Alvin man, woman killed in small plane crash near Florida

ALVIN, TX -- A man and woman from Alvin were killed when a small plane they were in crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida Panhandle.

Pilot James Shumberg, 67, and passenger Sheryl Roe, 60, are believed to have been the only people on board the Piper Archer aircraft.

"I hope that they're remembered as people who live live to its fullest. Enjoyed every minute. Never let a second go by," said Sheryl Roe's daughter, Carmen. She tells Eyewitness News the couple was headed to the Florida Keys for a week long vacation.

Sheryl leaves behind five children and seven grandchildren. She was a registered nurse who worked with AIDS patients for 20 years before getting her doctorate in Chinese medicine and focusing on Acupuncture. She owned two wellness clinics in northwest Florida. Shumberg got his pilot's license five years ago, according to Carmen Roe. He'd made the trip to Florida over two dozen times. He owned and operated Electrical Training USA and had a passion for life and his plane.

"They were doing everything that they loved doing, including flying that plane together," said Carmen Roe.

Federal Aviation Administration investigators and the National Transportation Safety Board are working to determine the cause of the Thursday night crash.

The Associated Press contributed to this report