Lucy Belle Strickland Corn

Lucy was born December 23, 1922 in Jacksonville, Florida to John Thomas Strickland (former Tampa policeman and Jacksonville railroad employee) and Juanita Isabella (Flynn) Strickland. Lucy never knew her older brother, Lyster Armond Strickland, as he passed away as a toddler before she was born, but she grew up in the Springfield neighborhood with one older sister, Dolores (Strickland) Sallas, and they enjoyed their city life at a house on the corner of 7th & Main, living with many aunts, uncles, dogs, cats, goats, chickens, and her best lifelong friend, Margaret (Adeeb) Horton next door. Lucy walked to school at St. Joseph’s Academy and graduated in 1940. She then attended Jones Business College for two years and worked in several administrative positions for different industries, and later as executive assistant to the head of RC Motor Lines. For years Lucy loved meeting up with girlfriends each weekend, to go dancing at the USO, and to sun at Jacksonville Beach. One hot August day in 1946 she met a handsome, kind midwesterner named Clemer Corn walking along Jacksonville Beach in front of the Santa Monica Hotel. Clem had just landed in Green Cove Springs/Jacksonville, retired from the U.S. Navy, having served in WWII. They married November 21, 1948 at Old Holy Rosary Catholic Church on the corner of North Laura Street & Cottage Avenue, and they were blessed with daughters in 1950, 1953, 1955, and 1963. They lived in Jacksonville, raising their four daughters, until 1972. Clem retired from JEA and moved to begin a new job, supervising power production for the City of Tallahassee and power plants in and around Tallahassee. So after nearly 50 years, Lucy left her hometown and the life she had grown to love for five decades to embark on a new adventure. She said she grew to love Tallahassee for the feeling of a small town, its friendly people, and beautiful trees. After starting a family, Lucy volunteered regularly at her daughters’ schools, and was active with several church committees. After their youngest was in school full time, she went to work for the Catholic Church as a bookkeeper in both Jacksonville at Old Holy Rosary for Father John Coughlin and Father James McDevitt, and later in Tallahassee at Blessed Sacrament for Monsignor Terrell Solana and Monsignor John O’Sullivan. Lucy and Clem enjoyed many years together relaxing at the lake house they built on Gatorbone Lake in Keystone Heights, and at their Four Winds beach condo in Crescent Beach. They spent summers traveling to see Clem’s family in Illinois and Indiana too, and loved visiting their daughters who lived in various parts of Florida, Baltimore, Maryland, and Atlanta, Georgia. One of their favorite vacations together was traveling to Ireland in 1991. They talked about the adventures of staying in various B&Bs along the way, and had fun learning about farming, electric power production, cut-glass, and visiting towns/counties where Lucy’s immigrant grandfather, Samuel Boyd Flynn had lived, as well as her priest friends’ home counties. They also had wonderful memories together after meeting Pope John Paul II in Baltimore in 1995 and attending the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. Lucy and Clem were fortunate to have shared almost five decades of a remarkably deep and strong union. After Clem passed in 1997, Lucy continued to travel with family and friends. Over the years she visited Spain, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria, France, and the Bahamas. During a wonderful trip with her four daughters at age 80, she even climbed nearly 400 steps to the Duomo at Saint Peter’s in Rome. Lucy moved to Windsor Assisted Living in January of this year and made many friends with residents and staff alike. Here she enjoyed musical performances, weekly Mass with Father Kelly, and many outings to restaurants, shops, and the symphony. Although she lived only a short time at Windsor, Mary Ann, Marlene, Donna, Opal, and Faye played an important role in the happiness Lucy experienced there, in this last chapter of her life! The family expresses sincere and gracious thanks to the warm and caring individuals at Windsor and Community Hospice. Lucy will be remembered for the lasting friendships she shared with many, as well as her unwavering faith, sharp memory, quick wit, strong will, and her love of music, Coca Cola, hot tea, and chocolate. She never shied away from offering her opinion, but was a keen listener too. Lucy loved cooking for a crowd and was always up for a good card game, a crossword puzzle, or for going to see grandchildren and great-grandchildren while participating in multiple sports. Lucy was naturally drawn to the sport of basketball because Clem had played for decades, and she could often be heard yelling in the stands or at the TV, “Come on now, hustle!” She leaves behind her four loving daughters, and their spouses, Dolores and Dennis Williamson, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL; Jana and Richard Burch, Baltimore, MD; Melissa and Daniel Outten, Tallahassee, FL; and Judi and John Mahorner, Merritt Island, FL. Her 12 grandchildren, ranging in age from 18-51, and her 22 great-grandchildren, ranging in age from 6-19, will all miss her, each sharing a unique relationship with “Lucy/Granny/Old Hag/Goose/Mama”. They are Melissa Williamson Nelson, Jacksonville, FL (spouse, Jason, and three children, Emory, Clem, and Boyd); Devon Williamson Larkin, Fleming Island, FL (spouse, Sean, and five children, Tripp, Poppy, Will, Sam, and Lucy); Jennifer Williamson Smith, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (spouse Troy, and six children, Hayes, Kelley, Finley, Ford, Quinn, and Sutton Gray); Richard Strickland Burch, Fairfield, CT (spouse, Shannon, and three children, Maisy, Major, and Bodie); Colin Michael Burch, Wellesley, MA (spouse, Kathleen, and two daughters, Belle and Lily); Stuart Flynn Burch, Baltimore, MD (spouse, Laura, and two sons, Rex and Wally); Sarah Outten Smallridge, Tallahassee, FL (spouse, Dan, and son, Tucker); Kerri Leigh Outten, Tallahassee, FL; John Alderman Mahorner, Marietta, GA; Nathaniel Joseph Mahorner, Marietta, GA; Lucy Brynn Mahorner, Nederland, CO; and Andrew Lee Glennon Mahorner, Merritt Island, FL. Some of Lucy’s words of wisdom….. As you age, be sure to surround yourself with younger friends. Put it in the hands of the Lord. See you tomorrow-God willing and the creek don’t rise. We come and we go-that’s the circle of life! Donations in Lucy's memory can be made to the Sisters of Saint Joseph of St. Augustine for the care of the elderly at Lourdes Hall or to a charity of your choice. Arrangements are as follows in Tallahassee, Florida: Monday, August 14, 2023 - Rosary at 10AM with Funeral Mass beginning immediately after at 11AM at Good Shepherd Catholic Church, 4665 Thomasville Road with reception immediately following. A graveside service will follow the reception at Roselawn Cemetery, Piedmont Drive. Breanna Green of Bevis Funeral Home (850-385-2193 or www.bevisfh.com) is assisting the family with their arrangements.

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Lucy Belle Strickland Corn

December 23, 1922 - August 6, 2023