Marcia Viola Headley

Marcia Viola Nurse Headley, 72, of Orlando Florida was called home to be with the Lord on Thursday March 7, 2019, surrounded by her loved ones.

Born in the former Canal Zone, Republic of Panama, on January 5, 1947, she was the fifth daughter of the late Clifford A. Nurse and the late Rebecca Nurse Eastman.

She was educated in the Canal Zone schools and graduated from Paraiso High School in 1965. She migrated to the United States in 1967, where she resided in Queens Village New York. On July 17, 1967, she married James Headley and from that union they had four children.

She relocated to Orlando Florida in the late 80’s and was a communicant of St. Andrews Catholic Church where she sang in the choir.  She was an active member of the Caribbean Association and instrumental in establishing the annual Caribbean Carnival Celebration in Orlando and designed and created costumes for La Caribe band.  She held an annual school supply drive and Christmas Toy Drive for the children of the community.

Marcia was a Seamstress, an Interior Decorator, Wedding Planner who designed and created wedding gowns. She designed and created costumes from school and church plays. She loved to travel, entertain, cook, and cater for parties. She was dedicated mother and grandmother not only to her biological children but also to several others who she adopted as hers. The best way to describe her was that she was “Larger than Life” or “The Life of the Party”, when she walked into a room it lit up, a true Diva.

Pre-deceased by her son, Bryan Headley, her husband, James Headley, two sisters, Janice Parrish, and Norma Gordon. She is survived by three children, Marilyn Headley Petty, Derrick Headley, both of Orlando FL, Jennifer Pruden (spouse Scott) of Tallahassee, FL; five grandsons, Jamal Headley, Joshua Petty, Jameson Petty, Knox Pruden II, Samuel Pruden and one granddaughter Rebecca Pruden; five sisters, Diana Nurse of Panama, Leona Nurse of Chapel Hill NC, Doris Couloote of Springfield, MA, Patricia Bennett of Charlottesville, VA,  Yvette Nurse-Parrish (spouse Larry) of Chapel Hill NC; two brothers, Clifford Nurse (spouse Susan) of Springfield MA, and Guillermo Nurse (spouse Kirsa) of Oxford NC, two aunts Rita McCormack of Virginia Beach VA, and Rosa Eastman of Winter Garden, FL, one uncle Joseph Zulvalgo of Panama. She leaves a host of nephews, nieces, cousins and friends to cherish her memory.

Visitation was held at 11:30a , followed by the Funeral Mass at 12:30 pm at St. Andrew Catholic Church on Friday, March 15, 2019 with Father Bill Gorhing officiating.