Roy Thomas King
Roy Thomas King died peacefully at his home Thursday, Jan. 20, 2000, at the age of 97.
His wife, Jessie Priscilla, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his daughter, Vivian King Ash and husband John Ash of Mobile, Ala., three grandchildren, John Thomas Ash of Raymond, Miss., James Morgan Ash of Shreveport, La., Michael Morgan Ash of Cary, N.C., and Margaret Ash Rushing of Mobile; 14 great-grandchildren; six great-great-grandchildren; nephew, Charles H. King Jr. and wife Lyle of DeFuniak Springs, Fla.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Mr. King was born on Dec. 26, 1902. He attended Walton High School and Palmer College. He was a partner in King & Co. in DeFuniak Springs from the mid-1920s through 1985, when he retired. He was a member of First Baptist Church of DeFuniak Springs and served as an usher for several years. He was noted for his ethics, his fine penmanship and his precise business records. He disliked crowds, but loved people.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed the later avocation into his 90s. He greatly enjoyed reading, and during his later years spent most of his time absorbed in his books. His courtesy, concern for others, wit, alacrity, appreciative nature and good spirits persisted through the final days of his life. He was a benchmark for gentlemen.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday at Comander Funeral Home with Dr. Bob Jay and the Rev. Danny Taylor officiating. Burial will follow in Magnolia Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the American Cancer Society.
Comander Funeral Home, DeFuniak Springs, is in charge of arrangements.
Alice E. Hunter
Mrs. Alice E. Hunter, 64, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., passed away early Saturday morning, Jan. 22, 2000, at her residence after living with cancer since 1997.
Mrs. Hunter was born Oct. 15, 1935, in St. Louis, Mo. She joined the U.S. Air Force in 1956. Upon completion of Basic Training, she was stationed at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, where she finished secretarial training and met her husband, Bill Hunter.
They were married and moved to Fort Walton Beach where they established Hunter Machine and The Creative Corner Craft Shop.
Mrs. Hunter is preceded in death by her husband, William H. Hunter; father, Henry G. Tapy; mother, Juanita M. Tapy Kemp; sister, Marie A. Kemp; and grandson, Matthew George.
She is survived by her children, Scott A. Hunter and wife Penny, James M. Hunter and wife Suzie, Diana L. George and husband David; grandchildren, Rusty Morrison, Suzie Morrison, Allan Hunter, Nicole Hunter, Samantha George, Joseph George, Zachary Green, Lisa Durnell, Suzie Durnell, Ryan Durnell and William Hunter. Other family members include sisters Virginia Tapy, Dorothy Tapy, Audrey Verble, Wanda Shipley and husband John, Caroline Breneiser; brother, Henry Tapy and wife Marie; aunt, Olga Washaw; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Funeral services for Mrs. Hunter will be held Jan. 24, 2000, at 11 a.m. in the Emerald Coast Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Martin J. Scheele of Risen Savior Lutheran Church in Navarre officiating. Interment will follow in Beal Memorial Cemetery.
The family will greet friends at the funeral home Sunday, Jan. 23, 2000, from 3 p.m. until 5 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Risen Savior Lutheran church Building Fund, 9664 Navarre Parkway, Navarre, FL 32566, in memory of Mrs. Alice E. Hunter.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road NE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547, is in charge of the arrangements.
Ibbie Jean Hinote (Boone) Reese
Ibbie Jean Hinote (Boone) Reese, 91, of Crestview, Fla., passed away Thursday night, Jan. 20, 2000, in a local hospital.
Mrs. Reese was born April 16, 1908, in Milligan, Fla., to Tom and Willow Hinote. She attended the Crestview Church of Christ.
Mrs. Reese was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William H. Reese; a son, Lawrence E. Boone; and a half-sister, Edna Grimes.
Survivors include two grandchildren, Stewart Sentiger of Massachusetts and Lynda Jean Raugust of California; four great-grandchildren; her caregiver, Claudia Patton of Crestview; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Monday, Jan. 24, 2000, at 2 p.m. from the Crestview Church of Christ with Mr. Roger Dill and Mr. Trey Poole officiating. Burial will follow in the Live Oak Park Memorial Cemetery.
Friends may call at the church one hour prior to the service.
Brackney Funeral Service, Crestview, is in charge of the arrangements.
Leona B. Cribbs
Leona B. Cribbs, 81, of Dorcas, Fla., passed away Friday night, Jan. 21, 2000.
She was born in Quincy, Fla., and had been a resident of Okaloosa County, Fla., most of her life. Mrs. Cribbs was Baptist by faith.
She was preceded in death by her husband, McKinley Cribbs.
