Ella Lynes Gibbon Mark

Ella Lynes Gibbon Mark died Oct. 22, 2009, at BayView Care Center in St. Augustine, Fla.

She was 82 years old.

Ella Lynes was born in Palatka, Fla., the daughter of Virginia Jordan and Joseph A. Gibbon. In 1945 she married David E. Mark, a young naval aviation mechanic newly returned from the war in the South Pacific.

Their first son, David Jr., was born while they were stationed at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville. Their second son, Joseph, was born in Chicago, where they lived with Dave's family while he attended Coyne Electrical School.

During this time Ella Lynes learned to cook from her Chinese father-in-law and her Hungarian mother-in-law, who owned a Chinese-American restaurant on Cicero Avenue across from Midway Airport.

After returning to Palatka for a period of time, Ella Lynes and Dave settled in Titusville, where they raised their family while he worked in the missile program at the base on Cape Canaveral.

Ella loved to play the organ and was also an accomplished seamstress who made many of her own clothes. Later, she also made clothes for her grandchildren and their dolls as well. She was the family's genealogist, and later in her life she had the opportunity to visit the Luynes Chateau in the Loire Valley of France that belonged to ancestors from whom her middle name was derived.

David Sr. predeceased Ella Lynes in 1998.

She is survived by sons David (Connie) Mark, Titusville, Joseph (Patty) Mark, St. Augustine; grandsons, David Mark III (Diane), Titusville, Jon (Amy) Mark, Port St. John; granddaughters, Dr. Erin Mark, Jacksonville, Kathleen Mark, London, UK; and one great-granddaughter, Lauren Mark, Titusville.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009, at St. Teresa Catholic Church in Titusville. Interment will follow at Brevard Memorial Park.

The family gratefully suggests that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sisters of St. Joseph Development Fund, 241 St. George St., St. Augustine, FL 32084 or Brevard Alzheimer's Foundation, Joe's Club North, 830 S. Park Ave., Titusville, FL 32780.

St. Johns Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.