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Writer's pictureKendal Manier

The Foundation.10.2.86

Updated: Mar 20, 2020

My great-grandfather Frank Cannon, was a very well known and prominent defense lawyer in downtown Jacksonville Florida. Most famous for his representation of Ruby McCollum, a wealthy married African-American woman from Live Oak, Florida, who is known for being arrested and convicted in 1952 for killing Dr. C. Leroy Adams, a prominent white doctor, and state senator-elect. There was such a big controversy that there was no-one that wanted to take this case. Great-Grandpa Frank not only took the case, but he also did it for free. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruby_McCollum



His law office was right on the corner of Bay and Ocean Street downtown Jacksonville, or as we knew it, the one with the big Jaguar hiding in it. Mommadukes and grandma still talk about him his fishing in his alligator dress shoes and all of his unique luxury cars.




 

Grandma Jo was born on October 21, 1933, and graduated from Landon Jr/Sr High-school at the age of 16. She attended Florida State University, where she acquired her masters in education. She was a teacher and eventually Principal at Loretto Elementary from ____-_____, and then later retired from Mandarin Oaks Elementary in _______. The same school she opened 14 years prior.


Farewell to Doty; Much-Loved Mandarin Oaks Principal Retires-

By Dan Scanlan, Times-Union staff writer


She was so much younger than most first-timers that when she began teaching in Georgia in the mid-1950s, Josie Doty needed a state waiver to work in the classroom.

And what a class it was in that Columbus, Ga., mill town, the Mandarin Oaks Elementary School principal says now.


"Fifty-two kids, and the desks were bolted to the floor so they couldn't throw them," she said.


Now, almost four decades after she graduated from Florida State University and took that first turn in a classroom, Doty is retiring from a career that ends at the school she opened 14 years ago.


Teachers and staff surprised her Tuesday with gifts of a diamond pendant, hand-made quilt with their signatures and a C. Ford Riley painting of -- what else -- Mandarin oak trees. The school's media center was renamed in her honor during a PTA goodbye party the next day, while a community goodbye will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. tomorrow at the school at 10600 Hornets Nest Road.


With a week left to her tenure, Doty's office is barren of much of the stuff accumulated over the years, except for some children's books held in place with teddy bear bookends, a drawing on her door of a lion, lamb and little boy wearing a pith helmet that says "Zookeeper," and other knickknacks. And while she has mixed feelings about leaving, especially since the death of her husband, Bill, almost a year ago, the educator is sure now is the time.


"I can't think of anything I would want to change. I was really looking forward to retirement with him, but I have decided it is time to go. At one time I thought I would like to stay one more year," Doty said. "I don't have any major plans. I will sit and vegetate for a while and if something wonderful comes, I will take advantage of it."

Assistant Superintendent Ken Manuel, who has known Doty for more than 30 years and is retiring himself this summer after a "wonderful ride," says lots of people will miss Doty.


"Jo was ahead of her time as it relates to professional and staff development and school-based staff development. She will be missed because of her wealth of knowledge," he said. "The thing I have always loved about her is despite all of the obstacles that sometimes get into our game, she never lost focus of what the true mission is of a school -- the kids."


Doty was born in Jacksonville in 1933, but had to move to Atlantic Beach after contracting scarlet fever. When she recovered and her family moved back to their home off San Jose Boulevard, she went to Hendricks Avenue Elementary School and Landon Junior/Senior High School, graduating at age 16. She currently resides in Ponte Vedra Beach.


She wanted to teach, and Florida State University was the choice.






Still living out in Ponte Verda Beach and loves watching Ellen DeGeneres, her Maltipoo "Buddy" and her coffee black. She's an OG Florida State fan so she loves "Dion" and some Michael Jackson. Grandma also makes a mouth-gasmic German Chocolate Cake and is known as the kindest loving soul you could ever imagine or dream of in a Grandma/Teacher/Principal figure. If it wasn't for her and Mom, I wouldn't be writing this today.


 

William Edward Doty a.k.a Papa Bill or Grandpa with the blonde hair, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on _________ and moved to Jacksonville Beach in 1941. He was a smart, hard-working military man that never met a stranger. He was a young rebel, like myself. Back in his day, the girls went to Florida State, and the boys went to Randolph Macon Academy. Papa Bill served in Korea and Vietnam, and also in England, Spain, Italy, Holland and Germany where Mommadukes was born. He specialized in topography, and as a mechanical engineer and flight trainer and instructor for the Grumman OV-1 Mohawks.





After 20 years of service he retired from the United States Army on July 1, 1971 and got both his Bachelor's and Master's degree from Florida State University. He bartended nights while finishing up his degrees and then finished his teaching his career at Duncan U. Fletcher High-school a hop, skip, and a jump away from Neptune Beach. He taught photography, graphic arts and metal shop from _________ . At the same time my Mom and Uncle Steve both actually attended as well. He was always known for his __________________. Fletcher High-school was cool because it was just a few blocks away from the beach and the beachside vibe was always super chill and more laid back.




 



Mommadukes (Susan Doty) was born on January 24, 1957 at the Kaiserslautern air-force base in Landstuhl, Germany. So she's actually got a German birth certificate. Maybe that's why Papa loved those German cars so much. Porsche's & Volkswagen's. And that "Smoky n' Da Bandit Car" as Grandma would call it. The old-school black on black TransAm with the T-tops. She was an army brat as they call it. My Mom graduated from Fletcher High-school in ____ and then FSU in _______ as a graphic design major. She was on the swim team in college and still has a personality you'll never forget. She got married on _____ to my biological father Robert Sowerby at _________church. She had the ceremony at a church just so that the groom's family couldn't drink. ___ years later she had me and divorced Bob ______.


Throughout my child and early adulthood. Mommadukes and Grandma Jo were the only two people that were ALWAYS there for me. No matter what. I never would have made it without you two. I love you both more than you'll ever know!



 

My Uncle Steve was born on a military base in Fort Lee, Virginia on October __,____. He grew up in Jacksonville Beach, Florida and graduated from Fletcher High School in 1980 and then Florida Community College in 1983. Uncle Steve loved to surf and he was just one of the coolest dudes just vibe with. I remember back when I was struggling with addiction and he was my voice of reason and understanding. We'd always go for a nice cruise on the beachside or paddle out. For some reason surfing always made everything better.


Fun-cle Steve was an incredible father whose love of surfing, and guitar carried throughout his entire life. He was a die-hard Florida State fan attending every home game and even named his Jack Russell “Nole”. He was one of those guitarists that could hear a riff and just jam it out. He died suddenly and unexpectedly on the night of Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004, age 43 from a heart attack, while playing guitar with his band.


 




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