Edwin “Pete” Rector, former president of the old Circus World attraction in Central Florida, died on Saturday at the Marion County Community Hospital in Ocala after a lengthy illness. He was 53.
Mr. Rector was a native of Inglewood, Calif., and a graduate of Cornell University’s Hotel School. He moved to Ocala from Miami Beach 14 years ago and was the owner of the Turning Point Farm in Marion County.
Before moving to Ocala, Mr. Rector served as president of the Lum’s and Ranch House restaurants and later headed Circus World west of Orlando, which has closed.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Ocala, the Cornell University Restaurateurs, the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders Association and was co- founder of Transplant for Life Foundation.
Surviving are his wife, Louise; son, Anthony, of Long Beach, N.Y.; two daughters, Vanessa Rector of Long Beach and Lauren Maria Rector of Ocala; a stepson, Robert Lee of Miami; a stepdaughter, Rachel Marie Rector of Los Angeles; a brother, Mike of Alhambra, Calif.; three sisters, Mary Russell of Anaheim, Calif., Virginia Silverman of San Diego and Julie Bagley of Demming, Wash.; a stepmother, Wilma Rector of Demming; and a grandson.
Funeral is at 11 a.m. today at First Baptist Church of Ocala. Roberts Funeral Home, also of Ocala, is handling arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to First Baptist Church of Ocala’s building fund.
