Obituaries for the Suwannee Democrat, February 11, 2004 issue
Doris C. Beecher
Doris C. Beecher, 86, of Wellborn, passed away Feb. 27, 2004, in the V.A. Medical Center, Lake City, after a short illness. The Atlantic City, N.J. native moved to Wellborn in 1976 from Venice. She was a first sergeant in the WAAC during World War II and a member of St. James Episcopal Church, Lake City.
Survivors include: her daughter, Andrea and Glenn Miller, Wellborn.
Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m., today, Feb. 11, at the Little River Farm Cemetery, Wellborn with Dr. Jeffery Robinson officiating.
Daniels Funeral Home of Live Oak is in charge of all arrangements.
Mary S. Brisbin
Mary S. Brisbin, 96, passed away February 6, 2004 at her residence in Portsmouth, Va. A native of Mio, Mich., she was born Oct. 13, 1907 and moved to Tampa in 1940 where she lived until 1998 when she moved to Portsmouth, Va. She was a retired ward clerk for Tampa General Hospital and was a member of the Tarpon Springs Christian Church. Brisbin was preceded in death by her husband, George H. Brisbin Sr. and her daughter, Melva Jane Aufenkamp.
Survivors include: two sons, George H. Brisbin Jr. of Portsmouth, Va. and Charles E. Brisbin of Savannah, Ga.; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Feb. 11, at Hubert C. Baker Funeral Home, Hodgson Memorial Drive, Savannah, Ga. Interment
will be in the Greenwich Section of Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Ga.
Hubert C. Baker Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
David Joiner
David Joiner, 69, passed away Feb. 5, 2004, at Putnam General Hospital in Eatonton, Ga. He was a pipe fitter and a member of the Plumbers and Pipe Fitters of Macon/Atlanta and the Church of God in Live Oak.
Survivors include: his wife, Joyce Joiner of Eatonton, Ga.; one daughter, Susie Baker of Live Oak; four sons, David Mitchell Joiner of Milledgeville, Ga., Michael Dwayne Joiner, of Eatonton, Ga., Mark Alan Joiner of Macon, Ga. and Jonathan Joiner of Eatonton, Ga.; one sister, Ruby Wielgus of Byron, Ga.; four brothers, Hiram Joiner of Byron, Ga., Roy Joiner of Jacksonville, Herbert Joiner of Douglas, Ga. and E.L. Joiner of Macon, Ga.; 12 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m.. Feb. 8, at Vining Ivy Hill Chapel in Eatonton, Ga. with the Rev. Fred Watson officiating.
Vining Ivy Hill Chapel in Eatonton, Ga. was in charge of all arrangements.
Virginia Register
Virginia Register, 87, of Live Oak, passed away, Feb. 7, 2004, The Homestead native moved to Live Oak in 1966 from Miami. She was a member of the Christian Science Church of Live Oak.
Survivors include: one son, Kirby Register, Live Oak; two daughters, Diane Dilallo, Ellijay, Ga. and Bonnie Robison, Newberry; one sister, Ernestine Sutton, Mirimar; eight grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 7 p.m., Feb. 9, with Mr. Hugh Mills officiating. Interment
followed at 8 a.m., Feb. 10, in the Live Oak Cemetery.
Daniels Funeral Home of Live Oak was in charge of all arrangements.
Obituaries for the Suwannee Democrat, February 13, 2004 issue
The Rev. Dr. Wilsey Jonas McKnight
The Rev. Dr. Wilsey Jonas McKnight, 89, of Live Oak, passed away in Texas on Feb. 9, 2004, following a brief illness. Born May 23, 1914 in Lincoln County, Neb., he received his bachelor's degree from Aurora College in 1945, his master's degree from Bridgeport University in 1972, and his doctor of ministry from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary in 1989 at the age of 75. His life was spent serving his Lord as pastor to 12 churches in seven states during a span of over 60 years. He was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Merelle Thoms McKnight.
Survivors include: two sons, William Raymond McKnight of Pueblo, Colo. and John Neil McKnight of Brighton, Mass., a daughter, Ruth Ann Hughes of Flower Mound, Texas; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two sisters; and three brothers.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Feb. 14, at the Advent Christian Church, Dowling Park. The Rev. Lee Welkley and the Rev. John Harper will officiate. Friends may visit prior to the service at 10 a.m. at the church. Interment
will be in the Bixler Memorial Cemetery, Dowling Park.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Advent Christian Village, Dowling Park.
Mulkey-Mason Funeral Home, Lewisville, Texas is in charge of all arrangements.
