Friends of Plum Beach Lighthouse VP Passes Away

The following is a message sent by Friends of Plum Beach Lighthouse President David Zapatka to the organization's members, informing them of the passing of Dee Hoebbel. 

Friends of , located next to the Jamestown-Verrazzano Bridge. The group also created the award-winning .

It is with great sadness to inform you of the passing of our Vice President Dee Hoebbel. You may not have ever met Dee, but she touched each and every one of the nearly 6,000 plate applications that have been processed to date. 

Dee was our go-to person for every aspect of the lighthouse. If she wasn't getting the mail she was answering special requests for plates. When she wasn't entering the credit cards for billing, she was delivering new applications to Washington Trust branches.  At 78 years, she was a human dynamo and since becoming involved with the lighthouse about eight years ago she never turned down the chance to help promote it and make our organization better. 

She was the heart and soul of the lighthouse and her presence is already greatly missed.  We spoke daily, often several times a day, and there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for our organization. Last Monday, Dee suffered a major stroke and passed away this morning at the Philip Hulitar Hospice in Providence.  She leaves four daughters and several grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time.

David Zapatka, President
Friends of Plum Beach Lighthouse, Inc.