Jess Ray Tillman
Jess Ray Tillman, age 66, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died Saturday, May 30, 1998 in a local hospital after a brief illness.
He was born in Wilsonville, Ala., to the late Hubert H. Tillman and Willie V. Tillman.
Survivors include his mother, Willie V. Tillman of Selma, Ala.; wife, Peggy Tillman; sons and daughters-in-law, Michael and Teresa Tillman of Birmingham, Ala., Terry and Ann Tillman of Mary Esther, Fla.; grandson, Christopher Tillman of Mary Esther; Uncle, William Tillman of Opp, Ala., and many dear and loving friends including Bob and Mary Ann Cockerill.
Jess was retired with 38 years of civil service, however, he continued to work part time at the Winn Dixie in Navarre, Fla. He attended Mary Esther United Methodist Church and was an avid golfer.
Flowers or donations to the Mary Esther United Methodist Church building fund will be appreciated.
The family will receive family and friends today from 6 to 8 p.m. at McLaughlin Funeral Home in Fort Walton Beach.
Funeral services, conducted by Mike Roberts, will be held Monday, June 1, 1998, at 3:30 p.m. at McLaughlin Chapel. Burial will be at Beal Memorial Cemetery.
Vivian M. Marler
Vivian M. Marler, age 85, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died Saturday, May 30, 1998.
Mrs. Marler was born in Carnwath, Pa., and came to the Fort Walton Beach area in 1968 from Miami, Fla. She was Protestant by faith.
Mrs. Marler was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Marler, in 1981. She is survived by her sons, David C. Hawkins, of Fredericksburg, Va.; Walter D. Hawkins, of Boise, Idaho; and Jack D. Hawkins, of Cammal, Pa.; nine grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren.
A time of visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 2, 1998, with funeral services following at 11 a.m. at Little Chapel Funeral Home. Inurnment services will take place at a later date in Beal Memorial Cemetery, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Little Chapel Funeral Home, 910 Beal Parkway, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., is in charge of arrangements.
Rachel Ellie Clemmons
Rachel Ellie Clemmons, age 76, of Freeport, died Sunday, May 31, 1998, at her residence. She was born Nov. 13, 1921, in Bruce, Fla. She was a lifelong resident of Freeport.
Survivors include: her mother, Anna Infinger, of Freeport; two sons, William Buddy Clemmons and wife, Shirley, of Freeport, and Kenneth A. Clemmons and wife, Lou Ann, of DeFuniak Springs; two daughters, Donna Howell and husband, Ricky, of Freeport, and Rachel O'Neal, also of Freeport; one brother-in-law, Earl D. Clemmons, of Freeport; 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 2, 1998, in the chapel with Rev. Lewis Taunton officiating.
A time of visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, June 1, 1998. Burial will follow in Black Creek Cemetery. Flowers are being accepted.
Clary-Godwin Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Elois Kelly Viverette
Elois Kelly Viverette, age 70, of Fort Walton Beach, died Sunday, May 31, 1998, at her home of cancer.
Mrs. Viverette, a homemaker, is survived by her husband, Jack Viverette, of Fort Walton Beach; daughter, Sandra Nell Mizelle, of Fort Walton Beach; two sisters, Faye Houston, of Orange Park, Fla., and Helen Pilgram, of Atlanta, Ga.; and two brothers, Charles Kelly, of Birmingham, Ala., and Webb Kelly, of Union, Miss.
Visitation is scheduled 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Stephens in Union, Miss. Funeral services are scheduled at 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 2, 1998, at Stephens Funeral Home Chapel in Union, Miss., with Rev. Stanley Barnett officiating. Burial will follow at Union City Cemetery.
Martha Jordan Sugg
Martha Jordan Sugg, age 92, died May 30, 1998, at her home in Niceville, Fla.
She was born in Nashville, Tenn., on May 28, 1906, to Dr. James Blount Jordan and Josephine Herbert Jordan.
Mrs. Sugg was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Glenn Edward Sugg, in 1975. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Irvin Duane Williams of Niceville, with whom she made her home; granddaughter, Dana Miller and husband Don of Summit, N.J.; granddaughter, Michelle Waterhouse and husband Albert of Lookout Mountain, Ga.; and two great-grandchildren, Taylor and Jack Miller.
She was a descendent of some of the early settlers in Williamson County, Tenn., and was a longtime member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Franklin, Tenn. Her great-grandmother, Temperance Herbert, was a founding member of the church in 1865. Her grandfather, John Green Herbert, was an active member of the church for 66 years, and her parents were married there in 1898.
She was a talented seamstress, and enjoyed making beautiful clothes for her granddaughters when they were children. She taught sewing classes in Ohio and Pennsylvania. She was a lover of music, having studied piano for 18 years. She enjoyed listening to classical piano recordings in her later years.
Her remains will be cremated and a memorial service will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church at a later date. She will be buried with her husband in Spring Hill Cemetery in Nashville.
Those who wish to remember her may send a contribution in her memory to Trinity United Methodist Church, 2084 Wilson Pike, Franklin, TN 37067.
McLaughlin Twin Cities Funeral Home, Niceville, entrusted with arrangements.
Opal Iona Gardinier
Opal Iona "Olson" Gardinier, age 79, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died Sunday, May 31, 1998, at her home.
Mrs. Gardinier was born in Iowa. She was a member of the Church of the Nazarene. She married her husband, Lyle Gardinier, on July 23, 1936, and they had lived in the Fort Walton Beach area since 1973. Lyle preceded her in death on Dec. 31, 1993.
