Helen Gloria DUNBAR

DUNBAR, Helen Gloria (Alonzo)

died November 19, 2017

"I was born in Tampa January 7, 1924 to Rose Shipman Alonzo and Leslie Raymond Alonzo. I was number six daughter out of seven and we also have a younger brother. Every Sunday we attended Sunday School at the House of Prayer Episcopal Church. This is also where we were christened and baptized. Indian Rocks Beach has been a part of my life since early childhood. No matter how far away we lived each summer we would return to Indian Rocks Beach to meet with family and friends.

I graduated from Hillsborough High School but when WWII interrupted my classes at the University of Tampa I went to work at Tampa Shipbuilding Company. I married Bob Connor when he returned from Midway in the Pacific Theater of the War. Later I worked in the Tax Collector's office in the lovely Old Courthouse in downtown Tampa. Eventually we moved to South Miami where I served as President of the Miami Chapter Railway Business Women while working for the Seaboard Coastline Railroad. Bob and I have one son, Wayne who is a retired forester from Northern California who now lives in Venice, Florida with his wife, Joann. Later, I married Col. John C. Dunbar. Jack and I traveled extensively visiting every state capitol. We enjoyed three Around-The-World cruises aboard the S/S Rotterdam, visited Eastern Europe, Egypt, the Holy Land, Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Fiji, Tahiti and Bora-Bora. In 1989 after Jack passed away I moved back to Tampa.

After returning to Tampa I enjoyed membership in The Tampa Woman's Club, United Daughters of the Confederacy Tampa Chapter 113, Daughters of the American Revolution DeSoto Chapter, Military Officers Wives Club at MacDill AFB, Lebanon Shrine #6 Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, and St. Andrews Scottish Society.

I had often thought Indian Rocks Beach would be a wonderful place to retire. I purchased a condo at Dolphin Reef across the street from where our family cottage used to be. Eventually my sister, Dorothy Cox, joined me at the condo where we lived for 18 years. We made wonderful friends of many of our neighbors there. Our Christian faith was always very important to us. Together we attended Calvary Episcopal Church at Indian Rocks Beach where we also had many caring and loving friends."

Predeceased family members are Helen's sisters, Lucille Brown, Louise Chancey, Rosemary Brabham, Ernestine Higgins, Catherine Carbaugh, Dorothy Cox; and her husband, Col. John C. Dunbar. Survivors include her brother, Leslie Alonzo; her son, Leslie Wayne Connor and his wife, Joann; and many beloved nieces, nephew and their families.

A combined service will honor the lives of sisters, Helen Dunbar and Dorothy Cox. Services will be held at 1 pm Saturday, January 20, at Calvary Episcopal Church located at 1615 1st Street, Indian Rocks Beach, Florida. All relatives and friends are welcome at the service and the reception immediately following at the church. Burial will be held in private.