Jeffrey Stanley Bates
Jeffrey Stanley Bates, age 41, of Freeport, Fla., died Monday, Jan. 15, 2001, at his residence.
Born on May 16, 1959, in Miami, he was the son of Stanley Bates of Freeport, and Pat Howerton of Albany, Ga. Moving here from Crawfordville, Fla., he was a resident of the Freeport area for the past nine years. He was Baptist by faith.
Mr. Bates was an inventor and had invented some unique carpentry tools. He was well known for his skills in the carpentry industry.
Mr. Bates is survived by his father, Stan Bates of Freeport; mother, Pat Howerton of Albany; wife, Randi M. Bates of Freeport; sons, Jeremy J. Bates and Christopher S. Bates, both of Crawfordville; daughters, Patience L. Bates of Crawfordville, Lisa Taylor and husband Danny of Panacea, Fla., and Julie Bates of Orlando, Fla.; brothers, Joel G. Bates of Norfolk, Va., and Scotty D. Bates of Albany; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 19, at Clary-Godwin Freeport Chapel, 150 E. Hwy. 20, Freeport, with the Rev.
Donald Harrod officiating. Memorialization is by cremation.
Friends may call on the family from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Freeport Chapel.
Clary-Godwin Freeport Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Irene Alice Messier
Irene Alice Messier, age 75, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., passed away Jan. 16, 2001, at a local hospital.
She was born on Jan. 27, 1925, in Acushnet, Mass., daughter of the late Edward and Clare Blain. She had resided in Fort Walton Beach since 1973, having moved here from Massachusetts.
Irene was an accomplished artist and enjoyed working on various craft projects. She was a loving person who was devoted to her family and friends. She was a member of St. Mary's parish.
She is survived by her husband, Joseph Messier of Fort Walton Beach; daughter, Terry Ann Reukauf and husband Bern of Shalimar, Fla.; sister, Clare Cavanaugh of Clearwater, Fla.; grandchildren, Michael Gagne and Lori-Ann Sivley; great-grandchildren, Bryant, Ryan, Summer, Rachael, Kevin and Holly. She is also survived by her special friends, Carol Hammond of Virginia, and Virginia Moniz of Massachusetts; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
A prayer service will take place at 6:30 p.m. with Deacon Charles R. Wolf officiating. Interment will be held at a later date in Beal Memorial Cemetery.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road, Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
James Leon Lunsford
James Leon Lunsford, a retired sawmill worker, loving father and Baptist by faith, age 88, of Crestview, Fla., died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2001, at North Okaloosa Medical Center.
Mr. Lunsford was born in Holmes County, Fla., on Jan. 10, 1913.
Survivors include his sons, Jimmy Lunsford, Jessie Lunsford, Ralph Lunsford, Jackie Lunsford, Joe Lunsford, Dwayne Lunsford, Robert Lunsford and Ronnie Lunsford; daughters, Lavonia King, Lou Berta Ramer, Mary Hall, Loria Mae Barlow and Barbara Strickland; sisters, Ruth Caswell and Verlie Smith; six daughters-in-law; three sons-in-law; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Friends may call at the funeral home from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19.
Funeral services will be conducted at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at Whitehurst Funeral Home Chapel with the Revs. Chuck Chapman and Hayward Chapman officiating. Burial will follow in Liveoak Park Memorial Cemetery.
Whitehurst Funeral Home, Crestview, is in charge of arrangements.
Robert von Purucker Maxon
Dr. Robert P. Maxon passed away Saturday, Jan. 13, 2001. He was 88 years old.
Born on July 9, 1912, in Muncie, Ind., he attended Kenyon College and Wharton Business School of the University of Pennsylvania, member Beta Theta Pi Social Fraternity. He joined his family in Maxon Premix Burner Co. in 1938 and married Eugenia Rudulph that same year.
