Bert Williamson Webb

BERT W. WEBB January 14, 1919- November 23,2018 Bert Williamson Webb, beloved father, husband, brother, uncle, cousin and friend, died on November 23, 2018. He is survived by his daughter, Linda J. Webb of Houston, TX. and his grandson and granddaughter-in-law Josh and Molly Saulgozis, of Altamont Springs, his late life love, Ann Tennant, her siblings, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is predeceased by his wife of 60 years, Mary E. Webb, their son, George M. Webb, and daughter, Andera Saulgozis and son-in-law, Gunnar Saulgozis; and his parents, Mary Williamson Webb and Milton Webb; and two sisters, Margaret Kincaid and Andera Dickens. Bert was born on January 14, 1919, in Milledgeville, Georgia, to Berta Williamson Digby and Luke Digby. His mother died on the day of his birth and he was soon adopted. raised, and loved as a son by his mother's sister, Mary Williamson Webb and her husband Milton Webb. Bert grew up on a farm in rural Milledgeville, was educated until the fourth grade in a one room school house, went to Georgia Military and graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelors of Science in Accounting. As part of the Greatest Generation, Bert was a Captain in WWII and participated in the Invasion of Normandy and four other campaigns including the Battle of the Bulge. He was awarded a Bronze Star and five battle stars. Bert was admired and loved by the men in his company who continued to meet for over 50 years following the war. In the end he was the last living member of his company, a source of both great pride and sadness for him. Following the war, Bert and his wife, Mary, lived in Chicago, Illinois, where he began his career with the Internal Revenue Service while also taking classes at Northwestern and attending Chicago Kent College of Law. After three years and the birth of his first daughter, Linda, and son, George, he was transferred to Jacksonville, Florida for a year and then Ocala for five years where his daughter, Andera, was born. Following a brief one year stay in Tampa, Florida and an opportunity to study economics at Tampa University and join the FBI, Bert decided to stay with the IRS and was relocated to Orlando, where he lived for 25 years in Pine Hills. Bert was one of the founders of the Pine Hills Boys Club and the Optimist Club; an active coach in Little League; and a Sunday school teacher at Pine Hills Methodist Church. In 1991 he and his wife, Mary, moved to Altamonte Springs, where he lived until his death. Bert remained with the IRS until 1974 when he took early retirement to help care for his aging father. After retirement, Bert continued to prepare tax returns to help friends and extended family, maintaining what was lovingly referred to as a "non- profit business", until his late 90's when he could no longer see to enter the numbers in the computer. During his career in the IRS, he had the opportunity to audit two former Presidents of the United States. While these are some of the key events in Bert Webb's long life, they do not begin to reflect who he was - a man of great integrity with a deep love and compassion for his family and friends. He looked out for the men in his company during and after WWII; advocated for civil rights long before integration; cared for his aging parents ; mentored the youth in his community; was a constant presence in his grandson's life; attended to his wife Mary everyday for four months before her death; was a much loved and active member of Ann Tennant's family hosting their annual reunions, Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings,; was a second father to his nieces and nephews and always took care of his family. Bert was a great story teller and letter writer. He loved a good joke and had the most delightful sense of humor. In many ways he was a paradox - serious yet funny, stern but lenient, conservative in his spending while generous with others, definite in his opinions but open to other's perspectives, predictable yet surprising....a most amazing man who continued to enjoy life until the end. If ever there was a role model for life, it was Bert! What better gift could he give us! Our lives will not be the same without him but his legacy will live on in those who knew and loved him. For those wishing to make contributions in Bert W. Webb's memory, donations can be made to any of the following: Pine Hill Boys and Girls club, Pine Hills, FL; The Foundation for OCPS - Coach Pennington Scholarship Fund for Evans High School; Florida WWII Veterans Memorial Trust, Tallahassee, FL; or the charity of your choice. Services will be held December 1, 2018 with family receiving friends from 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm followed by a Funeral Service starting at 1:00 PM at our Maitland Chapel, followed by a Graveside Service with Military Honors at 2:45PM at the Winter Garden Cemetery. Arrangements are entrusted to DeGusipe Funeral Home and Crematory, 9001 N Orlando Ave, Maitland, Florida 32751, 407-695-CARE(2273)

Bert Williamson Webb

January 14, 1919 - November 23, 2018