C. Genevieve Surmiak
C. Genevieve Surmiak, age 88, of Mary Esther, Fla., died April 3, 1998, at her home.
She was born on May 28, 1909, in Lycoming County, Pa.
Mrs. Surmiak was preceded in death by her husband John; and daughter Althea. Survivors include her daughters, Jodie McDermott and husband Charles of Mary Esther and Lois Palmer of Dania, Fla.; son, Edward Price of Bryson City, N.C.; 12 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Her interment was in Florida Memorial Gardens in Melbourne, Fla., on April 6.
On the wings of a dove she passed into God's hands. We know she's in a better place and we will miss her. Rest easy now, my sweet Mother. We love you.
Mary Riccardi
Mary Riccardi went home to be with her Lord and mother on April 6, 1998. Mary was 78 years old.
She was born in the Bronx, N.Y., to the late Dominick and Minnie Verini and moved to the Fort Walton Beach, Fla., area about four years ago from Long Island, N.Y. Mrs. Riccardi was a homemaker and Catholic by faith.
Mrs. Riccardi is survived by a brother, Anthony Verini of Shalimar, Fla.; sisters, Anne Patten of Fort Walton Beach, Grace Caprara of New York, and Helen Kramer and husband Kenneth of California; 10 nieces and nephews, Barbara Lashley and husband Dennis, Patricia Caprara, Vincent Caprara, Michael Kramer, Sharon Gould, Larry Kramer, Catherine Verini, Shalimar Verini, Joan Babcock and Dominick Verini.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, April 10, at Emerald Coast Funeral Home Chapel with Father Sean Garrett officiating. Interment will follow in Beal Memorial Cemetery.
The family will greet friends at the funeral home on Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m., with a rosary at 5 p.m.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road N.E., Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
Mary Ellen Denson
Mary Ellen Denson, age 76, of Freeport, Fla., died Wednesday, April 8, 1998, in a local hospital.
She was born in Charleston, W.Va., to the late Joseph and Bertha Calvert. Mrs. Denson moved to the Freeport area about three years ago from Chicago.
Survivors include her daughters, Linda Reed and husband Robert L. of Freeport, and Sherry Goldstein and husband Stuart of Chicago; son, Clyde Staats and wife Sue of Skokie, Ill.; brother, Harry R. Calvert of Dayton, Ohio; and four grandchildren.
The family will greet friends at Emerald Coast Funeral Home on Thursday from 9 to 11 a.m.
Funeral services will be at graveside in Serenity Gardens Memorial Park Cemetery in Largo, Fla., on Friday, April 10, at 1 p.m. with Pastor T.C. Moon officiating.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road N.E., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is in charge of arrangements.
Elaine Musgrove
Elaine Musgrove, age 43, 600 Williams Ave., Panama City, Fla., died Sunday, April 5, 1998, in Bay Medical Center.
She was a native of Elba, Ala., but had been a resident of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and Panama City. She was baptized on July 3, 1966, and was a member of Greater Peace Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach. She was a food service worker for the Bay County School Board system.
She leaves to mourn her passing a mother, Mrs. Ethel M. Musgrove of Fort Walton Beach; a father who preceded her in death, Larmor Wells; maternal grandparent, Mildred Anderson of Elba; maternal aunt, Lessie M. (George) Musgrove of Fort Walton Beach; uncle, James (Alice) Musgrove of Elba; great-aunt, Wilma (Audie) Brooks of Panama City; paternal aunt, Annie Mae Well of Samson, Ala.; sisters, Lince (Clayton) Musgrove, Tracy (Johnnie) Campbell, Gail Brooks of Panama City, Vanassa Musgrove of Fort Walton Beach; brothers, DeWayne Musgrove, Sayrend (Lisa) Musgrove, both of Fort Walton Beach; nieces and nephews, Torina Musgrove, Chericka Camplbell, Terrall Knok, Andre Brooks, Tevin Musgrove, Diamond Musgrove, Khristopher Musgrove; and a host of great-nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Funeral services for Ms. Musgrove will be held on Saturday, April 11, at 2 p.m. in Greater Peace Baptist Church with the Rev. Clanston Seymore officiating. Interment will follow in Beal Memorial Cemetery in Fort Walton Beach.
