JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. -- Dorothy Fernsler passed away peacefully Tuesday in Morristown, Tenn., where she had resided for the past 14 years at Regency Retirement Village.
She was born May 28, 1919, in Morristown, the fourth of five children of J.D. Self and Pearl (Grigsby) Self, both pioneer educators in East Tennessee and residents of Chuckey.
She was predeceased by her husband, Lt. Col. John Fernsler, a decorated World War II Air Force veteran.
She is survived by daughters: Dee Gregory (Ty) and Bonnie Lyons (Paul); sons: John Fernsler (Christine) and Chris Fernsler; grandchildren: John and Alison Fernsler, Greg and Eric Gregory, and Peter, George and Nick Lyons; and great-grandchildren: Tripp, Sabre, Carter, Carolyn and Carston Gregory, and Trevor, Rylin, Cameron and Stella Lyons.
After relocating from the Philadelphia area in 1959, she was a longtime resident of Jacksonville Beach, where she was an active member and nursery school teacher at Beach United Methodist Church.
She was an avid storyteller with a keen sense of humor, a source of joy and laughter to all those around her. She will be dearly missed.
A graveside service will be held at Chapel Hills Memorial Gardens, 850 St. John Bluff Road, Jacksonville, at 11 a.m. Saturday. Arrangements are being handled by Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, Jacksonville Beach.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Beach UM Church, 325 7th Ave. N., Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250.
