tang
July 5, 2013
My sincere condolences to the Lemons family. Dave was one of my favorite Alaska Captains to fly with, always so vital and full of life, intensely interested in new subjects. His wings forever folded on earth will soar for eternity in Heaven. God bless.
Sharon Trenary
April 21, 2013
I flew with Dave at NAL where he always supported the cabin crew. Thought of you often and now you are Home.
Bob Thrasher
April 20, 2013
I flew with Dave at National and Pan Am as a Flight Engineer. He was a swell guy to work with. I grew up and learned to fly in Key West, Fl. so we had some shared memories of his days there. He will be missed.
April 20, 2013
When David came to work with NAL he was my roomate in Miami. Never a dull moment at the house on the lake with his love of the water. I will always remember his (Tomato) new red corvette and all the on going problems it incurred. What fun we had with Davie and our silly guy (RALPH). What a Dad he was..I will truly miss him..Bob Pierson- Flight Control Nal-Paa-Dal
Bill Mauldin (NAL)
April 20, 2013
What a great guy to fly with! Dave was an impressive guy and he will be greatly missed...
Steve Mills
April 20, 2013
To the Lemons family- Please accept our sincere condolences on your loss. We just received word on Dave's passing. I was hired at National Airlines about the same time as Dave and flew with him as a flight engineer at NAL and PAA as did my wife Linda as a FA. Dave was always pleasant and fun to be with as well as a fine professional pilot. I am sending notification of his passing to the National Buccaneers group.
Carol Schoenthaler Ellis
April 4, 2013
What a Dear Man David was.
The father of my Godson, he had to be a great man.
We have lost some great men this last year: Rusty, Rob and now David.
May the Lord Bless and keep them
April 3, 2013
To Bob and Jan,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the family. Dave, as we all know, is in a better place.
Love you both
Michael and Cheryl Solt
Don & Diane Dixon
April 2, 2013
Our deepest sympathy to Patti and David's family.
April 2, 2013
to bob, sorry to hear about your brother, the entire lemons family was an important part of our town, winter haven. dave will be missed. god bless. p.s. been a long time since we all bowled at cypress lanes and played cards with that whole gang. greg robinson whhs69. villages fl, and novi mi.
Sally Gessler Teplow
April 1, 2013
Dear family, my heart is so very sad for you. David was such a precious caring man. I know he loved you all so much. Prayers
Jeff and Ginette Carrier
April 1, 2013
Bob - our heartfelt condolences to you and your family
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