A family hour will be held Thursday at Battle Memorial Funeral Home Chapel from 6 to 8 p.m. The family will also receive friends on Friday, April 10, at Greater Peace Baptist Church from 6 to 8 p.m. The remains will lie in state one hour prior to services at the church.
Battle Memorial Funeral Home, Panama City, is in charge of arrangements.
Glenn Wilbur Bowman
Glenn Wilbur Bowman, age 84, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died Wednesday, April 8, 1998, in a local hospital.
Mr. Bowman was born on July 31, 1913, in Oconee, Ill., to the late John and Jennie Bowman. He moved to the Fort Walton Beach area about 40 years ago from Pana, Ill., and was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.
Mr. Bowman was preceded in death by a daughter, Sharon Rose; and a brother, Minor Bowman. He is survived by his wife, Opal L. Bowman of Fort Walton Beach; son, Fred W. Bowman and wife Ann of Fort Walton Beach; five grandchildren, Rhonda Hunt and husband Stuart of Panama City, Fla., Rex Bowman and wife Ali of Fort Walton Beach, Debbie Bowman of Tallahassee, Fla., Sherri Vickers and husband David of Panama City, and Casey Burnsed of Fort Walton Beach; and five great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, April 11, at 10 a.m. at Emerald Coast Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Ashley N. Pogue officiating. Interment will follow in Beal Memorial Cemetery.
The family will greet friends at the funeral home from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road N.E., Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
Charlotte Frankie Waltrip
Charlotte Frankie Waltrip, formerly Charlotte Waltrip Gibson, age 56, died Friday, April 10, 1998 at her residence after a long, brave battle with cancer. Mrs. Waltrip settled in the Fort Walton Beach area after having lived in Idaho, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas. She was a member of the Church of Christ on Hollywood Boulevard in Fort Walton Beach and a member of the Women of the Moose Lodge Chapter 2193. She received a master's of science degree in nursing from Texas Women's University and was a professor of nursing for many years. She joined Mary Kay Cosmetics in 1987. She advanced to the position sales director until she became ill. She will be greatly missed by Mary Kay and church family.
Mrs. Waltrip was preceded in death by her parents, John Waltrip and Neva Marie Hall. She is survived by her aunts and uncles, Marjorie Wilkinson of Fort Walton Beach, Lucile Laird of Woodward, Okla., Dorothy Whittington of Hope, Ark., Doris and Bud Hathaway of Burley, Idaho, Lorraine and Robert Fielder of Fort Walton Beach, and many cousins and dear friends.
Funeral services for Mrs. Waltrip will be Tuesday, April 14, 1998, in the Church of Christ on Hollywood Boulevard at 11 a.m. with Minister Ross Mitchell officiating. Interment will be at a later date in Burley. The family will greet friends at the funeral home on today, April 13, 1998 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Those choosing to make a donation may do so to the Church of Christ Memorial Tree Fund.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road NE, Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
Frank Phillip Wright Jr.
Retired Senior Master Sgt. Frank Phillip Wright Jr., age 65, of Destin, Fla., died Friday, April 10, 1998, in a Pensacola hospital. He was born in Seco, Ky., to the late Frank and America Wright of Feb. 1, 1933.
He retired here from the service, having served in Okinawa, England, Texas and Louisiana. Mr. Wright is a member of American Legion Post No. 296 in Destin and the Disabled American Veterans. He is also an avid follower of the Kentucky Wildcats.
Mr. Wright was preceded in death by three brothers. He is survived by his wife, Willadean Wright of Destin; a daughter, April Davis, and husband, Michael, of Iowa; a son, Steven Wright, and wife, Susan, of Okinawa; a son, Paris Wright, of Jacksonville, Fla.; a son, Galen Wright of Lakeland, Fla.; a son, Alan Pate, and wife, Sandy, of Tennessee; a son, James Pate, and wife, Nina, of Destin; 12 grandchildren; two great grandchildren; two brothers; and four sisters.
