Flora P. Modica Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Flora Pearl “Jackie” Boykin Modica, 96, passed away peacefully at the home of her daughter, Sandra Lee Modica, and son-in-law, Philip Nicolas Adams, with whom she had been living since 2011. Flora was born in Land, Alabama, on October 16, 1922, the fourth of nine children born to Samuel Jones Boykin and Bama Cummings Boykin. She survived her siblings Slater Jefferson Boykin, Samuel Jones “SJ” Boykin, Jr., Flossie Grace Boykin Ivy, Richard Franklin Boykin, and Mary Jo Boykin Deskin and is survived by siblings Rachel Ruth Boykin Carpenter, Opal Louise Boykin Black, and Roy Thomas Boykin. Jackie survived her first husband of six years (married in 1944), US Army pilot Thomas Ignatius Powell, and her second husband of 51 years (married in 1960), US Air Force pilot and veteran of WWII, Korea & Vietnam, Jack Modica Jr. who passed away in 2011. Jackie spent her childhood in Choctaw County, Alabama, graduating from Choctaw County High School in 1940. During the early years of WWII, Jackie and her older sister Flossie traveled to Mobile AL to work in the shipyards. During the ‘50s, Jackie lived and worked in Mobile where she met her husband Jack at a baseball game; they married in 1960. Jackie and daughter Sandy followed Jack through his various postings as a fighter pilot in the US Air Force, living in Florida, Washington DC, New Mexico and Kansas until he was sent to Vietnam. Jack recovered from injuries incurred when his plane was shot down in 1968 but, no longer able to fly, he retired from the Air Force in 1970. Jack and Jackie then purchased a home in Ft Walton Beach FL near Elgin Air Force Base and spent many happy decades tending their garden, playing golf and bridge, socializing with their wide circle of friends, and visiting family across the US, as well as occasionally traveling to other countries. Finally, in 2009, they sold their home and moved to Tallahassee to be closer to their daughter and son-in-law. Jackie had a genuinely warm and generous personality. She was known for her lovely red hair and stylish fashion sense, as well as for her talents as a hostess, decorator and artist. She was friendly and gracious to all but she particularly loved her family and enjoyed visiting with them - her own wide circle of siblings, nieces and nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews, as well as those of her husband Jack. She will be greatly missed and mourned by all of them. Jackie’s last wish was to be interred beside her much loved husband Jack. A memorial service for family and friends will be held Wednesday, March 6, 2019, at 1:39PM (CST) at Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola FL. Flowers may be sent to the service or, in lieu of flowers, consider a donation to the Florida Veterans Foundation (https://helpflvets.org).

Flora P. Modica

October 16, 1922 - February 24, 2019