Steven Webster Fussell

Obituary of Steven Fussell Steven Webster Fussell of Fruitland Park, passed away on November 13, 2016 in the arms of his wife Niki Pewsey. His last road trip was to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville the previous Friday. His first career was twelve years of Catholic school, where he learned to write. He graduated from Bishop Moore High School in Orlando. Steven briefly attended FSU on a football scholarship. In his twenties he was a crisis counselor for the Durocher House, a runaway shelter for teens (Orlando). He then helped to start Market Development Group, beginning a successful career in advertising while he collected antique fishing lures. He sold his shares, moved into The Plaza Building on Lake Eola, and opened his own private office on the ground floor. Eventually he decided to close his office and worked for Larry Vershel Communications, from Kinko's on Livingston. He wrote news releases that published in newspapers around the state of Florida. Steve worked for Larry approximately thirty years. He got a dishwasher job at Yab Yum, where he met Niki. Steven was the door guy at the Go Lounge in Wall Street Plaza, Downtown Orlando. When those places closed he continued working for Vershel and drank coffee at Stardust. In December of 2008 Steve and Niki opened the Fruitland Park Café. They commuted from the Fussell home in Lake Cane Hills to Fruitland Park every day for the first four years. He calculated it was three trips around the world at the equator. They gave up the house in Orlando and moved to Fruitland Park. The café was the child they never had. With a lot of love, time, and energy, it grew into a beautiful community. Local Lake County celebrities eating breakfast with people from the nearby Villages without judgement. Fruitland Park Café is an open environment for whoever wants to be a part of a bigger conversation about life. Steve also worked as a correspondent for The Daily Commercial. He covered the cities of Fruitland Park, Wildwood, Lady Lake and Umatilla. He also covered a few high school football games. Being a journalist was a lifelong dream. He wrote some stories for TheVillageNews.Org and maintained his own website FruitlandParkNews.Org. Contributed frequently to the Daily Kos. Steve enjoyed the Huffington Post. Besides writing, Florida history was a passion that lead him to research the history of Fruitland Park. Niki and Steve had 20 amazing years together. He is survived by brothers Ken (Cindy), Kevin (Rosie), Ted (Beloved Margaret), and Al (Sandi) and their children and grandchildren. Steve's parents Rose Mary Littlepage Fussell (2005) and Gerald Webster Fussell (1983) are both deceased as is his nephew Luke (2011). There will be a memorial service at Beyers Funeral Home in Lady Lake, 352-753-4444, 134 N. US HWY 441/27, 32159. It will be Wednesday, November 30, 2016 from 3pm-5pm. Thank you for all your love and support.