PRISCILLA PEPPER APPLETON

APPLETON, PRISCILLA PEPPER
Priscilla 'Pris' Pepper was born and raised in Gainesville. Her grandparents owned the Gainesville Sun, and the newspaper was the Pepper family business while she and her younger sister Nancy finished high school at GHS. Pris attended Stephens College in Columbia Missouri where she met Bill Appleton who attended the University of Missouri (MU) there. The summer after her graduation from Stephens Pris and Bill were married in Gainesville. They returned to MU while Bill completed his BS degree and Pris worked. They moved to New Jersey where Bill earned a PhD in Physics at Rutgers University and their first son William Calvert Appleton was born. After graduation Bill worked at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey for several years before joining Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Pris and Bill would spend 30 years in Oak Ridge and during that time their sons Geoffrey Todd, and Thomas Leighton were born. All three sons finished school there and went off to college, and Bill and Pris worked and traveled extensively. She and Bill took a sabbatical in Australia for four months with Todd and Thomas while William was away at College, and visited Fiji and Hawaii. At other times Pris traveled to Japan, China, Australia, and Europe several times. When Bill retired from ORNL as the Deputy Director for Science and Technology he took a job at Harvard University and they moved to Newton Massachusetts where Pris made new friends, played tennis, and renewed her love of painting. In 2004 Bill was offered a position at the University of Florida and they took the opportunity to return to Gainesville. When she moved back to Gainesville Pris renewed lifelong friendships with her relatives and friends, played tennis, and joined several social clubs. She was also involved in volunteer activities such as Board Member and two-time President of the Thomas Center.
During nearly 60 years of marriage Priscilla matured into a strong, independent, talented, well-traveled, motivated woman; a loving wife; a devoted mother; a talented artist; and a caring and principled grandmother loved by her family and many friends and acquaintances. Bill traveled considerably during the time the boys were growing and Pris essentially raised the boys and managed the family's affairs. She was the major facilitator for Bill's career and will be remembered by her sons and grandchildren as the matriarch of the family's well-being.
Priscilla is survived by husband Bill, three sons, six grandchildren, sister Nancy Pepper Carswell, and numerous relatives. Her sons and their families are: William Calvert Appleton, wife Jennifer Mercer, and children Caroline Finley Appleton (15) and William Mercer Appleton (12) who live in Los Gatos, CA; Geoffrey Todd Appleton, wife Amy Rushton, and children Elizabeth Leigh Appleton (17) and Tyler Rushton Appleton (13) who live in Cumming, GA; Thomas Leighton Appleton, wife Adrienne Corts, and children Madelynne Lucille Appleton (17) and Leighton Mattice Appleton (11) who live in Canton, GA.
A celebration of life service will be held for family and friends at the Milam Funeral Home chapel on Saturday, August 10 starting at 2 pm, and immediately following, a reception will be held for friends to meet her family and celebrate her life. In lieu of flowers the family suggests a donation to Haven Hospice.
Arrangements are under the care of
MILAM FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICES,
311 S. Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32601.
(352) 376-5361.