Funeral services for Mr. Wright will be in the Emerald Coast Funeral Home Chapel at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, 1998. Interment will follow in the Destin Memorial Cemetery. The family will greet friends at the funeral home on today, April 13, 1998 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road NE, Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
Harold Dean Wiley
Harold Dean Wiley, age 78, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died Saturday, April 11, 1998, at his home. Mr. Wiley was a retired chief master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force with 30 years of active service, including World War II where he served as a radio operator on a B-24. He was also an ordained deacon and member of the First Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach. Mr. Wiley had resided in this area for the past 27 years.
He was preceded in death by his two brothers, Willard Willey and Scott Wiley.
He is survived by his wife, Billie Wiley of Fort Walton Beach; his son and daughter-in-law, Dean Wilson Wiley and Janet McLendon Wiley, of Ferguson, Mo.; his brothers and sisters-in-law, Wilson and Hazel Wiley, of Asheboro, N.C., and Glen and Dot Wiley, of High Point, N.C.; and his three grandchildren, Jason David Wiley, Cara Deanne Wiley, and Kayla Beth Wiley, all of Ferguson, Mo.
The family will receive friends at the Little Chapel Funeral Home in Fort Walton Beach from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today, April 13, 1998.
Funeral services will be held at the First Baptist Church in Fort Walton Beach at 11 a.m. Tuesday, April 14, 1998, with the Rev. J.C. McLendon officiating. Interment with military honors will follow in Beal Memorial Cemetery, Fort Walton Beach.
Mr. Wiley will be moved to the church one hour prior to services.
Little Chapel Funeral Home, 910 N. Beal Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach, entrusted with arrangements.
Thelma Moore
Mrs. Thelma Moore passed away in the local nursing facility Easter morning. She was born Feb. 19, 1918, in Coffee County, Ala., and grew up near Opp, Ala.
She is predeceased by her parents, Newman and Evie Thompson; and her husband, Ophrah Moore.
She is survived by: a sister, Mary Hayes, of White Pine, Tenn.; two sons, Jerry Moore and wife, Beth, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Billy Moore, and wife, Dee, of DeFuniak Springs; one grandson, Stephen Moore, and wife, Cherye, of Fairfax, Va.; three granddaughters, Laura Moore, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., Virginia Moore, of Mobile, Ala., and Melanie Moore, of Pearland, Texas.
Mrs. Moore and her husband moved to DeFuniak Springs in 1940 and operated Moore Furniture Company from 1953 to 1991. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of DeFuniak Springs.
A time of visitation will be held from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, 1998, at the First United Methodist Church.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, 1998, at the First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Bobby Ellsior officiating.
Burial will follow in Magnolia Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 88 Circle Dr., DeFuniak Springs, Fla., 32433.
Comander Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Vernon Martin Kummel
Vernon Martin Kummel, age 75, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., passed away Monday, April 13, 1998, in a local hospital.
He was born on Oct. 22, 1922, in Menominee, Mich., to Charles and Elizabeth Kummel. Vernon was a colonel in the U.S. Air Force for 27 years. He flew commissioned ASA gunner bombers with the RAF; was a member of the Vadalians; VFW; DAV; and the 8th Air Force Historical Society. He was also a member of St. Simon's-on-the-Sound Episcopal Church.
He is survived by his son, Vernon M. Kummel Jr. of Fort Walton Beach; and brother, Carl Kummel of Letohatchee, Ala.
A visitation will take place from 11 a.m. to noon on today at McLaughlin Mortuary. A graveside service will follow at 1 p.m. in Beal Memorial Cemetery, with full military honors.
McLaughlin Mortuary, 17 Chestnut Ave., Fort Walton Beach, entrusted with arrangements.
