Nina J. Harbison
Nina J. Harbison of Sandestin, Fla., passed away Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000, in a local hospital.
She was born in Charleston, Miss., to Walter L. and Kate Adams. She had been living in this area since 1978, and also in the Ocala, Fla., area as well. Mrs. Harbison was a loving wife, mother and a good friend to many people. She will be missed by all who knew her.
She is survived by her loving husband, Carlos B. Harbison of Destin, Fla.; sons, R. Scott Harbison and John P. Harbison, both of Ocala; and brother, Morris J. Adams of Memphis, Tenn.
A visitation will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at McLaughlin Mortuary.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 23, in Beal Memorial Cemetery.
McLaughlin Mortuary, 17 Chestnut Ave., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is entrusted with arrangements.
J.D. Helms
J.D. Helms, age 88, of Darlington, Fla., died Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000, in Asheville, N.C.
He was born on May 7, 1912, in Holmes County, Fla., the son of the late Daniel J. and Clara Durden Helms. He was a resident of the Darlington community until moving to Asheville six months ago. Mr. Helms was Baptist by faith and a member of Darlington Baptist Church.
Survivors include his sons, Jentrie Helms and wife Cynthia of Appalachicola, Fla., and Jimmy Helms and wife Faye of Bonifay, Fla.; daughter, Joyce Rigdon of Asheville; brother, Eiland Helms of Bonifay, Fla.; sisters, Waldene Spencer of McComb, Miss., Eileen Brasington of DeFuniak Springs, Fla., and Dixie Carroll of Westville, Fla.; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 24, at Clary-Godwin Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Sandy Creek cemetery.
A time of visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23, at the funeral home.
Clary-Godwin Funeral Home, DeFuniak Springs, is in charge of arrangements.
Dora Elizabeth Caver
Dora Elizabeth Caver, age 78, of Destin, Fla., went to be with her Lord and Savior on Dec. 20, 2000.
She was born in Pennell, Okla., on Sept. 22, 1922, daughter of the late Asa and Ruby Leeder. She was a resident of Destin since 1951.
Mrs. Caver was a founding member of Destin Assembly of God, having served as a Sunday school teacher for 40 years. She was also a poll worker at Precinct 22 and served as a volunteer at local nursing homes, including Destin Healthcare and Rehabilitation.
She is survived by her children, Ruby Phillip of Crestview, Fla., Larry Caver of Mobile, Ala., Mary Whitley of Crestview, and Billy Caver of DeFuniak Springs, Fla.; sister, Joyce Willis of Atlanta; brothers, Robert Lee Leeder, Allen Reed of Texas, and Lloyd Wayne Phillip of Oregon; nine grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Leon Caver Jr.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 23, at Destin Assembly of God Church with the Rev. Joey Rogers, pastor, officiating. Interment will follow in Destin Memorial Cemetery.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at Destin Assembly of God.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is in charge of arrangements.
William Calvert "Cal" Clements
William Calvert "Cal" Clements, 78, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died on Friday, Dec. 22, 2000, at his home, with his loving family at his side.
Cal was born on Sept. 8, 1922, in Charleroi, Penn. He honorably and faithfully served his country in the United States Air Force. He was a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He retired as a lieutenant colonel on Aug. 7, 1970, from Hurlburt Field Special Operations.
Cal attended Penn State University, where he broke several scoring records on his way to becoming an All-American basketball player. He later earned his master's degree from the University of Nebraska in political science.
During his 27-year career in the Air Force, he earned his wings in Carlsbad, N.M., to later become a bombardier for the 307th Bomb Group. He flew 62 combat missions over southern France and was awarded several air medals.
After retiring from the USAF, Cal became active in several fraternal organizations. He earned his Scottish Rite of Freemasonry 32 degree and was elected president of the National Sojourners 252 of Tampa, Fla. The Elks Lodge #708 of Tampa chose Cal as "Elk of the Year" in 1986. His family, friends and all who knew him will miss Cal dearly.
