Obituaries for the Suwannee Democrat, March 3, 2004 issue
Sidney Lamar Roberson
Sidney Lamar Roberson, 72, of Winter Haven, passed away Feb. 29, 2004, in his home after a short illness. Born and raised in Jasper, he moved to West Palm Beach, then later moved to Winter Haven 14 years ago, retiring from Palm Beach County as a supervisor. He was known in this community for selling fruit out of his red Dodge pickup. Roberson was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include: his wife, Yvonne Roberson, Winter Haven; four daughters, Ronnie Scott, Pflugersville, Texas; Cathy Roberson, West Palm Beach, Brenda Odom, Humble, Texas and Tina Ashworth, Port St. Lucie; one son, Stephen Roberson, Lake Wales; two step-daughters, Gwen Etheridge, Winter Haven and Glenda Keath, Melbourne; two step-sons, Allen Gore, Winter Haven and Johnny Keath, Auburndale; one brother, Lonnie Roberson, Deltona; six sisters, Betty Bass, Live Oak, Lillie Mae Beckner, Oldsmar, Linda Boyd, Live Oak, Gladys Brown, Hiawassee, Ga., Dottie Chauncey, Live Oak and Faye Parsons, Live Oak; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by: his first wife, Betty Roberson; his mother, Myrtie Mae Roberson; and a brother, Bill Roberson.
Services will be conducted at 11 a.m., March 3, at Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. on Wednesday before services.
Daniels Funeral Home of Live Oak is in charge of local arrangements.
Donald Fisher
Donald Fisher, 66, of Neptune Beach, passed away Feb. 21, 2004 in his home after a brief illness. He was born in St. Louis, Mo., moved to Neptune Beach from Maryland 15 years ago, worked as an analyst in the computer field, was a U.S. Air Force veteran, a member of American Legion Post No. 0316 and was of Methodist faith.
Survivors include: his mother, Mildred L. Gill, Live Oak; one sister, Sandi Thompson, Jacksonville; one step-sister, Tonya Belinda Gill, Jacksonville; two step-brothers, Stan Gill, Jacksonville and Andy Gill, Atlanta, Ga.; six nieces and nephews, Danny and Eric Rushing, Brittany Thompson and Tony Leigh, Andrew E. and Brad S. Gill, all of Jacksonville.
Memorial services were conducted at 3 p.m., Feb. 27, at Daniels Memorial Chapel, Live Oak, with the Rev. Jim Robinett officiating. In lieu of flowers, family requested donations be made to the American Cancer Society, 2119 S.W. 16th Street, Gainesville, FL 32608.
Daniels Funeral Home of Live Oak was in charge of all arrangements.
Elmer W. Fortner Sr.
Elmer W. Fortner Sr., 81, of Mayo, passed away Feb. 28, 2004 in the V.A. Medical Center after a short illness. The Suwannee County native was a life-long resident of Live Oak. He was a retired police officer for the Live Oak Police Department, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, a member of the Blue Knights Chapter No. 20 of Live Oak, a member of the North Florida Road Riders, Lake City, a member of the Rambling Sams Motor Home Club, Live Oak and was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include: his wife, Odell Fortner, Mayo; two daughters, Karon Tucker and Terry and Bob Wallace, both of Live Oak; one son, Elmer W. "Bill" and Sherrin Fortner Jr., Mayo; one brother, David Fortner, Live Oak; seven grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., March 1, at the Pine Level Baptist Church wit the Rev. Al Donovan and the Rev. J.H. Brown officiating. Interment
followed in the Pine Level Baptist Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Pine Level Cemetery Fund, 11885 217th Road, Live Oak, FL 32060.
Daniels Funeral Home of Live Oak was in charge of all arrangements.
Obituaries for the Suwannee Democrat, March 5, 2004 issue
Covie Berry Strickland Sr.
Covie Berry Strickland Sr., 79, passed away March 2, 2004 in Lake City. A native of Olustee, coming from Jacksonville, he had lived in Live Oak for the past two years. He was a Baptist by faith and a carpenter by trade. Strickland served in the U.S. Army and was a World War II veteran. Strickland was a member of the DAV, the American Legion, Order of the Moose, all in Lake City and the Carpenters Union. He enjoyed fishing in his spare time. His son Covie Berry Strickland II preceded him in death.
