Mabry DeLisle Futch, Jr. passed away on Sunday, July 26, 2020 in Orange Park, FL. He was born July 30, 1941 in Jacksonville, FL, to Mabry DeLisle Futch, Sr. and Minnie Lee Brown Futch.
He grew up on his family’s farm, where he learned his work ethic and garnered his ability to fix things and work with his hands. He graduated in 1959 from Columbia High School in Lake City, FL, where he served as one of the officers of the school band and was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by his classmates. He attended the University of Florida for two years before enlisting in the U.S. Navy. After leaving active duty, he completed his education at Florida State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Biology and Marine Biology. He then moved back to Jacksonville and became a middle school teacher. It was during this time that he met Joan Randall Canter, a widow with two young boys. Joan and DeLisle married on May 2, 1969, and shortly thereafter, relocated to Tallahassee, FL. They would reside there for the next forty plus years.
DeLisle valued family and dedicated himself to his wife and their two sons, whom he legally adopted in 1971. He began working in real estate, eventually becoming a broker and managing numerous properties. He loved classical music, opera, playing the piano and cornet, and spending time with his grandchildren. But most of all, he loved his wife, Joan. DeLisle cherished every day they spent together and dedicated himself to being her primary caregiver after she was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), to which she eventually succumbed.
In the end, DeLisle succeeded, as his high school classmates knew he would, not by building a business empire or leaving behind a fortune. He succeeded by being a loving husband and a wonderful father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He succeeded through the love and laughter that he spread. He was the type of man who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it and a wise crack or bad joke, whether you needed it or not.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his loving wife, Joan.
DeLisle is survived by his sons, grandchildren, brother, brother-in-law, nieces and nephew, former daughter-in-law, and all their families who loved and cherished him.
A private Celebration of Life service will be held. The family invites you to attend via a virtual, livestream broadcast on Saturday, August 22, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. at www.bivensfuneralhome.com. At a later date, DeLisle’s ashes will be returned to the earth in a rose garden alongside his wife’s. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org) or to the ALS Association (www.als.org).
At Aaron and Burney Bivens Funeral Home we will continue to follow all CDC and Florida Department of Health social distances guidelines : No more than 50 family members and friends may physically be present in the funeral home at any time.
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