On December 11, 2023, L.C. Orlando “Skip” Rex, 93, passed peacefully in his sleep. Formerly of Mulberry and Lafayette, IN then, of Clermont, FL, Skip returned to Lafayette in April to live with his daughter Judy and Son-in-Law Jim. Other than hearing loss and very limited vision due to Macular Degeneration Skip was, “pretty good for an old guy”, for most of his later years. After two hospitalizations for dehydration and infection, each followed by two weeks of Rehab at Mulberry Health, in October and again in November, Skip became increasingly “weak and tired” while living at Digby Place Assisted Living in Lafayette for his final three weeks.

Skip was born April 23, 1930, to the late Joseph E. and Consuelo C. (Mix) Rex in Anderson, IN and was raised in Mulberry and rural Rossville. He resided with his sister Dee and Bob Rohler when he graduated from Dayton High School in 1948, then in Lafayette when he worked at Jonesy’s, Standard Oil, gas station in Lafayette prior to joining the service. While serving in the United States Air Force from 1950-1954, as a mechanic/B-36 Engine Chief. Skip met Gladys N. Monroe in Spokane and the two were married on June 6, 1954, in her hometown, Sunnyside, Washington.  The couple returned to Mulberry, IN for the next 25 years, where they raised their family and Skip established himself as a businessman, initially partnering with his brother Joe in Rex Brothers Service station. Then, being self-employed in fuel oil delivery as Rex Oil Company. Later, he built the Mulberry Car Wash, managed rental properties and owned/operated the Mulberry Laundromat before moving to Lafayette in 1980. Just prior to moving to Lafayette, Skip shifted career paths to Electrical Motor Maintenance for Purdue University, retiring in 1995, to live and travel full-time, with Gladys, in their 5th-wheel truck/trailer. They became ‘snowbirds’ in the Orlando Florida area and started working part-time, seasonally, at Walt Disney World. Skip worked 18 years first in Epcot at The Land Pavilion then in Studios at the Muppet Theatre.  After a few years of full-time RV life Skip and Gladys purchased a park-model home at Outdoor Resorts of Orlando, Clermont, FL. In 2003 they sold their RV, purchased a mobile home at Maples Park in West Lafayette, IN and settled between there and Florida until they became permanent residents of Florida about ten years ago.

Skip was a proud Airforce Veteran and a member of the Indiana Freemasons since 1952. He was a member of the Mulberry United Methodist Church and an active leader/supporter of the Mulberry community. In his early adult years Skip organized a square dance club and served as its Caller. Skip was a devoted husband, father, Grandfather, Great Grandfather and Friend. His patience and wisdom were greatly respected He enjoyed spending time with family and with friends, camping, traveling, attending family, community camper club events and Air Force friends reunions. Although, he didn’t have specific hobbies and his free time was most often planned for him, he skillfully and graciously fixed anything and everything, performed preventative maintenance, accepted most any project and devised an innovative or more efficient ways to complete the more challenging or complicated ones.

Skip’s wife, Gladys preceded him in death on May 18, 2020, and Skip lost his son, Jay on November 5th of that year in a tragic motorcycle accident. Also preceding him in death, in addition to his parents, were Skip’s siblings and their spouses, Gladys’s siblings and most spouses, as well as some of their nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Skip is survived by his daughter, Judy (Jim) Bower of Lafayette; daughter-in-law, Rochelle Rex of Piqua, OH; five grandchildren, Britni (Chris) Preston of Piqua, OH; Jordan (Tember) Bower of Clermont, FL; Adam (Evon) Rex of Laura, OH; Jamison (Alyssa) Bower of Madison, IN and Jacob (Hayley) Bower of Westfield, IN; nine great-grandchildren, Gavin Rex, Tanner Preston, Haven & Rex Bower, Sullivan, Kollins, Maddox & Brookston Bower and Emerson Bower; nieces, including Deb Liska of Sunnyside WA, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews from both the Rex and Monroe families and a special friend from 1948-1952, Georgia Legler, with whom he reconnected in June.

A combined Celebration of Life/Memorial Service for Jay and Skip is being planned for the upcoming Spring/Summer.

Memorial contributions in Skip’s name may be given to Honor Flight of Greater Lafayette at Honor Flight of Greater Lafayette Indiana | Honor Flight in Indiana (honorflightlafayette.com)