Survivors include seven children, Cora LaFata, Floyd Cribbs, Ralph Cribbs, Martha Braun, Herman Cribbs, James Cribbs and Colleen Hicks; four sisters; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held Monday, Jan. 24, 2000, at 4 p.m. from the Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church with the Rev. Don Smith officiating.
Brackney Funeral Service, Crestview, is in charge of the arrangements.
James Huff Gordy
Mr. James "Jimmy" Huff Gordy, 84, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., passed away Wednesday morning, Jan. 19, 2000, in a local hospital.
Mr. Gordy was born Nov. 16, 1916, in Greenville, S.C., to the late James Forsythe and Ann Huff Gordy.
Jimmy graduated from Georgia Tech in 1938, with a degree in Civil Engineering. While attending Georgia Tech he was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. He remained an active alumnus of Georgia Tech and Pi Kappa Phi.
Jimmy was also authorized as a Designated Certified Safety Professional by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.
Mr. Gordy was a member of the Greenfield Malta Masonic Lodge 400, Columbia York Bodies, Yarrab Temple, Atlanta Northlake Elks Lodge #78 and the American Society of Safety Engineers. He was also a member of the Second Ponce de Leon Baptist Church in Atlanta.
Mr. Gordy is survived by his wife, Floria Virginia Gordy of Fort Walton Beach.
Funeral services will be held Sunday, Jan. 23, 2000, in Arlington Cemetery in Atlanta, under the direction of H.M. Patterson and Sons Funeral Home, Arlington Chapel, 173 Allen Road NE, Atlanta, GA 30328.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road NE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547 is in charge of the local arrangements.
Harve Norris Manuel
Harve Norris Manuel, 78, of Niceville, Fla., died suddenly at his residence Thursday, Jan. 20, 2000.
He was born Sept. 7, 1921, in Cordova, Ala., son of the late Harvey W. Manuel and Velma L. Man-uel.
He was an Eagle Scout and served in the W.P.A. Civilian Conservation Corps, the U.S. Army Air Corps in B-17s and B-24s during World War II, and in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
He retired from the Air Force in 1969 as a Master Sergeant. A T-33 (F-80) drone aircraft from Eglin Air Force Base, on which he was the last crew chief, is on display next to Highway 85 at Florala State Park, Florala, Ala.
Following retirement from the U.S. Air Force, he worked for the Niceville Police Department, and in the local hardware business. He loved woodworking and he was an avid fisherman his entire life, enjoying the peace and solitude of the outdoors.
He was preceded in death by an infant brother in 1913 and sister, Willard Lee Manuel Henline in 1995.
Mr. Manuel is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Sara Manuel; four sons, Kenneth L. Manuel and wife Gail (Ward) of Mooresville, N.C., William Thomas Manuel and wife Gail (Streit) of Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., Michael N. Manuel and wife Patricia (Brewster) of Grand Prairie, Texas, and Billy K. Manuel of California; six grandchildren, Ryan Hooks, Christina Manuel, Melissa Manuel, Brian Manuel, Christopher Manuel and Scott Manuel; and many numerous friends, including special friend, Jimmy Hooks.
The family will receive friends at the McLaughlin Twin Cities Funeral Home in Niceville Monday, Jan. 24, 2000, from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
Funeral services will be held at the McLaughlin Twin Cities Chapel Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2000, at 10 a.m. with Pastors David Isaac and Lev Humphreys officiating.
Interment with full military honors will follow at the Liveoak Memorial Park Cemetery in Crestview, Fla.
Floral contributions are accepted or memorial contributions may be made to the Boy Scouts of America, Gulf Coast Council, 9440 University Parkway, Pensacola, FL 32514, of to the World War II Veterans Memorial Fund.
McLaughlin Twin Cities Funeral Home, Niceville, entrusted with the arrangements.
Maxine Coffee
Maxine Coffee, 78, of McAlester, Okla., died Saturday, Jan. 22, 2000.
She and her husband, Leon Pete Coffee, owned and operated a caf� and grocery stores in Oklahoma and California before retirement.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Pete Coffee in 1999 and a daughter and son-in-law, Sue Anne and Stephen Nowicki in 1995.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Dr. Larry L. and Patricia Coffee of Shalimar, Fla., and a granddaughter and husband, Bethany and Alvin McConkey of Tallahassee, Fla.
Funeral services will be Monday, Jan. 24, 2000, at 2 p.m. at Bishop Funeral Home Chapel with burial in Oak Hill Cemetery.
John James White
John James White, 46, of Niceville, Fla., passed away Friday, Jan. 21, 2000, at the Twin Cities Hospital in Niceville.
John retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Staff Sergeant with more than 20 years of service in 1975. He was a veteran of Vietnam.
