Gladys E. Dempsey, 97, whose grandparents were among he first pioneers in Vero Beach, died last week at the St. Cloud (Florida) Regional Medical Center.Dempsey’s grandparents, Nicholas and Mary King and Mary Roberts Jones and Joseph E. Jones, were pioneers who settled in Vero Beach around 1890 before the land developers arrived. Mrs. King had a boarding house and Mrs. Jones was a midwife. Gladys was the third child of Myrtle King and Seaborn Jones. The Joseph Joneses were charter members of the Primitive Baptist Church and Mrs. Nicholas King’s sister Mrs. L. J. Tuten was a charter member of the Methodist Church. Gladys’ Uncle Sam Tuten planted a pecan grove at the site of the Press Journal building on U.S. 1 in Vero Beach and as you drive past, you can notice the tall pecan tree between U.S. 1 and the east side of the building. Seaborn Jones was a carpenter and a commercial fisherman. He constructed several buildings still in use today. The small Primitive Baptist Church which stands just north of the Winter Beach Cemetery was built by Seaborn Jones. Gladys bragged that her best English teacher was Mrs. Schumann (wife of the founder of the Press Journal) and often stated, “If you passed Mrs. Schumann’s class you had learned proper grammar.”Gladys worked for Allison’s Market for several years before going to work for Sandpiper Valet for the next 22 years until her retirement in 1994.She was a member of Antioch Primitive Baptist Church, Vero Beach and served as Clerk of the Church for more than 50-plus years.She was a member of United Daughters of the Confederacy, Real Granddaughters of the Confederacy and the Vero Beach Fireman’s Auxiliary. Gladys and her husband Newt were affiliated with the Floyd and later Strunk Funeral Homes for approximately 30 years.Survivors include her daughter, Ann Dempsey Mathis of Kenansville, sisters, Mildred Ross of Vero Beach, Eula Andresen of Vero Beach, 11 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Newt Dempsey, sons, Jim, Bill and Bob Dempsey, brother, LeRoy Jones, sisters, Louise Parker, Grace Wood, Leona Craft-Mathis.Memorial contributions may be made to Antioch Primitive Baptist Church, “Music Scholarship” 1210 Old Dixie Highway, Vero Beach, FL 32960 in memory of Gladys.A Celebration of life will be at 10 a.m., on Oct. 24, 2009 at the Strunk Funeral Home, Vero Beach with Elders Chris Taylor and Glenn Blanchard, officiating. Interment will be at Winter Beach Cemetery.