Survivors include: two sons, Charles Strickland and wife Ginger of Greensboro, N.C. and Roy Strickland and wife Kathryn of St. Augustine; four daughters, Mary Rinard and husband Robert Sr. of Port Orange, Nancy Strickland and husband Gregory of Bay St. Louis, Mo., Deborah Strickland of Lake City and Annette Lancaster and husband Craig of Live Oak; 17 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., March 5, at the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Mayo with Brother Louis Berry officiating. Interment
will follow at the church cemetery.
Joe P. Burns Funeral Home of Mayo is in charge of all arrangements.
Marlon Allison
Marlon Allison, 69, of Live Oak, passed away at home Wednesday, March 3, 2004, after a lengthy illness. The Suwannee County native was a member of Antioch Baptist Church. He retired after 29 years with Gold Kist in Live Oak, where he served as both a broiler supervisor and a breeder supervisor. A veteran, he served with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict. He was also a member of Hayward Masonic Lodge No. 45 F&AM.
Survivors include: his wife, Carol Allison of Live Oak; one daughter, Lisa Allison also of Live Oak; one son, Jay Allison of Carrollton, Texas; three grandchildren, Steven (Wendy) Summers, Allison (Neal) Burkett and Jordan Emily Allison; and three great-grandchildren, Kayli Burkett, Eric Summers and Trenna Burkett. He was preceded in death by his sister, Evelyn Ross and his brother, Vernon Allison.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 6, at Antioch Baptist Church. The Rev. Hugh Dampier and the Rev. David McKeithen will officiate.
Interment
will follow in the church cemetery.
Donations may be made to Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, 5203 CR 795, Live Oak, FL 32060.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m., Friday evening, March 5, in the funeral home.
Daniels Funeral Home of Live Oak is in charge of all arrangements.
Obituaries for the Branford News, March 4, 2004 issue
Tucker, William Gordon
William Gordon Tucker, 89, of Lake City, passed away Saturday, Feb. 21 in the Lake City Extended Care Nursing Home after a long illness. The Nashville, GA native was a U. S. Navy Seabees veteran of World War II and was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include his wife, Mary A. Kirby Tucker of Lake City; one daughter, Jeanette A. Sowers, Effingham, IL; one son, William Arthur Tucker, London, England; one brother, Grady W. Tucker, Frankford, WV; seven grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren.
Mr. Tucker was preceded in death by his first wife of 52 years, Dorothy Darley Tucker and son James L. Tucker.
Funeral services were conducted on Friday, Feb. 27 at 11 a.m. at Daniels Funeral Chapel in Branford with Mr. Sam Taylor officiating. Interment
followed in Oak Grove Memorial Cemetery, Branford.
Daniels Funeral Home of Branford was in charge of all arrangements.
Turner, Donald "Duke"
Donald "Duke" Turner, 78, of Branford died Feb. 24. Local services were held Friday, Feb. 27. Survivors include his wife, Peg Turner.
Daniels Funeral Home of Branford was in charge of arrangements.
Obituaries for the Mayo Free Press, March 4, 2004 issue
Elmer W. Fortner
Elmer W. Fortner, Sr., 81, of Mayo, FL, passed away Saturday, February 28, 2004 in the V.A. Medical Center after a short illness. The Suwannee County native was a life long resident of Live Oak, FL. Mr. Fortner was a retired police officer for the Live Oak Police Department. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, a member of the Blue Knights chapter #20 of Live Oak, a member of the North Florida Road Riders, Lake City, a member of the Rambling Sams Motor Home Club, Live Oak, and was of Baptist faith.
Survivors include his wife; Odell Fortner, Mayo, FL; two daughters: Karon Tucker and Terry & Bob Wallace both of Live Oak, FL; one son: Elmer W. "Bill" & Sherrin Fortner, Jr., Mayo, FL; one brother: David Fortner, Live Oak, FL; seven grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held 2 p.m. on Monday, March 1, 2004, at the Pine Level Baptist Church with Rev. Al Donovan and Rev. J. H. Brown officiating. Interment
followed in the Pine Level Baptist Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pine Level Cemetery Fund, 11885 217th Road, Live Oak, FL 32060.