Mr. White moved here from Alexandria, La., in 1992 and had recently graduated from the Vo-Tech Institute in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Shirley White; his sons, Shannon James White and Shon Kristopher White, all of Niceville; six brothers and a sister, Charles White of Deville, La., Theresa Odom of Elizabeth, La., Danny White of Deville, Leroy White of Ball, La., Louis White of Waldron, Ark., Joey White of Houston, and Frankie White of Alexandria; his mother, Faye White of Oakdale, La.; his two half-brothers, Jessie White of Amite, La., and Jimmy White of Oklahoma City, Okla.; and numerous aunts and uncles.
The family will receive friends at the McLaughlin Twin Cities Funeral Home in Niceville Sunday, Jan. 23, 2000, from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.
Mr. White will be taken to the Ardoin's Funeral Home in Oakdale for services and burial in the Reed Cemetery in Allen Parish, La.
McLaughlin Twin Cities Funeral Home, Niceville, entrusted with the local arrangements.
Milton Marion Pearson, Sr.
Mr. Milton Marion Pearson, Sr., age 83, passed away Friday, Jan. 21, 2000, at his home in DeFuniak Springs, Fla.
Born April 5, 1916, in Southport, Fla., he was the youngest of the six children of Marion and Arrie Blanchard Pearson.
After a tour of military service, he later moved to DeFuniak Springs in 1943 and worked at Eglin Air Force Base until his retirement in 1971. Mr. Pearson became a Master Mason on June 27, 1944, which began a devoted dedication to living the high ideals of the order, and he exemplified these ideals for over 55 years of service until his death.
He became a York Rite Mason in 1968 and was a member of Hadji Temple since 1988. Mr. Pearson recognized the values and the high calling of service the Shriners offer to those in need and was instrumental in fulfilling a long needed dream of the Shrine Club for Walton County where he served as vice president. He is the recipient of numerous awards, plaques and pins for his dedication and many years of work and service to various Masonic bodies and was appointed by the Potentate as a permanent Ambassador and served as an Aide.
Mr. Pearson had a deep and abiding love for the Masonic order, for his country, his creator and for his family. He was a devoted husband, father, grand daddy and great-grand daddy. He was a member of Caney Creek Baptist Church.
Mr. Pearson was proceeded in death by two brothers, George and Albert Pearson, and by two sisters, Annie Mae Hobbs Hurst and Gladys Maloney.
Mr. Pearson is survived by his wife of 63 years, Lora Pearson of DeFuniak Springs; two sons and their wives, Bruce Pearson and wife Joyce of Pensacola, Fla., and Milton Pearson, Jr. and wife Sara Nell of DeFuniak Springs; one sister, Vesta Baker of Pensacola; four grandchildren, Sonya Alford and husband Alex, Tonya Davis and husband Pete, Kim Odell and husband Mike and Greg Pearson and wife Tona; and six great-grandchildren, Jeremy Davis, Allie and Hayden Alford, Corey Odell and Mikaela and Morgan Pearson.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 24, 2000, at Caney Creek Baptist Church with the Rev. Raymond Williams and David Amason officiating. Masonic graveside services will follow in Caney Creek Cemetery. Jerry Evans Funeral Home of DeFuniak Springs is in charge of the arrangements.
Theo Dreading
Theo Dreading, age 80, of Crestview, Fla., passed away Saturday night, Jan. 22, 2000, at her home. She was born in Pensacola, Fla., and was a life-long resident of Okaloosa County.
Mrs. Dreading was the daughter of Dave E. Gordon and Amy Ola Griffith Gordon, both pioneer families in North Okaloosa County. She was a graduate of Baker High School.
Mrs. Dreading was employed by the Okaloosa County School Board for over 30 years before her retirement. She was a member of the Antioch Baptist Church, was an avid fisher and enjoyed her family and friends.
She was proceeded in death by her parents, her husband George W. Dreading, and two brothers, Gile and Elwood Gordon.
Mrs. Dreading is survived by four children and their spouses, Amy Jo and Hank Berry, Theresa and Gary Arnold and Melody Dreading, all of Crestville, Fla., and Merlin and Betty Barnhill of Holt, Fla.; five grandchildren, Julie Lee and Jim Brown, George Lee, Chad and Becky Arnold, Kristi and Jason Henderson and Lisa Berry; five great-grandchildren, Jordan and Johanna Brown, Joseph Lee and Megan and Chance Owen; special friend Mae Cain; and two nephews, Dave and Walter Gordon.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday Jan. 25, at the Chapel of Brackney Funeral Service with the Revs. Jim Jordon, Donnie Cadenhead and Ray Wilson officiating. Burial will follow in the Antioch Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 24, 2000, at the funeral home. Brackney Funeral Service in Crestview is in charge of the arrangements.
