Florence Elizabeth Spirides

Florence Elizabeth Spirides, age 100, of Savannah, GA was called home to be with God in Heaven on June 27, 2018. She was born Florence Elizabeth Dickens in Elmira, New York on May 19, 1918. She met her husband of 52 years George Leonidas Spirides in 1940 in Endicott, New York, and they were married later that same year. During the latter part of 1940 while traveling by car on vacation from New York to Miami, Florida, George and Florence Spirides stopped in Savannah, GA to eat dinner at a restaurant. They instantly fell in love with the Savannah-Tybee Island area and relocated there where they owned and operated a dozen hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues over the next 40 years. Their Savannah businesses included the Victory Soda Shop, Bay Street Ice Cream Bar, Kings Kitchen, and The White House Restaurant. Their Tybee Island/Savannah Beach business pursuits included managing the legendary second Hotel Tybee (built in 1910), the Sands Motel, and the Tybrisa Pavilion (built in 1901) as well as owning and operating the original Ocean Plaza Motel (built in 1963) and adjacent Ocean Terrace Cottages.

Florence and her husband George resided in Savannah from 1942 until 1955. They relocated to Tybee Island in 1955, and they remained there until their retirement in 1977 at which time they moved to nearby Wilmington Island. Florence's husband George pre-deceased her in 1993 at the age of 96.

For more than 75 years Florence was a devout member of St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church in Savannah and St. Barbara's Philoptochos Society. She also enjoyed spending time with her friends at Savannah-Chatham Senior Citizens and Wilmington Island Senior Citizens Friendship Club.

At her 100th birthday party Florence attributed her long life to an active and Christian lifestyle and spiritual bliss which came from her close relationship with God, and her long walk with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Florence is survived by her niece Frances Spirides of Knoxville, TN; nephew Larry Dickens of Savannah, GA; great nephew Harry G. Spirides of Tampa, FL; great niece Jeannie Spirides of Knoxville, TN; and great great nieces Katie Spirides and Ava Spirides of Tampa, FL.

There will be a viewing held at Baker McCullough Funeral Home on Thursday July 5 2018 at 5:00 pm, with a Trisagion Service (Wake) following the viewing at 6:00 pm. Funeral services will be held on Friday, July 6 2018 10 am at the St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church in Savannah. The Interment will follow at Greenwich Cemetery.

Donations in lieu of flowers should be made to St. Paul's Greek Orthodox Church in Savannah.