Charlene Di Nicola

DiNicola, Charlene Adair (Payton)
age 87. Devoted mother, grandmother, great grandmother, & sister. She passed away April 13th 2021 of cancer. Charlene was preceded by Charles Payton, father; Dorothea Payton (Aldrich), mother; & John DiNicola, husband & the love of her life . Charlene worked for the University of Florida Agricultural Center in Sanford for 20 years before retiring in 1995. While there, she worked with doctors from the University of Florida on many projects such as the plants in the ride through greenhouse at the Land Pavilion at Epcot and various agricultural experiments. Charlene is survived by 2 sons, John Di Nicola, Jr & Joseph Di Nicola (Maria); 1 daughter Dorothea Steel (Rockland), all of Altamonte Springs, Florida; 2 stepdaughters Marie Ann Di Nicola, & Josephine Hicks both of New Jersey; 1 sister Helen Case (Mike) and a brother, Leo Danaher (Stacey) both from Blue Springs Mo; a cousin JoAnn Wilson (Hal); several brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and 4 grandchildren, Jimmy Hicks (Kathy) of New Jersey Kelly Di Nicola of New Jersey, Charlene Steel (Ali) of Virginia, & Theresa Rose Steel of Florida; 4 great-grandchildren Jean and Mark Hicks of New Jersey, Nova and Benny Steel of Virginia; and host of nieces, nephews and friends.
The family will be present to receive friends on Thursday, April 29th from 10:30am - 11:45am at Highland Funeral Home, 3329 E. Semoran Blvd., Apopka FL. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church, 861 Maitland Ave., Altamonte Springs FL., beginning at 1pm. Mrs. Di Nicola will be laid to rest in Highland Memory Gardens, Apopka FL.