Barbara Koteles
Barbara Koteles, wife and best friend of George Koteles for 44 years of marital support, rest in peace with no more pain.
A skilled needlepointer, homemaker and a lover of the seashore, at age 66 she succumbed to complications of ovarian cancer and kidney failure.
She is survived by her husband; daughter, Tamara Whitley; granddaughter, Carmen Whitley; son, Geoffrey; and brothers, Barry, Bart and Brian.
Formerly of Newport Beach, Calif., she then found a new home and friendships in Niceville, Fla.
Donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or to Hospice of Northwest Florida.
To her many friends, supportive skilled health professionals, the many who prayed for her good, I express my deepest thanks. George Koteles.
Benjamin Harris Anderson
Senior Master Sgt. Benjamin Harris "Andy" Anderson, U.S. Air Force retired, of Destin, Fla., went to be with his Jesus on Monday morning, Aug. 16, 1999.
Mr. Anderson was born on Oct. 28, 1942, in Jacksonville, Fla., to the late William and Florence Steger Anderson. Senior Master Sgt. Anderson served 20 years as a highly decorated air traffic controller and was a veteran of both Korea and Vietnam. His latest employer was the Sandestin Resort.
Mr. Anderson was preceded in death by his brother, William "Bill" Anderson. He is survived by his four children, Diana K. Bowden and husband Bo of Tacoma, Wash., William M. Anderson and his fianc�e Jane of Hope Mills, N.C., David L. Anderson and wife Kelly of Pensacola, Fla., and John Benjamin Anderson and wife Jody of Gainesville, Fla.; brother, Robert L. Anderson and wife Marianne of Jacksonville, Fla.; sisters, Judith F. Wilder and husband Elvin of Lake City, Fla., and Zena E. Bancroft and husband Bruce of Milan, Mich.; and grandchildren, Joshua Ethan Bowden, Gillian Marie Anderson and John Wallace Anderson.
The family will receive friends at McLaughlin Mortuary from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Funeral services will be conducted at McLaughlin Mortuary Chapel at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, with Mr. Robert L. Anderson officiating. Interment, with full military honors, will follow in Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Fla., beginning at 2 p.m. Family and friends will meet at the cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Bay Medical Hospice, 155 Crystal Beach Drive, Destin, FL 32541.
McLaughlin Mortuary, 17 Chestnut Ave., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., entrusted with arrangements.
William Hoyt Hartley
William "Willie" Hoyt Hartley, age 46, of Shalimar, Fla., passed away in Raleigh, Miss., on Monday, Aug. 16, 1999.
Mr. Hartley was born on Aug. 2, 1953, in Midland, Texas, and was a longtime resident of the Fort Walton Beach, Fla., area, moving here from Millry, Ala. He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War from 1971 to 1974. Through his work as a horizontal oil drilling superintendent, he traveled to Syria, Egypt, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida. Simultaneously, while employed with Geo Southern Energy Corp. he was employed with Rolling Areas Retirement Center in Raleigh, Miss., where he was working as safety supervisor at the center.
He was a Master Mason of Cohay Lodge 574 in Raleigh, Miss., and active with Boy Scout Troop 512, Cub Scout Pack 512, both of Shalimar, and Shalimar baseball, football and soccer little leagues. He was the pillar of his family and a true friend to all.
Mr. Hartley is survived by his wife, Sharon L. Hartley; sons, Paul M. Raslevich, William H. Hartley II and Edward L. Hartley, all of Shalimar; father, Bill Hartley of Millry; mother, Peggy Reynolds of Millry; brother, Terri Hartley and wife Aline of Millry; sister, LuAnne Williams and husband Russell of Silas, Ala.; sister, Renee McIllwain and husband Tommy of Silas; numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews; and many other extended family members.
Funeral services will be conducted at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20, at Emerald Coast Funeral Home Chapel. A Masonic service will be given at this time by Alpha Lodge 172 of Fort Walton Beach. Interment will follow in Beal Memorial Cemetery.
The family will greet friends at the funeral home from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Masons.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road N.E., Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
William Paul Horton Jr.
Lt. Col. William Paul Horton Jr. of Destin, Fla., passed away suddenly on Aug. 18, 1999, at 12:30 a.m. at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center.
Paul worked as senior test engineer for the Army Missile Command, Patriot Project Office in Huntsville, Ala., before retiring to Destin in 1984. Mr. Horton served in the Army obtaining the rank of lieutenant colonel Army Reserves.
Paul was a 74-year-old man who loved reading, sports, and especially his grandchildren. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Destin.
