Martha Vlacos Varnes

Martha Vlacos Varnes, 85, died Friday, July 17, 2020, at the ET York Hospice Care Center after a valiant battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Martha was born in Trenton, Florida to Ella Mae Padgett and John (The Greek) Vlacos. She is survived by her devoted daughters, Paula Varnes Fussell (Greg), Patricia Ann Varnes (Walt), her loving grandchildren, Ella, Brendan, Alex, Scott and Steven, her brothers, Mack Vlacos (Carolyn), Bobby Vlacos (Bertha), Jerry Vlacos (Linda), Jr Fowler, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brother, George Vlacos (Dorothy) and sister, Olga Davis (Clyde).

As a child growing up in poverty, Martha was a second “mother” to her siblings, always caring for others first, a trait she exhibited throughout her life. She often took relatives and friends into her home, sometimes for extended periods, to help during difficult times in their lives. After her mother died, Martha cared for her disabled brother for over 20 year, also caring for her beloved sister before her death.

Graduating from Waldo High School in 1952, Martha was the President and the queen of her graduating class. She played basketball, softball, and any other sport she had time to play when she was not helping at home or working at Baird Hardware and the College Inn.

Martha began her career at the University of Florida (UF) in 1957 as a clerk with the Agriculture Extension Service. In 1958, while living with her family in Flavet (Florida Veteran) Village, she began working for the UF police department (UPD) as a clerk, ultimately retiring in 1999 as Lieutenant Colonel, second in command to the Chief of Police.

Never shying away from hard work, Martha gave her all to any endeavor. In the late 1960’s while working full-time and raising a family, she went back to school, earning an Associate of Arts Degree at Santa Fe Community College in 1970. She then attended the University of Florida, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Education with High Honors in 1973, carrying a four-point grade average and being named to the President’s honor roll. She was also on the Dean’s list of the College of Education and a member of Phi Kappa Phi honor society. She set an excellent

example for her daughters telling them that they could achieve anything and that “anything worth doing was worth doing well”.

Completing the State of Florida Police Standards training program, Martha was promoted to patrol officer in 1972 and was promoted again in 1974 to investigator, where she remained until 1982. During this time, she was the first female UPD officer, and only the second female officer from Florida, to attend the FBI National Academy, graduating from the 113th session in 1978. Not surprisingly, she was nominated and accepted the role of secretary for that session and she graduated at the very top of her class.

Rising in the ranks, Martha was promoted to Lieutenant of the Crime Prevention Unit in 1982, with another promotion to Major in 1987 and then to Lieutenant Colonel, her retirement rank. She was a pioneer as one of the first women in law enforcement to reach a leadership position. She was a role model for other women, inspiring others to consider law enforcement as a career. She became a mentor to many women and men, always willing to provide her assistance and guidance.

Martha’s work was also recognized nationally. She was instrumental in the early national accreditation of the University Police Department. As a result of some of her many accomplishments, she was appointed by the Governor of Louisiana as Colonel on the staff of the State of Louisiana.

The University of Florida students were her second family and Martha loved spending time with them. She was a strong advocate for the student community and provided caring support for any student, faculty, or staff member in need. A friend stated that they thought of her as someone who early on brought "community policing" to UPD, well before such a term existed. She was always available for the students, sometimes giving student assistants money or buying them groceries until they received their first paychecks. She helped shape the Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol (SNAP), providing free nightly campus escorts to community members. SNAP, a student-run, police managed service was extensively used and provided additional security for students on campus. Martha joined other university administrators frequently to walk the campus areas on “lighting surveys”, identifying areas for improved lighting and safety tools. Many times, she would be accompanied on these walks by her younger daughter, Patricia. She could also be found engraving bicycles for students on the Reitz Union promenade the first week of classes.

Another safety event Martha helped create was the Bears Fair, a community event on campus promoting safety for students on Spring Break. Along the “bear” theme, Martha began a program for victims of crimes (children) which involved police officers giving out teddy bears, making sure that all patrol cars had bears to give away. Her never ending support of her students, colleagues, and friends earned her the affectionate term of “Mama Bear”.

There were numerous other awards Martha received during her career from student organizations, including recognition of her work with the Greek Community, the Panhellenic Council, Student Government, IFC/PC/BGC Councils, and Student Affairs. She also received the Student Services President’s Humanitarian Award for People Awareness Week.

Martha was influential in creating a Victim’s Advocate department within UPD, working with others in the university and the surrounding community to identify support services for those who had experienced sexual assault or relationship violence. She was a charter member of the Sexual and Physical Abuse Resource Center (SPARK) and was involved in the development of Peaceful Paths. She was also a member of the Gainesville community Sexual Battery Task Force. As a result of her efforts and lifelong dedication to equitable treatment for survivors of sexual battery, the Gainesville Commission on the Status of Women honored her in 1985 with the first Martha V. Varnes Award, which is awarded annually in her name to individuals who continue her legacy.

In addition to work, Martha found time for some of her favorite activities. She was an avid bowler, bowling on several leagues, including a scratch league and a travel league. She enjoyed playing the slot machines, traveling to Biloxi and Las Vegas with family. She loved to cook and would spend many hours cooking Greek and southern food with her friends and family. You could also find her at a grill, in the kitchen, or serving up food at any UPD luncheon or food event, of which there were many.

Even after her retirement, Martha continued her service to her community. She was active on many local boards, worked at Alachua County Voting locations, and volunteered at the Haven Hospice Attic several times a week. In recognition of her volunteer work, she was nominated and received the 2011 Work of the Heart Award for Senior Citizen Individuals.

One of Martha’s great joys in life was spending time with her grandchildren. Her retirement allowed her the opportunity to take care of her youngest grandson, Alex, and to go to recitals, plays and school lunches with Alex, Ella, and Brendan. She also loved going on family vacations to the beach and traveling with her daughters.

So many of Martha’s friends have written to her family regarding what a good friend and colleague she was to them. She was the kind of person whom you could call anytime day or night and she would respond with “What can I do to help?”. One friend said the following, “She was an amazing person. My life was better because of her.” How true - so many lives are better because of her.