Donald Edward Love, 96, passed away at his home in Florahome, Florida on December 21, 2022. He was born in Macon, Georgia on March 11, 1926 the youngest of three boys born to Henry Love and Clara Cofer Love. He attended an all-boys military school in Macon. His family moved to Jacksonville, Florida when he was a teen where he attended Andrew Jackson High School. At age 17, while in his senior year, he joined the United States Navy during WW II. He served on the Elkhart Troop Carrier that disembarked United State Marines in the various islands of Japan. He served in the U.S. Navy until May 1946. After his Navy service he graduated from Andrew Jackson High School and The Jacksonville School of Technology. He married Lularene Tharpe on December 1950 and remained a devoted and hard-working husband for 71 years until her death in July 2022. During their marriage he worked at the Eppinger Russell Company in Jacksonville until joining the Jacksonville Police Department in 1956. He worked with the J.S.O. until his retirement in 1976. While at the J.S.O. he also served in the United States Army Reserves. He loved sports and coached his son’s Little League team for many years. He also was a big animal lover and had many pets over the years, but one of his favorite’s was his Golden Retriever “Buddy.” He also was very handy and built two of the homes his family shared over the years. After retiring from the Jacksonville Police Department, he started his own flower nursery business (Love’s Azalea Farm) in Florahome, Florida. He, his wife and son worked in the business for over 40 years. He worked hard to provide for his family and was a strong role model to his children. He was loved deeply and will be greatly missed. He is survived by his son, Joey Love, his daughter, Cathy Salzer, grandchildren, Amy Tari and Stephanie Salzer, great grandchildren, Ava and Andrew Tari, nephews, a niece and other relatives.
Visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. with the service following at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 14 at the Evergreen Funeral Home Chapel, 4535 Main Street North, Jacksonville, Florida 32206.
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