Ms. Leila H. Palik's Obituary
Palik, Leila H., 100, of Largo, passed away on Sunday, April 26, 2015. She was born in Alamo, GA but resided in Pinellas County since 1941. Her late husband Frank was a dentist in St. Petersburg for 41 years. She is survived by her son Thomas (Seminole, FL) and daughter Joyce (Columbus, OH), as well as three grandchildren Stephen Palik, Brian Palik, and James Lloyd. She was a member of 5th Avenue Baptist Church. The family thanks Princeton Village for their loving care of Ms. Palik.
EULOGY FOR LEILA H. PALIK
We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of Leila H. Palik. Leila Palik was born on December 29, 1914 to a poor rural south Georgia family of English heritage. In all there were 8 sisters and two brothers in the family. One sibling died in early childhood due to an accident. Leila was in the middle age-wise of the siblings. Her father passed away when she was 13 in 1927. The older children had to help raise the younger children, and the older boy had to take care of running the small family farm. Shortly thereafter, the depression hit and the older children were forced to find any work they could to support the family. During the 1930s, Leila attended and graduated from South Georgia Teacher’s college obtaining a 2 Year Teacher’s Degree. South Georgia Teacher’s College is now Georgia Southern University. After she graduated, Leila moved to Atlanta and took a job as a stenographer. It was there that she met her future husband Frank who was attending, and later graduated from Emory University with a DDS degree in Dentistry. In early 1941, Frank took a position in St. Petersburg as County Dentist for the Pinellas County Health Department. On Christmas Day, 1941, Frank and Leila were married in Alamo, Georgia. They resided in St. Petersburg, Florida until Frank’s death on November 29, 1982. Leila and Frank had two children, Tom and Joyce, who were born in 1949 and 1955, respectively. Joyce teaches at the Ohio State Dental School, where her husband is the Dean. Tom is a retired scientist and consultant. After WWII, Frank left the Pinellas County Health Department and established a private practice that he maintained until his death in 1982. Leila was his dental assistant until Tom’s birth in 1949. Leila then became a stay at home mom, maintaining the family household and driving her children to their many activities. After Frank’s death in 1982, Leila lived alone in the family household until she was nearly 95. She then lived a year at Pinecrest ILF and 4 years at Princeton Village ALF. Leila is survived by her son Tom (Seminole, FL) and daughter Joyce (Columbus OH), as well as three grandchildren Stephen Palik (Los Angeles, CA), Brian Palik (Bradenton, FL) and James Lloyd (Chicago, IL). Leila attended 5th Avenue Baptist Church.
The family would like to thank Princeton Village for their hospitality and dedication for Leila to live out her remaining years. Leila was the first person in either family to live to 100.
Leila passed away peacefully in the care of Hospice Sunday Evening. On that Thursday before she passed, she managed to raise a smile and squeeze the hands of both of her loving children at her bedside. Our mother will be missed. She lived a full life.
The death of a loved one reminds us of our own mortality. No matter what your beliefs, make every day count and live life to its fullest. A person is remembered, not for their deeds or accomplishments, but for the lives that they have touched.
What’s your fondest memory of Leila?
What’s a lesson you learned from Leila?
Share a story where Leila's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Leila you’ll never forget.
How did Leila make you smile?
