GWYNN "BABE" ELIAS's Obituary
On July 17, 2024, Gwynn M. "Babe" Elias, surrounded by his loving family, fell asleep in the hands of the Lord, passing into eternal life.
He was born on May 24, 1932 to the late Louise and George Elias, Sr. in Charleston, WV. As the baby among seven siblings, he acquired his lifelong sobriquet of "Babe."
After completing his secondary education in the public schools, he was recruited into the United States Army, initially as a dental technician, but was transferred into Army Intelligence in Paris, France in NATO's unified military command, SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe), traveling incognito throughout Europe (except behind the Iron Curtain). After his Honorable Discharge in July, 1954, he enrolled at Ohio State University, and then at law school in Kentucky, but later concluded that a career in business, not law, was his goal.
He moved to Miami in 1961, engaging in several business ventures. In 1963, he became a musical record distributor, operating nationwide under the name of Topps Record Distributing Company, which flourished until the Beatles and English musical artists gained control of the American market.
In April 1966, he married his beloved Beverly Moseley of the renown Moseley Fine Linens, and started their family with the births of their beautiful daughters, Christi Lynn Elias and Lesli Elias Joseph. With Beverly's expertise in architectural design, Babe began his careeras aprominent builder of luxury homes under the name of Babe Elias Builders, Inc. Beverly prepared the architectural designs and Babe constructedthe homes, becoming the principal developer of Hammock Oaks in Coral Gables, FL. In 1976, they developed and Babe built the first six homes in celebrated Cocoplum in Coral Gables. Simultaneously, following Beverly's disability, Babe entered into the commercial arena, assisted by his daughter Christi, who at 22 years of age was the youngest female Certified Building Contractor in Florida. Among other structures, in 1995 Babe built the temporary training facilities, attached to LaSalle High School, for the Miami Heat while awaiting the 1999 completion of the American Airlines Arena.
Possessed with a joie de vivre, Babe enjoyed many fine things of life. He was a collector of fine wines and champaign, an ardent sportsenthusiast, a continuous season ticket holder from inception of the Miami Dolphins in 1966, the Heat, Marlins and Panthers.
Babe, predeceased by his wife Beverly, his sisters, Olga Sahley, Guinevere Haddad, and brother Albert Elias, is survived by his beloved daughters, Christi Elias and Lesli Joseph (Michael Joseph) and their children, Lauryn Joseph and Michael Joseph, Jr., and his siblings, Virginia Elias, Dr. Lewis Elias, George Elias, Jr., J.D., Dr. Richard Elias, his dear friend Roger Nimer, and numerous nieces and nephews. May his memory be eternal.
The family requests that any donations in his memory be made to St. George Cathedral or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Funeral services will be held Friday, July 26th, at St. George Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, 320 Palermo Avenue, Coral Gables, Florida 33134, with visitation from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and funeral
Woodland Park North Cemetery.
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