Bess McClure Keefer

Bess McClure Keefer passed away in her sleep at home in Tallahassee, Florida on Sunday, August 18, 2019 at the age of 93. She was gifted an extra three years of life and enjoyed them traveling with her only daughter, Karen Sampson. She was a very spirited and determined lady with a deep, abiding love of her Lord who single handedly raised her daughter from infancy. She was born to Joseph Cameron and Bess LaClair McClure on November 11, 1925 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, the youngest of 8. She grew up on Buttermilk Lane in Hopwood and spent her winters with her parents in South Florida. She graduated from South Union High School in 1943 and left home a short time later to live in the "beautiful, colorful South Florida" she'd fallen in love with during those winter vacations. She went to work for the Navy as a civilian employee in Miami then later in Milton, FL. After closing bases in both those cities, she was transferred to Camp Edwards on Cape Cod where they weren't too sure they wanted her for fear she would close their base too! She met her husband there. They married and moved to California where they had one child before parting ways. She never remarried. She returned to the Cape for a time then moved back to her beloved South Florida to raise her daughter near her two oldest brothers and their families and work, again, at the Naval Air Station she had "closed" shortly after the end of WWII only to have it close again! She spent most of her career working for the federal government, finally retiring from public service in Atlanta, GA. After "retirement", she had the great pleasure of working as a guest helper for JAARS in Waxhaw, NC. for many years. She lived in Waxhaw until she nearly died from heart failure at age 90. At that point, she moved in with her daughter, Karen, and proceeded to astound everyone with her amazing recovery. She was then able to realize a long-time dream of traveling with her daughter with a return visit to Cape Cod, many trips to Disney World and a couple Caribbean cruises. She loved working jig saw and crossword puzzles, reading, sewing, doing crafts of all kinds and camping. Having grown up at the foot of a mountain and climbing all over that mountain, she still loved living in the woods to the day she died. She had a great sense of humor and relished a good joke at her own expense just as much as at a loved one's expense. Ironically, she spent many years in Miami at Calvary Church and then long years later, she attended Calvary Church in Charlotte, NC! She was very sad to leave her church and friends in Charlotte when she moved back to Florida to live what turned out to be her last couple years with her daughter, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is survived by her daughter, Karen Louise (Keefer) Sampson; her granddaughter, Heather Louise Sampson; her grandson and granddaughter-in-law, Curtis Andrew and Shaylee Wisecup Sampson; her great grandsons, Zaiden William and Kailo James Sampson; numerous nieces and nephews and foster grandson, Cody Arrant. Her parents and brothers all preceded her in death. She was greatly loved and will be sorely missed. Her humor, her love, her strength were bulwarks for her daughter and grandchildren. Breanna Green of Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the family with their local arrangements. (850-385-2193 www.bevisfh.com)

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Bess McClure Keefer

November 11, 1925 - August 18, 2019