Dr. Maxon taught in the Navy V-6 and V-9 program at Tulane University in New Orleans and finished pre-med there, graduating from Tulane Medical School in 1948. He practiced medicine in the Fort Walton Beach, Fla., area from 1950 until 1972, establishing Magnolia Medical Clinic.
After retiring from medical practice he served Maxon Corp. as vice president in Brussels, Belgium, from 1972 through 1973, establishing their first of many international offices. His wife, Eugenia, passed away in December 1973.
Dr. Maxon organized and was president of Shalimar Yacht Basin Inc. from 1962 until his passing.
He is survived by his daughters, Eugenia Lambert of Montgomery, Ala., and Genevieve Maxon Stark of Austin, Texas; sons, Robert P. Maxon Jr. of Shalimar, Fla., and Michael R. Maxon of Gulf Breeze, Fla.; along with a large family of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many loving friends and family.
Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 20, at St. Simon's-on-the-Sound Episcopal Church with Father Jim Spencer officiating. Dr. Maxon will be interred in Gallipolis, Ohio, next to his wife.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19, at Emerald Coast Funeral Home.
Flowers are gratefully accepted, or those wishing may make a contribution to a charity of your choice.
An ECK memorial service will be held at the Navarre Beach Regency first floor meeting room at 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 21.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road, Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
Alberto Michele Pallotta
Dr. Alberto Michele Pallotta, age 68, 70 Sea Breeze Court, Seagrove Beach, Fla., died Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2001, at a local hospital.
A native of New York, he was a resident of this area for 10 years, coming here from Palm Beach, Fla. Dr. Pallotta was a dentist from 1959 until 1989. He was also an entrepreneur who owned restaurants and was a partner in Angelinas in Seagrove Beach and Panama City, Fla. The restaurant "Angelinas" was named for his mother.
Dr. Pallotta is survived by his wife, Carolyn Pallotta of Seagrove Beach; daughters, Jill Plummer and husband Sam of Jupiter, Fla., Jan Marie Ethridge and husband Brian, and Jodi Michele Lee, all of Seagrove Beach; sisters, Constance Marini of Central Valley, N.Y., and Antoinette Valenzar and husband Dominic of Arizona and Long Island; brother, Dr. John Pallotta and wife Sigrid of Bay Shore, Long Island, N.Y.; grandchildren, Jillian Ethridge and William Plummer; and many adoring nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 19, at St. Bernadette's Catholic Church with Father David O'Shea officiating.
Interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Cemetery.
Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home, Panama City, is in charge of arrangements.
Paul Cruze Thompson
Paul Cruze Thompson, age 55, of Pensacola, passed away at Sacred Heart Hospital on Jan. 25, 2001.
Son of Clarence and Mary Thompson of Fort Walton Beach, he is survived by his wife, Bonnie Jean Helm Thompson; six children, Jeremy Thompson and wife Courtney of Raleigh, N.C., Caryn Doman and husband Troy of Salt Lake City, Utah, Nikole Beltz of Kansas City, Mo., Laura Kingsley and husband Donny of Bellevue, Neb., Jeanne Garrett and husband Chris of Pensacola, and Bryan Thompson of Pensacola; ten grandchildren and three sisters, Sharmon Kitchens of Tallahassee, Katherine Gonzalez of Fort Walton Beach and Michelle Chon of Morehead City, N.C.
The funeral will be held Monday at 11 a.m. in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints chapel located at 5673 N. Ninth Ave., Pensacola, with burial to follow at Bayview Memorial Park.
The family will receive friends on Sunday from 6-8 p.m. at the Faith Chapel, 100 Beverly Parkway, Pensacola.
Flowers are welcomed, however, memorial contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society or to the Paul C. Thompson Scholarship Fund c/0 any branch of SouthTrust Bank.
David Alan Kokis
David Alan Kokis, age 41, died peacefully on Monday, Jan. 22, 2001, in Orlando, Fla.