He was preceded in death by his father, John Harrison Clements; mother, Margaret Calvert Clements of Charleroi, Penn.; his daughter, Diana Lee Koski of Portsmouth, N.H.; and a granddaughter, Jody Clements of Pensacola, Fla.
His survivors include his sons, John Harrison "Corky" Clements of Divide, Colo. and Rick Clements of Fort Walton Beach; daughters-in-law, Melody Clements of Divide and Jan Clements of Fort Walton Beach; grandchildren, Tami Kirkland of Pensacola, Sonya Baroni of Lee, N.H., Ken Koski of Portsmouth, Kelley Nicole Clements of Fort Walton Beach and Christopher Lee Clements of Fort Walton Beach; and many nieces and nephews throughout the country.
The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Eleanor McCain and staff, Home Care Nurses of Gentiva, Hospice of Northwest Florida, Hodges Brothers Lumber, staff and faculty at Fort Walton Beach High School and to all the special friends for their generous love and care.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hospice of Northwest Florida, 101 Hart St., Niceville, FL, 32578.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home of Fort Walton Beach is entrusted with arrangements.
Charles W. Clements Sr.
Charles W. Clements Sr., age 78, of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Dallas, Texas, died Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2000, at Baylor Hospital in Dallas.
He was the founder of Clements Antiques, which began in Chattanooga in 1938. He built his business from a very small shop in Daisy, Tenn., into a large family owned operation. His family now operates Clements Antiques in Dallas, Legacy Antiques in Dallas, Clements Antiques in Destin, Northgate Gallery in Hixson, and Clements Antiques in Hixson. His wisdom and business skills were evident from the late 1940s when he would bring shipments of antiques from New England. Mr. Clements was the first American dealer to bring in trailer containers filled with antiques from all over the world.
He was a member and deacon of Middle Valley Church of Christ.
Mr. Clements was preceded in death by his first wife, Doris Clements.
He is survived by his wife, Judy Dement Clements of Dallas; daughters, Brenda Patterson of Chattanooga, Wanda Lewis of Dallas, Sandra Clements Hamilton of Destin, and Vicki Garrett of Dallas; son, Charles W. Clements Jr. of Chattanooga; 10 brothers and sisters; 11 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two stepsons, Greg Dement of Rockwall, Texas, and Matt Dement of Tetonia, Idaho; stepdaughter, Amy Dement Brown of Rockwall; and two stepgrandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 30, at Hixson Church of Christ with Ministers Jim Clements and John Cupp officiating. Private entombment will be in Hamilton Memorial Gardens.
The family will receive friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 29, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Greater Chattanooga Christian Services, 744 McCallie Ave., Suite 329, Chattanooga, TN 37403; Martin Boyd Christian Center, 6845 Standifer Gap Road, Chattanooga, TN 37421; or Cranial Facial Foundation, 975 East Third St., Chattanooga, TN 37403.
Arrangements by North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home.
Charles Howard Rawls
Charles Howard Rawls, 81, died on Dec. 21, 2000.
He was born in Columbia, Miss., on June 7, 1919. His parents were Hollis Clifton Rawls and Adele Mounger Rawls. He attended Jefferson Military College in Washington, Miss., and Mississippi State University. He worked for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft in East Hartford, Conn. for 35 years. After retirement, he moved to Holley By The Sea in Navarre.
He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Carol Newsom Rawls; daughter, Rebecca Rawls of Garrett Park, Md.; son, Charles Rawls Jr. and his wife, Kathryn; and granddaughter, Meredith of Richland, Wash.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2000, at the chapel at Gulf Breeze Methodist Church.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Gulf Breeze Methodist Church or the charity of your choice.
Rose Lawn Funeral Home & Cemetery in Gulf Breeze is handling the arrangements.
