Louis Eckert “Lou” Black, 74, died on May 28, 2017. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, September 6, 1942, he was the son of Louis Eckert Black and Leonie Young Black. He is survived by Judge Susan Harrell Black, his loving wife of fifty years. He also leaves to grieve his beloved daughter, Leigh Elizabeth Israel (George), brother Howard Young Black (Neta), cousins, nieces and nephews, and many friends.
Lou graduated from the College of Wooster (B.A.) and the University of Florida (M.A.). He also studied at the Universidad Nacional in Mexico, the Universidad de San Carlos in Guatemala City, and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Upon graduation, he spent a year working for the Department of State in Barranquilla, Colombia. Lou became and remained fluent in Spanish. After marrying and moving to Jacksonville in 1967, Lou began an extremely successful career as a businessman. He grew to love the city and the people of Jacksonville.
In his lifetime, Lou owned and operated several local businesses, including Avondale Limousine Service, Antique and Unique Transportation, Park ‘N Fly, and most successfully, Avondale Travel Bureau, which he opened in 1974 and which, when he sold it in 1989, had become one of the nation’s twenty-five largest agencies with nearly fifty offices. He was pleased and proud when his daughter, Leigh Elizabeth, refounded Avondale Travel in 2012. There was not a trip or cruise Lou would want to miss. He traveled widely, visited over one hundred countries, took over one hundred cruises, and was on six continents.
Lou was also a licensed real estate broker. In his fifty-year career, he owned and managed local commercial real estate, including the Emerson Office Center, Orange Park Professional Center, and Leigh Point.
His memberships and civic activities included, among others, membership in the Rotary Club of West Jacksonville (Lou cherished his friends in Rotary Club), serving as President of the SKAL Club (an international travel professionals’ organization), service as a Deacon at the Riverside Presbyterian Church, and service on the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries of North Florida for over twenty-five years. He was often heard saying that Goodwill helped people help themselves and that it was the first organization in this country to help people with disabilities and special needs receive job training and find meaningful employment.
No discussion of Lou’s life would be complete without mentioning his love for officiating high school basketball and football games. Lou was a member of the Southern Association of Basketball Officials for twenty-two years and the Florida-Georgia and North Florida Football Associations for a total of forty-five years. He officiated over one thousand games during his lifetime.
Lou “lived large.” He enjoyed a long and happy life, was deeply loved, and will be missed by his family and many friends, who he looks forward to seeing again “when they reach the other side.”
Donations in lieu of flowers are requested as follows:
Goodwill Industries of North Florida
4527 Lenox Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32205
Riverside Presbyterian Church
849 Park Street
Jacksonville, FL 32204-3394
A memorial service will be held at Riverside Presbyterian Church on June
16, 2017, at 11:00 a.m.
__________________________________
Louis “Lou” Black, 74, owned and operated such businesses as Avondale Limousine Service, Antique and Unique Transportation, Park ‘N Fly and most successfully Avon-dale Travel Bureau, which he opened in 1974. When he sold it in 1989, it had become one of the nation’s 25 largest agencies with nearly 50 offices. Black, who was married to Judge Susan Harrell Black, visited over 100 countries, six continents and took more than 100 cruises. He also was a licensed real estate broker who owned and managed commercial real estate. His avocation was officiating more than 1,000 high school basketball and football games.
Shared from the 2018-01-15 The Florida Times-Union eEdition
BY SANDY STRICKLAND [email protected]
Lou graduated from the College of Wooster (B.A.) and the University of Florida (M.A.). He also studied at the Universidad Nacional in Mexico, the Universidad de San Carlos in Guatemala City, and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Upon graduation, he spent a year working for the Department of State in Barranquilla, Colombia. Lou became and remained fluent in Spanish. After marrying and moving to Jacksonville in 1967, Lou began an extremely successful career as a businessman. He grew to love the city and the people of Jacksonville.
In his lifetime, Lou owned and operated several local businesses, including Avondale Limousine Service, Antique and Unique Transportation, Park ‘N Fly, and most successfully, Avondale Travel Bureau, which he opened in 1974 and which, when he sold it in 1989, had become one of the nation’s twenty-five largest agencies with nearly fifty offices. He was pleased and proud when his daughter, Leigh Elizabeth, refounded Avondale Travel in 2012. There was not a trip or cruise Lou would want to miss. He traveled widely, visited over one hundred countries, took over one hundred cruises, and was on six continents.