Daniels Funeral Home of Live Oak was in charge of arrangements.
Virginia Ann (Erwin) Henderson
Virginia Ann (Erwin) Henderson, a homemaker, age 72, died Sunday, February 29, 2004 at her residence in Mayo. She was a native of Columbia County. She had lived in Mayo since Dec. 18, 1954. Mrs. Henderson was the daughter of the late William Ralph Erwin and Bessie (Houser) Erwin. She was an active member of the Alton Church of God.
Virginia was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister and daughter. She was an active, hardworking partner in the family farming operation. Survived by her husband of 49 years, Walter Edward Henderson and her mother Bessie Erwin of Mayo.
Other survivors include; (1) son; William Edward "Bill" Henderson and wife Tracey of Mayo, (1) daughter; Cynthia Ann "Cindy" Fernald and husband Tom of Tallahassee, (2) sisters; June Pritt of Tampa, and Nancy Phillips of Clearwater, (1) special nephew; Chad Phillips, (6) grandchildren; Sarah Fernald, Rebecca Fernald of Tallahassee, Austin Henderson, Jacob Henderson, Christian Henderson and Bryan Bush all of Mayo.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, March 3, 2004 at 3:30 p.m. at the Alton Church of God with Rev. Chuck Hodge and Rev. Malcolm Whittington officiating with personal remarks by Mrs. Jonnie Whittington.
Interment
followed at Alton Church cemetery. Family received friends on Tuesday evening from 6-8 p.m. at the Alton Church of God in Mayo.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of North Central (1-800-759-6359) or Alton Church of God building fund.
Joe P. Burns Funeral Home in Mayo was in charge of all the arrangements.
Obituaries for the Jasper News, March 4, 2004 issue
Susie Irene Fennell
Susie Irene Fennell, 70, of Jasper, died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004 in a Tallahassee hospital. Mrs. Fennell was a native of Clinton, TN and had been a resident of Jasper for over 55 years. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church.
Survivors include: Two sons, Clay (Terri) Fennell of Panama City, and Lane Fennell of Jasper; one daughter, Gail (Brian) Carter of Augusta, GA, one brother, Charles Melvin Patterson of Clinton, TN., one sister, Virginia (David) Cummings of Gulfport, MS., four grandchildren, Richard and Michelle Fennell, Marcus and Megan Carter.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Feb. 28 at Calvary Baptist Church with Rev. Wendell Hill officiating.
Interment
followed in Evergreen Cemetery.
Harry T. Reid Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Sidney Lamar Roberson
Sidney Lamar Roberson, 72, of Winter Haven, passed away Feb. 29, 2004, in his home after a short illness. Born and raised in Jasper, he moved to West Palm Beach, then later moved to Winter Haven 14 years ago, retiring from Palm Beach County as a supervisor. He was known in this community for selling fruit out of his red Dodge pickup. Roberson was of the Baptist faith.
Survivors include: his wife, Yvonne Roberson, Winter Haven; four daughters, Ronnie Scott, Pflugersville, Texas; Cathy Roberson, West Palm Beach, Brenda Odom, Humble, Texas and Tina Ashworth, Port St. Lucie; one son, Stephen Roberson, Lake Wales; two step-daughters, Gwen Etheridge, Winter Haven and Glenda Keath, Melbourne; two step-sons, Allen Gore, Winter Haven and Johnny Keath, Auburndale; one brother, Lonnie Roberson, Deltona; six sisters, Betty Bass, Live Oak, Lillie Mae Beckner, Oldsmar, Linda Boyd, Live Oak, Gladys Brown, Hiawassee, Ga., Dottie Chauncey, Live Oak and Faye Parsons, Live Oak; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by: his first wife, Betty Roberson; his mother, Myrtie Mae Roberson; and a brother, Bill Roberson.
Services were conducted March 3, at Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. on Wednesday before services.
Daniels Funeral Home of Live Oak is in charge of local arrangements.