Margaret Roseanna Ford
Roseanna Ford passed away on Friday, Dec. 22, 2000, with loving family and friends at her side, and she will be missed by many.
She was born Margaret Roseanna Kendrick in Baltimore, Md., on Feb. 14, 1931, the daughter of Oliver and Louise. She is survived by her loving husband, Bob Ford; brother, Ollie and sister-in-law, Carol; children Peggy Elder and Monte Ring, daughter-in-law, Fran Ring; and grandchildren Stacey and Gregory Elder.
Upon moving to Mary Esther, Fla. in 1995, Roseanna and her husband joined the Mary Esther United Methodist Church. Her family would like to extend its deepest thanks to Rev. Mike Roberts, Morton and Nell Lane and the Care Team from the church for its support in recent months. In lieu of flowers, her husband, Bob, requests that donations be made to the Mary Esther United Methodist Building Fund.
Roseanna had a long, distinguished service with the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Maryland. She was awarded an "Honorary Life Membership" for her work, which totaled 50 years of outstanding service. The many positions held by Roseanna include Unit President - 1955-57, Northern Central District President - 1957-58, and Department (State) President - 1972-73, and Department Secretary for 18 years. She held many chairmanships on a unit, district, state and national level. She considered her family a 100 percent Legion family. Her husband was a post, district and department commander and held the position of Department Adjutant for 16 years. Daughter, Peggy, was a unit and district president and had been active in the Juniors, serving as Department Junior Chairman. Son, Monte, was a Squadron Commander and Department Commander of the Sons of the American Legion.
Visitation will be held Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2000 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Emerald Coast Funeral Home located at 113 Racetrack Road NE. Rodger Hansen American Legion Auxiliary Unit 235 will hold services 6:30 p.m. with Unit President Olga Terrell presiding.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2000, at Mary Esther United Methodist Church with the Rev. Mike Owenby officiating. Interment will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola at 2 p.m.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road NE, Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
Philip Edward Pientka
Philip Edward Pientka, 64, of Mary Esther, Fla., died Friday, Dec. 22, 2000 in a local hospital of heart failure.
Formerly of Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, Del., Mr. Pientka was a native of Plains, Penn. He served in the United States Air Force for seven years. In 1956, he was stationed in Molesworth, England, where he met his wife, Mary Anne Rossiter of Clonmel Co., Tipperary, Ireland. They were married in London in 1957. He attended Bloomsberg College in Bloomsberg, Penn., on the GI Bill and graduated in 1963 with a Bachelor's Degree in Education. He later obtained his Master's in Education from the University of Delaware. He moved to Wilmington in 1963 to begin what would become a 25-year career in elementary education.
Mr. Pientka and his wife spent summers in Rehoboth Beach until 1998, when they permanently moved to Florida. Mr. Pientka was a member of Delaware and Florida posts of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Elks Club. He was preceded in death by his father, John Michael Pientka, of Plains, Penn. He is survived by his wife, Mary Anne Pientka, of Mary Esther; a daughter, Cheryl Ann Pientka and her partner, John L. Stevens, of New York, N.Y.; a son, John Michael Pientka II; his partner, Claire Walker, and her son, Erik of New Castle, Del.; his mother, Anna Pientka, of Plains, Penn.; a brother, Daniel Pientka, of Plains, Penn.; and two sisters, Eva Canterini and Marion Koneski, both of Plains, Penn.
The funeral will be at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 26, 2000, at St. Peter Catholic Church in Mary Esther with the Rev. Father Stephen O'Conner.
Burial will be in Barrancas National Cemetery.
Lewis Funeral Home, Navarre Chapel, 7794 Navarre Parkway, Navarre, Fla., 32566, is in charge of arrangements.
Charles Monroe McNeil
Charles Monroe McNeil, 77, a retired construction executive, died on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2000, in Destin, Fla. Mr. McNeil, a native and long-time resident of Kingsport, Tenn., had lived in the Sandestin community of Destin since 1989.