Owen Clayton
Owen Clayton, 47, lifelong resident of Echols County, Ga., passed away, Feb. 11, 2004, at his home in Statenville, Ga. Born in Lowndes County on Dec. 28, 1956, he was the son of the late Ernie Clayton and Loretta Colson Clayton. Recently rededicating his life to Christ, he loved his job as a welder at Voigts, was an avid fisherman and hunter and was a member of the Duster Four.
Survivors include: Peggy Shiver Clayton of Statenville, Ga.; a daughter, Risa Clayton of Live Oak; a son Ernie Clayton, of live Oak; step-sons, Dan Hagin of Valdosta, Ga., Jeramey Hagin of Temple, Ga.; mother, Loretta Clayton of Statenville, Ga.; brothers, Russell Clayton of Statenville, Ga. and Leslie Clayton of Jennings; sisters, Silvia Blas of Statenville, Ga. and Vickie Bland of Springville, Va.; and step-grandchildren, Elijah of Athens, Ga. and Kyle, Kayla and Ivey of Temple, Ga.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m., today, Feb. 13, at McLane Lakewood Funeral Home. The Rev. Ted Sauls will officiate. Burial will follow at Carter Cemetery.
McLane Lakewood Funeral Home, Valdosta, Ga. is in charge of arrangements.
Otilia Rodriguez
Otilia Rodriguez, 90, a resident of Jennings, passed away Feb. 4, 2004, in the E.T. York Hospice Care Center, Gainesville, following a long illness.
A native of Puerto Rico, she had resided in Live Oak for several years prior to moving to Jennings. She was a retired insurance underwriter and a member of the Iglesia Cristiana Alfa y Omega Church in Live Oak.
Survivors include: two daughters, Maria del Pilar Gonzales of Orlando and Gloria Maria Quinones of Jennings; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted at 10 a.m., Feb. 6, in the chapel of Suwannee Funeral Home, with the Rev. Angel L. Perez, officiating. Interment
followed in Live Oak Cemetery.
Suwannee Funeral Home, Live Oak, was in charge of all arrangements.
Obituary for the Branford News, February 12, 2004 issue
Sammy L. Strickland
Sammy L. Strickland, 83, of Branford passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Feb. 3. A native of Tabor City, NC, he lived most of his life in Jacksonville. His wife of 60 years, Jessie D. Strickland, preceded him in death on October 27, 2002.
Mr. Strickland was a member of the First Baptist Church in Branford. He was a deacon for many years at Central Baptist Church, Jacksonville, where he was a Sunday School teacher and very active in the youth programs.
Mr. Strickland was an accomplished welder, working on many projects in the Jacksonville area. He retired as foreman of the welding department at S & S Metal, owned by Bobby and Garland Strickland.
He was a talented musician and played several instruments, including the banjo, guitar, and bass fiddle. His band, "Sammy Strickland and The Sons of Dixie" performed live on radio and during the 1950s, was one of the first country and western bands to perform on TV in the Jacksonville area.
Survivors include his only daughter, Chris Daniel (Charlie) of Branford; three grandchildren: Chuck Daniel (Kay) Lake City; Debra D. Keith of Sanford; and Melinda D. Flint of Ft. Lauderdale and two great grandchildren, Brandon P. Fletcher and Sean R. Fletcher both of Sanford. Of 13 siblings, one sister, Lou Hutchinson, Colee Cove survives. Also surviving is a special nephew, Cecil Meares (Dot) of Jacksonville and their son, Robin (Robyn), along with several nephews, nieces, and cousins in Jacksonville and North Carolina.
Visitation was at Daniels Funeral Home in Branford from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 5, 2004. Graveside services and interment
followed at Greenlawn Cemetery, 4300 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville at 1 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 6. 2004 with Rev. Terry Gore officiating.
Arrangements by Daniels Funeral Home of Branford.