Lou was also a licensed real estate broker. In his fifty-year career, he owned and managed local commercial real estate, including the Emerson Office Center, Orange Park Professional Center, and Leigh Point.
His memberships and civic activities included, among others, membership in the Rotary Club of West Jacksonville (Lou cherished his friends in Rotary Club), serving as President of the SKAL Club (an international travel professionals’ organization), service as a Deacon at the Riverside Presbyterian Church, and service on the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries of North Florida for over twenty-five years. He was often heard saying that Goodwill helped people help themselves and that it was the first organization in this country to help people with disabilities and special needs receive job training and find meaningful employment.
No discussion of Lou’s life would be complete without mentioning his love for officiating high school basketball and football games. Lou was a member of the Southern Association of Basketball Officials for twenty-two years and the Florida-Georgia and North Florida Football Associations for a total of forty-five years. He officiated over one thousand games during his lifetime.
Lou “lived large.” He enjoyed a long and happy life, was deeply loved, and will be missed by his family and many friends, who he looks forward to seeing again “when they reach the other side.”
Donations in lieu of flowers are requested as follows:
Goodwill Industries of North Florida
4527 Lenox Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32205
Riverside Presbyterian Church
849 Park Street
Jacksonville, FL 32204-3394
A memorial service will be held at Riverside Presbyterian Church on June
16, 2017, at 11:00 a.m.
__________________________________
Louis “Lou” Black, 74, owned and operated such businesses as Avondale Limousine Service, Antique and Unique Transportation, Park ‘N Fly and most successfully Avon-dale Travel Bureau, which he opened in 1974. When he sold it in 1989, it had become one of the nation’s 25 largest agencies with nearly 50 offices. Black, who was married to Judge Susan Harrell Black, visited over 100 countries, six continents and took more than 100 cruises. He also was a licensed real estate broker who owned and managed commercial real estate. His avocation was officiating more than 1,000 high school basketball and football games.
Shared from the 2018-01-15 The Florida Times-Union eEdition
BY SANDY STRICKLAND [email protected]
Louis Eckert “Lou” Black, 74, died on May 28, 2017. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, September 6, 1942, he was the son of Louis Eckert Black and Leonie Young Black. He is survived by Judge Susan Harrell Black, his loving wife of fifty years. He also leaves to grieve his beloved daughter, Leigh Elizabeth Israel (George), brother Howard Young Black (Neta), cousins, nieces and nephews, and many friends.
Lou graduated from the College of Wooster (B.A.) and the University of Florida (M.A.). He also studied at the Universidad Nacional in Mexico, the Universidad de San Carlos in Guatemala City, and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Upon graduation, he spent a year working for the Department of State in Barranquilla, Colombia. Lou became and remained fluent in Spanish. After marrying and moving to Jacksonville in 1967, Lou began an extremely successful career as a businessman. He grew to love the city and the people of Jacksonville.
In his lifetime, Lou owned and operated several local businesses, including Avondale Limousine Service, Antique and Unique Transportation, Park ‘N Fly, and most successfully, Avondale Travel Bureau, which he opened in 1974 and which, when he sold it in 1989, had become one of the nation’s twenty-five largest agencies with nearly fifty offices. He was pleased and proud when his daughter, Leigh Elizabeth, refounded Avondale Travel in 2012. There was not a trip or cruise Lou would want to miss. He traveled widely, visited over one hundred countries, took over one hundred cruises, and was on six continents.
Lou was also a licensed real estate broker. In his fifty-year career, he owned and managed local commercial real estate, including the Emerson Office Center, Orange Park Professional Center, and Leigh Point.
His memberships and civic activities included, among others, membership in the Rotary Club of West Jacksonville (Lou cherished his friends in Rotary Club), serving as President of the SKAL Club (an international travel professionals’ organization), service as a Deacon at the Riverside Presbyterian Church, and service on the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries of North Florida for over twenty-five years. He was often heard saying that Goodwill helped people help themselves and that it was the first organization in this country to help people with disabilities and special needs receive job training and find meaningful employment.
No discussion of Lou’s life would be complete without mentioning his love for officiating high school basketball and football games. Lou was a member of the Southern Association of Basketball Officials for twenty-two years and the Florida-Georgia and North Florida Football Associations for a total of forty-five years. He officiated over one thousand games during his lifetime.
