Avice Gillean Leynes

Avice Gillean Leynes, 106 years young, lifelong resident of Jacksonville, passed peacefully away Saturday, October 5, 2024. Avice was surrounded at her passing by her loving family members with whom she had lived for the past 25 years. 

Avice was born in Tampa to Henry Clay and Nola Gillean, and grew up in Lakeland where she attended public schools, graduating from Lakeland High School in 1933. She then enrolled in Florida Southern College where she received her Florida teaching certificate and was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. Following graduation from FSC she began her teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse in Kathleen, FL, a few miles outside of Lakeland.

She continued her career in Education, both in the classroom and later as a Librarian, until she retired in 1986. As a teacher in Jacksonville she taught students at Annie Lytle and Venetia Elementary Schools. Upon completion of her Library Science degree at the University of Florida, she became the Librarian at the newly opened Jefferson Davis Junior High, and later at Reynolds Lane Elementary School.

In 1942, following the outbreak of World War II, she married her sweetheart, John Arthur Leynes. He was originally from Archer, FL, however at that time he was a resident of Lakeland where he was working for the Fruit Growers Express Company, a railroad operation. Almost immediately after their marriage, her new husband was drafted and entered the US Army Air Corps. He went straight into training in several places such as Shepard Field, TX, Malibu, CA, and Warner Robbins, GA. Upon completion of training he was shipped to England where he spent two years on active duty not seeing home or his new wife again until the war in Europe ended. He was about to be shipped out to the Pacific Theater when the atomic bomb ended the war with Japan. 

After the war, Avice and John set up housekeeping in Jacksonville, FL where John had been transferred with his job. In 1946 and 1949 two post-war baby boys were added to the family. The family first lived on Baltic Street in Ortega and in 1951 moved to a new residence on the river on Ortega Farms Blvd. where they would remain until they both retired in 1986.

After retirement, Avice and John moved to Cherry Lake, FL, where they lived until John passed away. Shortly after his death, Avice moved in with her eldest son, Jerry, and his family. She lived there until she entered the Park Ridge Nursing Center in December 2023 where she passed away.

Avice is survived by her two sons, Jerry (Sharon) and John (Becky), four grandchildren, John K. Leynes, Jennifer Leynes Heck, Joel Leynes and Chris Leynes, and 10 great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends at 2:00pm on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at Park Lane Baptist Church and funeral services will begin at 3:00pm with Jerry L. Leynes officiating.