Michael E. Smith
Michael E. Smith, age 54, faithful servant of the Lord, died peacefully Monday, Oct. 2, 2000, surrounded by family.
Mike was born on Jan. 29, 1946, in Charleston, W.Va., the son of Ivan and Ethel Alderman Smith. He diligently served his country on active duty in the U.S. Air Force, and as a reservist for 30 years. He was a weapons loader, a C-130 gunner, flight engineer and avionics mechanic. The Air Force awarded him the Outstanding Civilian Service Award for his valuable contributions in the field of civil engineering.
Mike is survived by Christina, his wife; Ivan, his father; daughters, Rebecca Godwin, Julia and Aimee; and sons, Michael and John, all of the local area. In addition, he is survived by his brothers, John of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Terry Wayne and sister-in-law Paulette of Atlanta.
An evening prayer vigil was held on Thursday, Oct. 5, at Christ Our Redeemer Catholic Church, 1028 White Point Road in Niceville, Fla. Visitation with family and friends followed from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
On Friday, a Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at the church at 11 a.m. with the Rev. Craig Williams officiating. Mike's body will be laid to rest at Heritage Gardens Cemetery, 2201 North Partin Drive in Niceville, with full military honors.
Flowers will be accepted. However, Mike and his family prefer donations be made to the Kidney Cancer Association, 1234 Sherman Ave., Suite 203, Evanston, IL 60202 (phone 1-800-850-9132) to continue the research and development of therapies to benefit people in situations similar to Mike's.
Dorothy E. Mollenhauer
Dorothy Elizabeth Mollen-hauer, age 74, died Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2000, at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
She was born in Montclair, N.J., daughter of the late Ole and Edna Walters Olsen.
She was a member of Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church; and active in the Coast Guard Auxiliary.
Survivors include her husband of 52 years, Donald James Mollenhauer; son, Donald Mollenhauer and wife Skip of Barhamsville, Ga.; daughters, Nancy Jean Mullen of Destin, Fla., and Susan Diane Raimond of Bowie, Md.; brother, Harold Olsen of St. Augustine, Fla.; and grandchildren, Shawn Marshall Mullen, Nicholas Lee Mollenhauer, and Christopher James Raimond.
Memorials may be made to Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church Building Fund, 1100 Eighth Ave., North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582.
Harold R. Brown Sr.
Harold R. Brown Sr., age 68, of Santa Rosa Beach, Fla., died Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2000.
Harold is survived by his son, Harold R. Brown Jr. of Texas; daughters, Theresa Bozeman and husband Douglas of Santa Rosa Beach, Mary Foreman and husband William of DeFuniak Springs, Fla., and Lyla Brown of Decatur, Ill.; sister, Marge Sterietti of Decatur; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at McLaughlin Mortuary.
Arrangements under the direction of McLaughlin Mortuary, 17 Chestnut Ave., Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Teresita Blanca Shea
Teresita Shea, 77, of Shalimar died peacefully on Oct. 6, 2000.
She was born in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad on Jan. 6, 1923 to Teresa Mata de Marino, and Jesus Salvador Mata Doumolin.
In 1941, she became the bride of James H. Shea, Lieutenant, with the U.S. Army Air Corps. Last August, they celebrated 59 years of marriage. Together, they raised five children, and, being in the Air Force, lived everywhere from Massachusetts to Peru.
Terry was happiest with her children. The family moved to this area in 1957. An enthusiastic cook and host, Terry's love of life spilled into her garden where something was always abloom.
Terry is survived by her loving husband, Jim. She will be dearly missed by her three sons, Daniel of Deerfield Beach, David and Douglas, both of Fort Walton Beach; and her two daughters and their husbands, Deirdre and Carl Wimmer of Mary Esther, and Diana and Howard Minnick of Atlanta, Ga.
Granny will be especially missed by grandchildren Kurt, Michael, Christa, Tabitha, Jann, Shea and Reid.