Survivors include her sons, James M. Gardinier, Thomas L. Gardinier, Steven E. Gardinier and Jerry D. Gardinier; daughters, Ruthann Reimers and Barbara R. Hjelle; brother, Ernest E. Olson; 12 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
A time of visitation will be conducted from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, June 4, at Little Chapel Funeral Home, with funeral services following at 3 p.m. with the Rev. John M. Sanders officiating.
Further services and interment will take place in Mason City, Iowa, with Hogan Bremer Funeral Home of Mason City in charge.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nazarene Scholarship Fund of the First Church of the Nazarene, 27 N.W. First St., Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548, in memory of Mrs. Gardinier.
Little Chapel Funeral Home, 910 Beal Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of local arrangements.
Wanda A. Spiker
Wanda A. Spiker, age 67, of Niceville, Fla., died Monday, June 1, 1998, in Pensacola, Fla.
Wanda was born in Standard, W.Va., on July 15, 1931, to John W. and Laura Walker. She moved to this area in 1964 and was a member of Rocky Bayou Baptist Church.
Wanda was a loving mother, grandmother and friend to all who knew her and will be greatly missed.
Survivors include her daughters, Ellen Currington of Niceville, Judy White of Choctaw Beach, Fla., Kathy Smith and Robin Wicker, both of Niceville; brothers, Darrel Walker and Douglas Walker, both of Niceville, Rodney Walker of Villa Tasso, Fla., and Robert Walker of Niceville; sisters, Georgeanna Mealer of Villa Tasso, Betty Hunt of Cleveland, and Dreama Walker of Niceville; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m.
A funeral service will be conducted at Rocky Bayou Baptist Church on Thursday, June 4, at 2 p.m. Interment will follow in Heritage Gardens Cemetery in Niceville.
McLaughlin Twin Cities Funeral Home, Niceville, entrusted with arrangements.
Florence Dunten Andrews
Florence Dunten Andrews, age 82, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., died at home Sunday, May 31, 1998.
Mrs. Andrews was born Florence Aileen Dunten in Bradenton, Fla., on Oct. 4, 1915. Daughter of Luvenia Millie Wood and Roscoe Irving Dunten, she lived in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Miami before moving to Clayton, N.Y., in 1945. She had been residing in Fort Walton Beach since 1991.
Mrs. Andrews was a graduate of Miami High School where she was a member of the mask club. She attended Duke University where she was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority.
Survivors include her son, Robert Dunten Andrews of Charlotte, N.C.; daughter, Judy Andrews Roberts of Rockville, M.D.; and grandchildren, Lia and Christopher Andrews, Kimberly Roberts and Allison Roberts Tomarchio.
In accordance with Mrs. Andrews' wishes, there will be no calling hours or funeral and the body will be cremated at Aultman Funeral Home in Crestview, Fla.
Memorial services will be held this summer at the Thousand Island Park, N.Y., chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made in Mrs. Andrews' name to: Hospice of Northwest Florida/Niceville Team, 2001 Palafox St., Pensacola, FL 32501.
Thomas W. Nichols Sr.
Thomas "Tom" W. Nichols Sr., age 74, of Niceville, Fla., passed away at his home Monday, June 1, 1998.
He was born on April 29, 1924, in Niceville and had been a resident of the local area all his life. He was Methodist by faith and a member of the First United Methodist Church of Fort Walton Beach, Fla. He honorably served his country during World War II in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Cabot. He had been a member of the Lyons and Elks Clubs of Fort Walton Beach.
During his working years he was the Civil Defense director for Okaloosa County for 20 years before retiring. He was also a member and on the board of directors of the DeFuniak Springs County Club.
He will be missed by his family and many friends he had made in the area.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Polly; his parents, Henry and Lillie Nichols, and a sister Violet Donaldson.
Survivors include his son, Bill, and daughter-in-law Judy Nichols of Pigeon Forge, Tenn.; sister, Marilyn Reaves of Niceville; grandson, Rob; and several nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends at a visitation on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. at McLaughlin Mortuary.
Funeral services will be conducted on Friday, June 5, at 10 a.m. at McLaughlin Mortuary Chapel with the Rev. James Ross officiating. Burial will follow in Beal Memorial Cemetery.
McLaughlin Mortuary, 17 Chestnut Ave., Fort Walton Beach, entrusted with services and arrangements.
M. Dean Wright
M. Dean Wright, age 69, a resident of Auburndale, Fla., died Tuesday, June 2, 1998, at his residence.
Mr. Wright was born in Tulsa, Okla., on Jan. 22, 1929. He came to Auburndale 23 years ago from St. Petersburg, Fla., when he accepted a marketing position with American Vulkan Corp. in Winter Haven, Fla. Dean was vice president of marketing for American Vulkan Corp. when he retired in 1989. After his retirement he became a manufacturer's representative with Holset/Renold Power Transmission Corp. until he resigned in January 1998 due to illness. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran of the Korean War, serving as an A&E instructor at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. He was of the Catholic faith.
Dean was an avid hobbyist and held membership in the American Radio Relay League, the Lake Wales Repeater Association, the Society of Marine Engineers, and the Society of Antique Modelers.
Survivors include his wife, Aida Tatom Wright of Auburndale; son, Jeff Jennett of Misawa, Japan; daughters, Laurie Jennett Spang of Auburndale, Mona Lynn Kizer of Mobile, Ala., and Carla Dean White of Baton Rouge, La.; stepmother, Mary Wright of Muskogee, Okla.; and grandchildren, Amy Lynn Jernigan and Tyler Edward White of Baton Rouge, Brett William Kizer and Randall Keith Kizer of Mobile, Tatom Dean Spang and Logan Allen Spang of Auburndale.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, P.O. Box 7129, Winter Haven, FL 33883-7129, or to a charity of your choice.
A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Friday, June 5, at Kersey Funeral Home, 108 E. Lake Stella Drive, Auburndale.