An aviator in World War II, Mr. McNeil was later president of Cassel Brothers Construction Co. of Kingsport, and leaves a record of long service to the Episcopal Church and a wide variety of community service organizations. He served on the vestry of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Kingsport, and was a lay reader, chalice bearer and a member of the Building Committee at St. Simon's on the Sound Episcopal Church in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
In Kingsport, Mr. McNeil served as president of the Kiwanis Club, was president of the Tri-Cities Associated General Contractors and served a term as Magistrate of Sullivan County, Tenn. He was also active in the Tennessee Manufacturing Association, the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, the American Legion and the National Association of Small Businessman's Council. A Boy Scouts of America leader in Kingsport, Mr. McNeil served as an Advisory Board Member of Dobyns-Bennett High School. He was a member of the Eagles, Elks and Moose fraternal orders.
Mr. McNeil was preceded in death by his parents, Hexie Monroe McNeil and Mary Vaught McNeil. He is survived by his widow, Margaret Rose McNeil, a long-time resident of Kingsport who now resides in Destin, and by two daughters, Sherri McCarty of Atlanta and Carolyn Moore of Kingwood, Texas. His son, Charles M. McNeil, Jr., resides in Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.
Mr. McNeil had four grandchildren, Kelly McCarty of Atlanta, and Tucker, Hannah and Tyler Moore, all of Kingwood, Texas. He is also survived by three stepchildren, James F. Gallagher of Keeseville, N.Y., Michael E. Gallagher of Newnan, Ga., and Caroline Volvig of Birmingham, Ala.
Despite his Tennessee roots, Mr. McNeil attended and graduated from The University of Kentucky in Lexington, where he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. He was later designated an honorary Kentucky Colonel. An avid golfer and sports fan, Mr. McNeil was devoted to his family and his many friends. However, he will be remembered most for his sense of humor and his extraordinary skill as a storyteller.
A memorial service will be held at St. Simon's-on-the-Sound Episcopal Church in Fort Walton Beach at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 29. The Revs. James S. Spencer and Martha C. Harris will preside. Memorials may be sent to the St. Simons Building Committee, 28 Miracle Strip Parkway S.W., Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548.
Milton Palmer Charter
Milt "Pop" Charter, born June 22, 1914, in North Windom, Conn., died Dec. 22, 2000, at his son's home in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Milt was preceded in death by his beloved wife Dorothy. Milt made his residence in the Blue Ridge Mountains in West Jefferson, N.C., where close friends and loving caregivers, Jonas and Marie Miller, looked after him until his recent bout with poor health.
Pop is survived by his son, Roy and wife Helen Ann Barbour; grandson, Roy Barbour and wife Michelle of Fort Walton Beach; his granddaughter, Judith Gonzales; and three great-grandsons, Danny, Robert and Emillio of Gulfport, Miss.
Family and friends were by his side as he peacefully made his transition from this world to the next. He was greatly loved and will be greatly missed.
Pop served his country during World War II with the 3rd and 8th Army Air Forces. He was a gunnery instructor for the ball turret on the B-17, with foreign service in the European Theater of Operation from Dec. 7, 1943, to Oct. 23, 1945.
Upon completion with his term of service, he was a special agent for the Hartford Insurance Co. until his retirement in 1965.
Of many hobbies, he probably loved the time spent as an amateur radio operator (he operated under the call sign of "W4GRA" from his location in Winter Haven, Fla.). After the death of his wife he migrated to the solidarity of the mountains of North Carolina. There he found peace with the wonders of nature. As he would often say, "just watching the grass grow."
By Pops' wishes, his ashes will be spread to the four winds over the Gulf of Mexico to join those of his wife Dorothy.
The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Anthony DeCotis and especially to all the folks of Hospice of Northwest Florida who helped Pop and his family during their hours of need.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Hospice of Northwest Florida, 101 Hart St., Niceville, FL 32578.