Born June 18, 1959, in New York City, N.Y., he was the son of the late Nicholas Kokis.
He is survived by his mother, Jean C. Kokis; brothers, Richard and John Kokis; and sisters Linda, Jeanne, Carol and Kate.
Visitation will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 29 at McLaughlin Mortuary in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Memorial service will follow visitation. Cremation to follow. McLaughlin Mortuary is in charge of the services.
William T. Sexton
William "Bill" Thomas Sexton, of Crestview, went home to be with the Lord on Jan. 26, 2001. He was 68 years old.
Bill was a wonderful man who instantly won the hearts of all who knew him. He was employed at Magna Manufacturing in Fort Walton Beach for 18 years. He loved everyone he worked with and developed many special friendships during those years.
Bill enjoyed fishing and planting flowers; but his greatest pleasure was the time he spent with his family. His unconditional love and devotion will be forever remembered.
Bill will be greatly missed by his wife of 22 years, Carolyn; his mother Grace of Lakeland; his daughters, Glenda, Teresa, Bonnie, Shelly, Shelia, Frita, Trina, and Carolyn; his sons, Thurman, Thomas, Randy and Glen; five sisters, Shirley, Rosie, Mary, Peggy and Anna; two brothers, Wesley and Leon, and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held at the McLaughlin-Aultman Funeral Home on Monday, Jan. 29, 2001, from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2001, at 2 p.m. from the chapel of McLaughlin-Aultman Funeral Home. Friends may also call one hour prior to the service. The Rev. Bill White will officiate at the service. Burial will follow the services in Live Oak Cemetery, Crestview.
McLaughlin-Aultman Funeral Home in Crestview is entrusted with the arrangements.
Jay Robert Rice
Jay Robert Rice, age 47, of Fort Walton Beach, passed away Jan. 26, 2001 in his home after an extended illness.
He was born on Nov. 16, 1953, in Cocoa Beach, the son of Bernice Rice of Fort Walton Beach and the late Jay R. Rice Sr. Jay studied engineering at the University of Florida and had his contractor's license for structural steel reinforcement. He worked in South Florida for many years and moved to Fort Walton Beach in 1984.
He operated the Postal Service Center at Hurlburt Field, under contract to the USAF from 1987 to 1990. When his health began to limit his abilities, he switched to part-time work at Fort Walton Auto Parts until 1993. Jay's love of music made him a regular call-in guest to many local radio stations.
The family is very proud of Jay's abilities to enjoy life despite health problems. He was a testament to his family and friends of the tenacity of the human spirit.
He is survived by his mother, Bernice A. Rice of Fort Walton Beach; his brother, Chris Alan Rice and his family Wendy, Megan and Ryan and an extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins both from this area and California, and a multitude of loving friends.
Memorial services will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 11 a.m. at Westminister Presbyterian Church, located at 2 Woodham Ave., Fort Walton Beach (corner of South and Woodham).
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be given to either the National Kidney Foundation, www.kidney.org: 1040 Woodcock Road Suite 119 Orlando, FL 32803 or to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, www.jdf.org 120 Wall Street, 19th floor New York, NY 10005.
McLaughlin Mortuary, Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
Polly Ellis
Polly Ellis, age 50, of Crestview, passed away Saturday night, Jan. 27, in a local hospital. Polly was born on April 4, 1950, in Wilmington Del., and had lived in Crestview since 1983. She was employed as a CNA at Crestview Nursing Home for 17 years.
Survivors include her husband, C.D. Ellis of Crestview; two sons, Robert Ellis of Fort Walton Beach, Richard I. Ellis of Crestview; one brother, Robert Young of Delaware; one sister, Kay Campbell of Crestview.
A memorial service will be held at 6 p.m., Monday, Jan. 29, from the Chapel of Brackney Funeral Service with Mr. Ray Settles officiating. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Hospice of Northwest Florida.
Brackney Funeral Service in charge of the arrangements.