Roy Lee Jones
Mr. Roy Lee Jones, age 78, of Freeport, Fla., died at his residence on Friday night, Oct. 6, 2000.
Mr. Jones was born in Laurel, Miss., on Nov. 26, 1921. He was the son of Icy Mitchem Jones and Roy Lee Jones Sr. He was employed at Eglin Air Force Base for 34 years. Mr. Jones was an avid hunter and tracker, being called on many times by friends and fellow sportsmen to track a wounded deer. He loved fishing and spent much of his retirement enjoying hunting and fishing.
He was very active with his church Youth Group, and the young people of his church enjoyed camping expeditions he had arranged. He was a member of the Masonic order.
Survivors include his wife, Gladys Brown Jones of Freeport; a daughter, Sandra Lee McCallum of Freeport; two grandsons, Ian McCallum of Oakland, Calif., And Roy Jones IV and his wife, Lisa, of Freeport; one great-grandson, Clayton Jones; and a great-granddaughter, Madysen Jones. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to New Beginnings Church, P.O. Box 1022, Freeport, FL 32439, of which Mr. Jones was a charter member.
Pallbearers will be Tony Gomillion, Howard Suggs, Cliffton Bell Sr., Grover Howard, Glen Caswell, Cliffton Bell Jr., Kale Gomillion and W.L. Billy McLean.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2000, from the chapel of Jerry Evans Funeral Home with the Rev. Louis Taunton and the Rev. Lowery Brown officiating. Mr. Jones will lie in state one hour prior to funeral time, at which time the family will receive visitors.
Jerry Evans Funeral Home, serving Freeport, is in charge of arrangements for Mr. Roy Lee Jones, 78, of Freeport.
Marlene Cromer
Marlene Cromer, age 66, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., joined with God on Oct. 5, 2000.
She was born in Stafford, Kan., on Nov. 20, 1933, to Alberta and Cleo Flanders.
In 1954, she became the bride of Oscar Cromer, U.S. Army. They raised three daughters while in the service.
The family moved to this area in 1967. Marlene was an excellent cook and homemaker. She excelled in painting, stained glass and other artistic pursuits.
She is survived by a loving husband and will be greatly missed by her three daughters, Vickie J. Christian, Janet L. Collins and Michelle A. Pullum; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren, all of this area. Marlene's father preceded her in death. Her mother presently resides in Bushton, Kan.
A celebration of her life will be held at McLaughlin Mortuary, 17 S.E. Chestnut Ave., Fort Walton Beach, on Saturday, Oct. 14, at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Northwest Florida Visionnaires, P.O. Box 444, Shalimar, FL 32579, where she was a volunteer.
Donald H. Duff
Donald H. Duff, age 65, died unexpectedly Saturday morning, Oct. 7, 2000.
Don was born in Connecticut and had been a resident of Navarre, Fla., for 13 years. A great friend and a loving husband, Don will be missed by many people.
He is survived by his wife of 20 years, Dottie Thomas. Don is also survived by a previous marriage, three adult children: Beth, Kevin and Scott.
For those who knew him, Don was gentle, funny and a friend to everyone. His life was one of hard work, but he also took the time to play. He loved golf and his golfing buddies. Don was also a spinning instructor at the downtown YMCA in Pensacola, Fla. He loved physical fitness challenges, and he died while participating in the Santa Rosa Island Triathlon.
As my husband, Don was my best friend, my lover and my life. He is still with me and with his friends. He will be watching over us throughout the rest of our lives. God claimed a wonderful man on Saturday.
Don requested cremation, and that no services be held at this time. There will be a visitation to receive friends on Wednesday evening, Oct. 11, at Lewis Funeral Home Navarre Chapel, from 6 to 8 p.m. At a later date we will have a celebration of Don's life.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be sent to the downtown YMCA, 400 N. Palafox St., Pensacola, Fla.; or to the Okaloosa County Special Olympics, c/o Silver Sands School, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
We ask that his friends remember him as loving them and loving life.