Obituary for the Jasper News, February 12, 2004 issue
Nancy Bennett Westberry Curls
Nancy Bennett Westberry Curls died February 1, 2004 at the Gulf Coast Medical Center in Panama City. She was born October 27, 1919 to the late W. (Toby) Bennett and Harriet Griffis Bennett in Statenville, GA. A devoted wife, mother, homemaker, grandmother and great-grandmother. She had a wonderful sense of humor and was a friend to all who knew her. She loved gardening and fishing. She was the widow of the late Glen Westberry of Statenville, GA., and the late C. C. Curls of Alachua. Her home was in Alachua, before moving to Panama City Beach, in 2000. She is survived by two sons, Bob Westberry and wife, Beverly of Panama City Beach, and Billy Westberry and wife, Pauline, of Lakeland; six grandchildren, Bobby Glen and wife Connie Westberry, Chattanooga, TN., Brenda Westberry, Bettina Hare and husband, Robert of Panama City Beach, Danny R. Westberry and Bobby Norman Westberry of Charleston, SC., Terra Lynn Westberry of Lakeland; seven great-grandchildren, Alisia Hare of Panama City Beach, Billy Chase Morrison and Jeffery Tyler Westberry, Lakeland, Patrick, Matthew, Aubrey and Warner Westberry, Charleston, SC.; nephews, Murphy Bennett, Jr., and Rudolph Bennett, Jacksonville,, G. W. Bennett and Will Bennett, Winter Haven, Earl Bennett, Lakeland, Jerry Bennett, Lake Wales, Buddy Bennett, Bryceville, Bobby Bennett, Daytona Beach, Roosevelt Bennett, Lake Park, GA., Alfred Bennett, Jesup, GA., Dewey Starling, Sugar Hill, GA., James Bennett, Brooklet, GA., Jay Bennett, Lakewood, Co., Walter Bennett, Apopka, and Lucky Bennett, Baldwin, nieces, Mae Kitchens, Gasden, AL., Pearl Smith, Boca Raton, Johnnie Ruth McGee, Lakeland, Harriett Holcomb, Jacksonville, Virginia Harrison, Winter Haven, Shirley Danford, Mobile, AL., Linda Gail Bennett, Winter Haven, Jewell B. Sapp and Eula Mae S. Lewis, Jennings, Carolyn B. Gritz, Jasper, Magalene S. Dowling, Lake Park, GA., Jean Ward, Lakeland, Inez Fairchild, Lake Wales, Robbie Bennett and Betty Faye Bennett, Bradenton, Daisy Sutton, Homerville, AL, Aline Lawson, Apopka, Maxine Bennett, Baldwin, Betty Ann Thompson, St. Mary, GA. and Margaret Bennett, Stockton, GA. She is also survived by one brother-in-law, Clinton and his wife, Louise Westberry, Sanderson, and two sisters-in-law, Edith Westberry, Bradenton, and Ann Bennett, DuPont, GA. She is predeceased by one grandson, Johnny Westberry six brothers and their wives, Tom and Vercie Bennett, John and Sudie Bennett, Clifford and Ida Bennett, Jim and Mary Bennett, T. G. and Mozell Bennett, Mitchel Bennett; four sisters and two brothers-in-law, Lennie Bell Jackson, Pricilla Bennett, Hattie and Ed Starling, Pinkie Mae and Charlie Zanders; nine nephews, Sam Bennett, J. T. Bennett, Wallace Bennett, Hollis Bennett, Cleo Bennett, W. C. Bennett, Mitch Bennett, O. J. Starling and Joe Zanders; four nieces, Thelma, Gracie Mae, Katie Lee and Dorothy.
Graveside service were held on Saturday, Feb. 7 at Statenville Cemetery with Rev. Chris McCain officiating.
Harry T. Reid Funeral Home, Jasper, FL was in charge of arrangements.
Obituary for the Mayo Free Press, February 12, 2004 issue
Q. D. Bell
Mrs. Q. D. Bell, age 88, died Sunday, February 8, 2004 at Lafayette Health Care Center in Mayo, Florida. A native of Jasper, she had lived in Lafayette County since 1940. Mrs. Bell worked at Lafayette County School System as lunchroom manger for over 20 years, and had also worked 8 years as lunch room manager at Advent Christian Village Nursing Home in Dowling Park. She was a member of Brewer Lake Baptist Church. Her husband of 17 years, Richard Dennis Bell, a son Lee R. Bell, and a daughter, Kona Combass, preceded her in death.
Survivors include: 2 sons, Herbert Bell of Orlando, and Doyle Bell and his wife Zelda of Day; 2 daughters, Dorothy Folsom Worley and her husband Frank of Mayo, and Avie Lee Revels and husband Doyle of St. Mary's GA; 25 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren, 1 great- great grandchild, and a host of nieces and nephews and good friends.
Services were held at Brewer Lake Baptist Church in Day, on Wednesday, February 11, 2004 at 2 p.m., with Rev. John Bracken, and Mrs. Bell's grandson, Rev. Ronnie Combass, officiating. Interment
followed at Day Cemetery. Family received friends at Burns Chapel in Mayo on Tuesday from 7 until 9 p.m.
Joe P. Burns Funeral Home was in charge of all arrangements.
