R. Hilton Pemble

Pemble, Dr. R. Hilton, 101, passed on to his new life Wednesday April 7, 2004 at his home under the care of Florida Suncoast Hospice. He had been eagerly anticipating the opening night game of his beloved Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and although he was unable to attend the game, he watched on television with his aide ? and then died the next day. He had attended every opening night since 1998. Dr. Pemble moved to St. Petersburg with his family in 1917 at age 14. His family owned and operated a paper mill in Stillwater, NY and moved here when his father retired. He was a graduate of St. Petersburg High School and later the Rochester School of Optometry in Rochester, NY where he met and married Mildred Olschewske, also an optometrist. He began his optometric practice in 1933 in the Hall Building on 4th and Central and when that building was razed, moved to the Snell Building across the street until he retired in 1976. He was a long standing member of Christ United Methodist Church. He is survived by his three children: Roberta Poellein, St. Petersburg; Marilyn Hayes, Lawrenceville Georgia; and Richard ?Dick? Pemble, Hendersonville, NC; nine grandchildren: Roberta?s Cecilia Buss, Seattle, WA; Gretchen Ginnerty, McLean, VA; Marilyn Swan, St. Petersburg; Marilyn?s Chuck Hayes and Heidi Martin, both from Lawrenceville, GA; Dick?s Larry Pemble, Dallas, TX; Tony Pemble, St. Petersburg; Susan Hutchinson, Greensboro, NC; Rob Pemble, St. Petersburg; 22 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, April 13, at 11:00AM at Christ United Methodist Church, 1st Ave. and 5th St. N., St. Petersburg. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Christ United Methodist Church and to the Hospice of the FL Suncoast, 300 E. Bay Dr., Largo, FL 33770. Online guestbook @ www.andersonmcqueen.com