Delores Way

Way ~ Julia Delores “LoLo” McGee Way, was born September 26, 1944, in New York City, New York, to Geraldine Valdes Griffin and Samuel Morris McGee.

After the family moved from New York to Jacksonville, Delores enjoyed a typical childhood, first living in the Blodgett Homes and then moving “Out East” with her mother and siblings into a brand-new home.

As fate would have it, in the house directly behind her mother’s new house, lived the Way family. One day Delores met Anthony, who had just returned home from a Naval deployment; it was love at first sight. Soon after she graduated from Matthew Gilbert High School, they were married and spent 56 years as husband and wife.

Delores had many jobs, including as a fashion model and working at Blue Cross/Blue Shield. She later found her passion and joy when she decided to become a beautician. Delores loved this job as it gave her the opportunity to make people look their best, and to make people laugh. In her later years, she often said that her days working at Hair Technique on Edgewood Road, were some of the best days of her life.

Delores was a faithful member of the Bethel Baptist Institutional Church where she served for many years as an usher.

Anyone who knew Delores knows she had an affinity for the nicer things in life: nice clothes, fancy cars, fabulous shoes, and sparkling jewelry. She always took pride in looking her best. This desire to always look her best is what lead to her being a fashion model in the early 70s.

Delores was also a great lover of animals. She had 4 different dogs during her lifetime, all poodles and she loved them dearly. Delores also enjoyed gardening, decorating (especially decorating her yard during Christmas time), traveling (she loved Paris, France), listening to music (especially music from the 50s and 60s), watching films and TV shows (especially Westerns and Family Feud) and reading Jet and People magazines. Most of all, she loved her family.

Delores is preceded in death by her husband, Anthony Way (2018); father, Samuel Morris McGee.  She is survived by her children, Anthony (Yves Rossel) Way (Zurich, Switzerland) and Katina Way (Samuel) Bates (Jacksonville, Florida); grandchildren, Megan Sapp and Mia Sapp (Jacksonville, Florida); great grandchildren, Milan Scott and Luther Anthony Bussey (Jacksonville, Florida); loving mother, Geraldine Valdes Griffin (Jacksonville, Florida); siblings, Samuel McGee (Mt. Vernon, New York), Brenda “Jackie” McClendon (Jacksonville, Florida); Dwayne McGee (Tobyhanna, Pennsylvania), and Jeffery McGee (New York, New York); brothers-in law, Willie Way (New York, New York), Gregory Smith and Roderick Smith (Jacksonville, Florida); sisters-in-law, Wilhelmina Smith Savage and Linda Smith Quarterman; a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, friends, neighbors, former coworkers and fellow parishioners.

Celebration of Life service for Mrs. Julia Delores McGee Way will be 11:00AM Friday, February 3, 2023 at The Bethel Church, 215 Bethel Baptist Street, Bishop Rudolph W. McKissick, Jr., Lead Pastor; Bishop Rudolph W. McKissick, Sr., Pastor Emeritus.  Visitation Thursday from 5 – 7:00 PM at The Soutel Chapel.  Interment at Jacksonville National Cemetery.  Because of the love of her family, arrangements entrusted to J. E. Fralin & Sons Funeral & Cremation Services, 5065 Soutel Drive, 904-924-9400

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