Lou “lived large.” He enjoyed a long and happy life, was deeply loved, and will be missed by his family and many friends, who he looks forward to seeing again “when they reach the other side.”
Donations in lieu of flowers are requested as follows:
Goodwill Industries of North Florida
4527 Lenox Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32205
Riverside Presbyterian Church
849 Park Street
Jacksonville, FL 32204-3394
A memorial service will be held at Riverside Presbyterian Church on June
16, 2017, at 11:00 a.m.
__________________________________
Louis “Lou” Black, 74, owned and operated such businesses as Avondale Limousine Service, Antique and Unique Transportation, Park ‘N Fly and most successfully Avon-dale Travel Bureau, which he opened in 1974. When he sold it in 1989, it had become one of the nation’s 25 largest agencies with nearly 50 offices. Black, who was married to Judge Susan Harrell Black, visited over 100 countries, six continents and took more than 100 cruises. He also was a licensed real estate broker who owned and managed commercial real estate. His avocation was officiating more than 1,000 high school basketball and football games.
Shared from the 2018-01-15 The Florida Times-Union eEdition
BY SANDY STRICKLAND [email protected]
Lou graduated from the College of Wooster (B.A.) and the University of Florida (M.A.). He also studied at the Universidad Nacional in Mexico, the Universidad de San Carlos in Guatemala City, and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Upon graduation, he spent a year working for the Department of State in Barranquilla, Colombia. Lou became and remained fluent in Spanish. After marrying and moving to Jacksonville in 1967, Lou began an extremely successful career as a businessman. He grew to love the city and the people of Jacksonville.
In his lifetime, Lou owned and operated several local businesses, including Avondale Limousine Service, Antique and Unique Transportation, Park ‘N Fly, and most successfully, Avondale Travel Bureau, which he opened in 1974 and which, when he sold it in 1989, had become one of the nation’s twenty-five largest agencies with nearly fifty offices. He was pleased and proud when his daughter, Leigh Elizabeth, refounded Avondale Travel in 2012. There was not a trip or cruise Lou would want to miss. He traveled widely, visited over one hundred countries, took over one hundred cruises, and was on six continents.
Lou was also a licensed real estate broker. In his fifty-year career, he owned and managed local commercial real estate, including the Emerson Office Center, Orange Park Professional Center, and Leigh Point.
His memberships and civic activities included, among others, membership in the Rotary Club of West Jacksonville (Lou cherished his friends in Rotary Club), serving as President of the SKAL Club (an international travel professionals’ organization), service as a Deacon at the Riverside Presbyterian Church, and service on the Board of Directors of Goodwill Industries of North Florida for over twenty-five years. He was often heard saying that Goodwill helped people help themselves and that it was the first organization in this country to help people with disabilities and special needs receive job training and find meaningful employment.
No discussion of Lou’s life would be complete without mentioning his love for officiating high school basketball and football games. Lou was a member of the Southern Association of Basketball Officials for twenty-two years and the Florida-Georgia and North Florida Football Associations for a total of forty-five years. He officiated over one thousand games during his lifetime.
Lou “lived large.” He enjoyed a long and happy life, was deeply loved, and will be missed by his family and many friends, who he looks forward to seeing again “when they reach the other side.”
Donations in lieu of flowers are requested as follows:
Goodwill Industries of North Florida
4527 Lenox Avenue
Jacksonville, FL 32205
Riverside Presbyterian Church
849 Park Street
Jacksonville, FL 32204-3394
A memorial service will be held at Riverside Presbyterian Church on June
16, 2017, at 11:00 a.m.
__________________________________
Louis “Lou” Black, 74, owned and operated such businesses as Avondale Limousine Service, Antique and Unique Transportation, Park ‘N Fly and most successfully Avon-dale Travel Bureau, which he opened in 1974. When he sold it in 1989, it had become one of the nation’s 25 largest agencies with nearly 50 offices. Black, who was married to Judge Susan Harrell Black, visited over 100 countries, six continents and took more than 100 cruises. He also was a licensed real estate broker who owned and managed commercial real estate. His avocation was officiating more than 1,000 high school basketball and football games.
Shared from the 2018-01-15 The Florida Times-Union eEdition
BY SANDY STRICKLAND [email protected]
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