Elizabeth Wilma Smoyer "Suzy/Betty" Gebler, 98, of Pensacola, FL passed away Thursday, October 29, 2026.

Suzy was born in Bethlehem, PA, on January 11, 1928, to Marguerite Francis Ehle and Walter Arthur Smoyer. The first year of her life was spent with the nuns at St. Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem following the death of her mother six days after her birth. The youngest of three children, she then resided with her family in Hellertown, PA, through her high school years. Following high school, she attended East Stroudsburg State Teachers College and graduated with degrees in history and physical education.

While in college she met the love of her life, Robert "Bob" Gebler from Westfield, NJ, whom she later married on June 25, 1949. Her married life began with a move to Ft. Lauderdale, FL, where she and Bob welcomed three of their four children. Subsequent family moves brought her and Bob to Pensacola in the early 1960’s where she continued to reside following his death in 1985.

Throughout her 98 years of life, she was a devoted wife and mother, providing a warm, loving environment for her four children and later for her grandchildren and great grandchildren, who adored and knew her as “Nan.”

She created a close-knit family through nightly family dinners, weekends spent waterskiing and cooking out at the boathouse, camping trips, summer vacations, and various holiday traditions, like finding the pickle ornament on the Christmas tree. She was known throughout East Hill for her daily walks across the neighborhood to keep fit, even through her mid-90s.

She had an abiding faith. She attended Monday night Rosary group for 20 years and was an altar guild volunteer at Sacred Heart Cathedral, where she was a parishioner up until her death. She loved breakfast at the Coffee Cup, a burger at Jerry’s Drive-In, a glass of wine (or two), and coffee cake from neighboring J’s Bakery.

Her love of family, her neighbors, her kitty cats, and sitting on the back porch were the daily highlights of her later years. She will be remembered for her kindness, humility, quiet presence, and the family she leaves behind.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Robert E. Gebler; brother, Walter Smoyer and her sister, Marguerite Doddy.

Survivors include her daughters, Donna Bradley (Lee) and Deborah Kirby; son, Robert W. Gebler (Kathy); daughter, Lizbeth Goley (Chuck); four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

The family will have a private family committal service at a later date.

The Gebler family would like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Michael Whitehead and his nurses, Taylor and Emma for their excellent care. They also would like to thank Emerald Coast Hospice for their kind and compassionate care in her final days.