Survivors include his widow, Betty Ann Harper Horton; son, William Paul Horton III of Montgomery, Ala.; daughter, Angelia Horton Hanson of Huntsville, Ala.; brother, Col. George C. Horton of Houston; Coach Clyde Horton, Little Rock, Ark.; sister, Katrine McFaden of Houston; grandchildren, Mikelyn Horton, Shelley Horton, Holly Hanson, Luke Hanson, Dana Horton and Joseph Hanson; and brother-in-law, James T. Harper of Florala, Ala.
A visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at McLaughlin Mortuary.
Graveside services will take place at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20, in Greenwood Cemetery in Florala, Ala.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to First Baptist Church of Destin Building Fund.
McLaughlin Mortuary, 17 Chestnut Ave., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., entrusted with arrangements.
Gladys Mitchell Snyder
Gladys Mitchell Snyder, age 73, of Navarre, Fla., died Aug. 16, 1999, in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at Beggs Funeral Home, Madison Chapel. Burial will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Madison, Fla.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20, at Beggs Chapel in Madison.
Mrs. Snyder was a native of Hellertown, Pa., and lived in Navarre since 1998. She was a member of Navarre Church of Christ and a homemaker.
Survivors include her son, Paul Snyder and wife Valorie of Navarre; brothers, Paul Mitchell of Tuckertown, Pa., Ramond Mitchell of Perkasle, Pa., and Robert Mitchell of Sellersville, Pa.; sisters, Evelyn Deose of Allentown, Pa., Martha Roberts of Sellersville, and Helen Emrich of Nowitle, Iowa; and five grandchildren.
Beggs Funeral Home, Madison, is in charge of arrangements.
James Irving Melvin
James Irving Melvin, age 77, of Westville, Fla., died Wednesday, Aug. 18, 1999, in Niceville, Fla.
Born on Feb. 13, 1922, in Holmes County, Fla., he was the son of the late Carleton Alexander and Ruby Lee Newton Melvin. Mr. Melvin was a retired steel worker. Coming from Charleston, S.C., he had lived in the Westville area since 1986. He was Methodist by faith. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, was retired from Charleston Naval Shipyard, was an avid gardener and fisherman, and he was also a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Mr. Melvin was preceded in death by his first wife, Pansy L. York Melvin. Mr. Melvin is survived by his wife of 10 years, Minnie Melvin of Westville; sons, James C. Melvin of Crestview, Fla., and Steven Melvin of Belvedere, S.C.; daughters, Carol Dewitt of Elgin, S.C., Lani Madison of Elgin, Catherine McCoury of Marianna, Fla., and Pat Gilbert of Charleston, S.C.; brothers, Jerry Melvin and Frank Melvin; sisters, Frances Napier and Margaret Andosca; numerous grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 20, at Comander Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Bill Young and Phil McMillian officiating. Burial will follow in Hatcher Cemetery, Freeport, Fla. Mr. Melvin's grandsons will serve as pallbearers.
A time of visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Comander Funeral Home Chapel.
Flowers are acceptable, or memorial gifts may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 1101 N. Lake Destiny Road, No. 415, Maitland, FL 32751-7105.
Comander Funeral Home, DeFuniak Springs, Fla., is in charge of arrangements.
Norma Crawford Kirk
Norma Crawford Kirk, age 70, of Gordo, Ala., passed away Tuesday, Aug. 17, 1999, after a brief but brave struggle against a malignant brain tumor.
Her speech was affected somewhat during the last few weeks but her brilliant smile, twinkling eyes and genuine warmth never waned.
She will be missed terribly by those she leaves behind, including her mother, Sylvia Crawford of Demopolis, Ala.; daughter, Karen Kirk-Williams and husband Charles, and grandson Taylor Kirk, all of Niceville, Fla.; sister, Joyce Dodson of Roswell, Ga. She will also be missed by her brother and sisters-in-law, A.T. and Billie Kirk of Northport, Ala., and Peggy Guy of Gordo, as well as her nieces and nephews and many, many friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John Robert Kirk of Gordo; father, C.T. Crawford of Demopolis; and niece, Christie Dodson of Roswell.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday at Stabler-Robbins Funeral Home Chapel in Reform, Ala. There will be a brief graveside service following as she is buried beside her husband, John Kirk, at Beaver Dam Cemetery outside of Gordo. The Rev. Bill Etheridge of Fayette will officiate.
The family wishes to thank the doctors, nurses and staff of Druid City Hospital and Northport Rehabilitation Hospital for their care and compassion and for the many friends who sent cards and flowers or expressed their care and concern in so many other ways. The family also wishes to express their sincere gratitude to Dr. Givhan, Dr. Lopez, Dr. Dishuck and Dr. Helm, and ICU nurses Ren Lesley and LaDonna Hightower, Debbie Sims and Renae Malone for their skill and compassion at such a difficult time. Her family will always be grateful for the many years of conscientious care by her primary physician, Dr. John Brandon of Gordo.