Lewis Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Charlie B. Allred
Charlie B. Allred, loving husband, father, grandfather and friend joined his Lord and Savior to plant the Gardens of Heaven on Oct. 8, 2000.
He was born on Oct. 10, 1916, in Elba, Ala., with not one, but two proverbial "Green Thumbs." Raised in the country, he worked on a farm from an early age and everything he has planted since has flourished three times over.
On Feb. 26, 1938, he married the love of his life, Cola Mae Adkison. Together they raised their sons, Jack Dorsey and Martez Allred.
He received an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army in 1946 after being stationed in Korea. In 1956, while working at Eglin Air Force Base he and his wife moved to Fort Walton Beach, Fla., where they reside to this day.
All his life, hard work was his middle name. From working in the fields to the cotton mill in Opp, Ala. Eglin Air Force Base to the U.S. Postal Service, from which he retired in 1981 after 22 years of service.
Throughout his life he enjoyed spending summers with his grandchildren at the beach, going camping and fishing, traveling in his motor home, dancing with his lovely wife at the senior citizen's dances, playing dominos, planting his gardens and going to Wright Baptist Church, where he was a member.
His parents, Dove and Effie Allred; sisters, Josephine and Irene; his brother, J.D.; and his son, Martez, preceded him in death and now are reunited in Heaven.
He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Cola Mae Allred; stepson and daughter-in-law, Jack and June Dorsey of DeFuniak Springs, Fla.; daughter-in-law, June Allred of Rowlett, Texas; sister and brother-in-law, Kathleen and Leroy Rushing; his grandchildren, Tracey Allred-Ward and Ron Ward of Rowlett, Texas, Chuck Allred of Los Angeles, Penny Viles of Springfield, Mo., Cathy Ayres of Black, Ala., Lisa Lustig of Vernon, Fla., Sandy Dorsey of Panama City, Fla., Jack and Daphne Dorsey Jr. of Graceville, Fla., and Brenda Stidmon of McCurtain, Okla.; his great-grandchildren; his great-great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, friends and relations.
Charlie B. will always be remembered for his strength, loving support and affection by his family and friends. There will be a very large hole in our lives that no other soul will fill.
The family will receive friends from 1 to 2 p.m. Wednesday in the chapel at Wyatt Funeral Home in Opp, with funeral services conducted by the Rev. Bill Pruitt at 2 p.m. Burial will follow in Peaceful Acres Memorial Gardens in Opp.
Betty J. Williams
My beloved wife, Betty J. Williams, left to be with our Lord Jesus Christ on Oct. 9, 2000.
She was the beloved daughter of Roger B. and Effie Mae Williams. Her loss is deeply felt by her two sons and their wives, Larry and Becky Williams, and John Timothy and Tina Williams; her beloved grandchildren, Keith, Kelly and Shawnee; brothers and sisters-in-law, Robert E. and Joyce Williams, William R. and Shirley Williams, and Brannon and Denyce Williams; brothers-in-law, Roy B. Williams, Charles D. Williams, Stanley E. and Chris Williams. She will also be missed by her treasured nieces, nephews, cousins, and her many friends, especially her Tuesday bowling girls.
A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Friday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m. at Destin Methodist Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in her honor to a charity of your choice.
Her love will be with me FOREVER. Her adoring husband, James G. Williams.
Geraldo N. Gemina
Geraldo N. Gemina, age 49, of Crestview, Fla., passed away Monday afternoon, Oct. 9, 2000, in a local hospital.
He was a native of the Philippines and had lived in Crestview for the past eight years.
Survivors include his wife, Editha Gemina; parents, Pedro and Justina Gemina; sons, Arnold, Aaron, Ariel and Arnel; daughters, Sandra, Nanette, Lizcet and Ashley; brothers, Hector, Peter, Roland, Sammy and Felix; sisters, Lina, Anita, Edna, Susan, Tess and Ruby; and three grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 12, at the funeral home.
Brackney Funeral Service, Crestview, is in charge of arrangements.
