Hope Elaine Brank

Hope Elaine Brank, age 61, of Jacksonville, FL, went to be with the Lord on Thursday morning, August 31, 2017. She was born in Milford, DE to parents George and Pauline Dear on April 10, 1956. At age 18, Hope left Delaware to serve in the U. S. Army where she met her husband Walter “Scott” Brank whom she married in 1977. Together they had two sons, James “Jimmy” Edward and David Scott. In 1982, they moved to Garland, TX where they raised their children. Together they taught their boys the love of the great outdoors – often found camping, canoeing or hiking in the many state parks of Texas. In 1999, the two moved to Jacksonville, FL. Hope, knowing not a stranger, quickly built an amazing community of friends who became family. Hope was passionate to serve – and thus she devoted herself to her community and her church – building friendships with many and doting on all those around her. When relaxing, Hope could be found knitting blankets, prayer shawls, ponchos and scarves for the many people in her life whom she loved and cared for. Much like the items she would knit, Hope’s spirit of service will forever be interwoven into the tapestry of our hearts. Hope is preceded in death by her parents, sisters Gidge Carey, Mabel Johnson and Cheryl Clauser, and brothers Bobby Farrell and George Dear Jr. She is survived by her devoted husband Scott; son Jimmy, his wife Liss and their children Elaine, Allan and Leia; son David, his wife Katy and their children Charlie and Ebbie; her uncle Cliff Farrell; brothers Kenny, Chris and Charles Dear; sisters Pam Pase, Ruth Armour and Paulette Case and countless nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life service will be held Friday, September 8, at 2 pm at Lakewood Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Volunteers In Medicine – an organization for which Hope had an extreme passion and was instrumental in establishing the Jacksonville chapter. Neptune Society is in charge of her arrangements.