Norma Crawford Kirk was born in Livingston, Ala., and grew up in Livingston and Demopolis. She was a cheerleader at Livingston University, where she met and married John Kirk. They spent 25 years away from "home," living in Louisiana, North Carolina, Georgia and Texas, before returning to Gordo in 1973. They built a home in the Kirk community, finishing most of the inside of the house themselves, learning as they went, and planted hundreds of azaleas and other plants to turn their yard into a springtime showplace. Later, she started Norma's Nursery because of her love of gardening, and still managed to have time for painting portraits, still lifes and landscapes, as well as designing and making clothes. She leaves behind a legacy of her creative talents, and her warm smile and sweet nature will be missed by all who knew her.
Pallbearers are Kirk Guy, Scott Guy, Gary Guy, Terry Jacobs, Todd Malone and Jeremy Kelley. Honorary pallbearers are A.T. Kirk and Dr. John Brandon.
Stabler-Robbins Funeral Home, Reform, is in charge of arrangements.
Pauline Poka
Pauline Poka, age 81, of Mary Esther, Fla., died Sunday, Aug. 15, 1999, in a hospital in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Mrs. Poka was born on Feb. 4, 1918, to Stephen and Alexandria Yadlowsky in Ralway, N.J. She lived in the southern Florida area before moving to Mary Esther 20 years ago. She was a Jehovah's Witness by faith and a member of the Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall in Fort Walton Beach. She was a devoted servant of Jehovah God with the hope of His promise of everlasting life.
Mrs. Poka was preceded in death by a son, Stephen A. Poka Jr. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Stephen Poka of Destin, Fla.; sons, Richard A. Poka and wife Dolores of Tallahassee, Fla., Robert "Bob" Poka and wife Debbie of DeFuniak Springs, Fla., Nathan John Poka of Mary Esther; sisters, Marion Lucas of Niceville, Fla., Anna Andrews of Ormond Beach, Fla., and Alice Van Bramer of Woodridge, N.J.; grandchildren, Robb Poka, Timothy Poka, Lori Gregg, all of Tallahassee, Fla., and Candace Poka of DeFuniak Springs; and six great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at Jehovah's Witness Kingdom Hall, 216 N.W. Jonquil Ave., Fort Walton Beach, with Tom Goldsmith officiating.
A time of visitation will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday at Clary-Godwin Funeral Home, 230 Park Ave., DeFuniak Springs.
Clary-Godwin Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Willene H. Bullock
Willene H. Bullock, age 70, passed away Thursday, Aug. 19, 1999, in a local hospital.
Survivors include her husband, Don Bullock; daughter and son-in-law, Sue and Jerry Madden; grandson, Kevin Madden; stepdaughters, Irene Pogue of Cleveland, Tenn., and Carolyn Fowler of Dothan, Ala.; stepson, Don Bullock of Dothan; eight grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at Holt Assembly of God Church.
Friends may call at the funeral home from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday.
Whitehurst Funeral Home, Crestview, is in charge of arrangements.
Howard H. Brooks
Howard H. Brooks, 77, of Fort Walton Beach, passed away peacefully in his sleep Aug. 20, 1999.
Mr. Brooks moved to this area in 1961 from Seymour, Ind., and retired from civil service at Eglin Air Force Base in 1985.
He was a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Engineers.
He was also an active member and two-term local president of the local chapter of the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society.
Mr. Brooks was a devoted husband and father, a veteran of WWII and a hardworking and gentle man, a real tribute to his country.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Cora O. Brooks, on July 7, 1998.
Survivors include his sons, Charles M. Brooks and his wife Jerrilyn of Tucson, Ariz; Donald W. Brooks and his wife Bridget of Niceville, Fla.; sisters, Geneva Henthorne and Bessie Palmer, both of Seymour, Ind.; grandchildren, Kelly Brooks of Tucson, Ariz., James Rimkus of Niceville, Anne Rimkus of Gainesville, Fla., Victoria Johnson of Niceville, and Chaunda Brooks of Tallahassee, Fla.; one great-grandson, Brent Johnson of Niceville.
Family will receive friends Sunday evening from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at McLaughlin Mortuary. Funeral Services will be conducted from McLaughlin Mortuary on Aug. 23, 1999, at 1 p.m. with the Rev. Tom Farley officiating. Interment will follow in Beal Memorial Cemetery.
