U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
Romeyne Martin Werdung
Lt. Col. Romeyne M. Werdung, age 77, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., passed away Wednesday, Feb. 3, 1999 at his residence. He, with his wife, Jessie, moved to Fort Walton Beach in 1979. In 1941, while attending Lasalle Peru Junior College in Illinois, he was called into service by the United States Army.
He graduated from pilot's school in January 1943 and subsequently took part in World War II, Korea and the Vietnam War. Having served over 30 years active duty, Lt. Col. Werdung retired from HDQ, U.S.A.F., Pentagon in 1972. He wore Command Pilot Wings, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Clusters and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Lt. Col. Werdung is a member of the B.P.O. Elk's Lodge 1795, the American Legion Post #235 and the N.W.F.R.O.C.
Lt. Col. Werdung was preceded in death by his oldest son, Wayne Werdung. He is survived by Jessie, his wife of 53 years; a sister, Darlene, who resides in Ottawa, Ill.; two sons, David of Cantonment, Fla. and Karl and his wife, Debra, of Columbia, S.C.; and four grandchildren.
Funeral services for Lt. Col. Werdung will be Tuesday, Feb. 9, 1999 at 11 a.m. in the Emerald Coast Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow at 2 p.m. in Barrancas National Cemetery with full military honors. The family will greet friends at the funeral home on Monday, Feb. 8, 1999 from 5 to 7 p.m. American Legion and B.P.O. Elks services will be conducted at 6 p.m. with officers and members of the American Legion Post 235 and B.P.O. Elks #1795 officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Hospice of Northwest Florida, 1005 West College Boulevard, Suite B, Niceville, FL 32578, the American Cancer Society, 4 Jackson St. NE, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548 or to the charity of your choice in memory of Lt. Col. Werdung.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road NE, Fort Walton Beach, 32547, is in charge of arrangements.
Grace Astrid Sherman
Grace Astrid Sherman, age 71, of Villa Tasso, Fla., went to be with the Lord on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 6, 1999, at her home surrounded by her loving family. Mrs. Sherman was born in Elmont, N.Y., and had resided in this area for the past 28 years. She was a retired school bus driver with the Okaloosa County Schools and had also worked as a secretary for the U.S. Department of Social Services while living in New York. She was a Lutheran by faith, a member of the Women of the Moose Lodge, in Fort Walton Beach, and had been a member of the T.O.P.S. Club for 15 years.
She is survived by her husband, Howard R. Sherman, of Villa Tasso; her children, Michael P. Milward, of Smithtown, N.Y., Lisa Layne and her husband, John, of Choctaw Beach, Fla., and Nancy Bass, of Villa Tasso; her sisters, Nancy Florence Henson, of Villa Tasso, and Daisy Viola Olsen, of Port St. Lucie, Fla.; her grandchildren, Michael P. Milward Jr., Brian Milward, Steven Milward, Karen Ungar, Heather Moncrief, Sharolyn Quinn, Brandie Bass, Tasha Bass, and Keith Bass Jr.; her great-grandchildren, Christian Ungar, Caitlin Ungar, Briana Quinn, Catherine Quinn, and Bobby Joe Moncrief; and her lifelong friend, Anna Leitch, of Pensacola, Fla.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, 1999, at the McLaughlin Twin Cities Funeral Home in Niceville.
Funeral services including a service conducted by the Women of the Moose Lodge will be held 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, 1999, at the McLaughlin Twin Cities Chapel. Interment will follow in the Sunset Cemetery, of Valparaiso, Fla.
Floral contributions are accepted or memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice of N.W. Florida, 1005 W. College Blvd., Niceville, Fla., 32578.
McLaughlin Twin Cities Funeral Home, 1405 E. John Sims Pkwy., Niceville, entrusted with arrangements.
Audrey Mae Glass
Mrs. Audrey Mae Glass, age 99, of Crestview, Fla., died Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999, at the Crestview Nursing and Convalescent Home after a lengthy illness. Mrs. Glass was born in Ashford, Ala., on March 20, 1899, to John William and Molley Ellen Rutherford Bruner and had been a longtime resident of the Northwest Florida area. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Ashford; a Sunday School teacher; Woodmen of the World; and the Women's Garden Club of Ashford. She was preceded in death by her husband, Carson Glass, and by a daughter and son-in-law, Dorothy and Henton D. Elmore.
Survivors include her daughter and son-in-law, Imogene and Henry Adams, of Crestview, Fla.; brother and sister-in-law, Jack and Reba Bruner, of Ashford, Ala.; sister, Willie Reeves, of Dothan, Ala.; grandchildren, Bobby and Debra Elmore, Thomas Henry Adams Jr., Tricia Carson and Ben Cox, Teresa Elmore, Christina and James E. McCall; great-grandchildren, Melanie Hale, Julie Cox, Ashley Cox, John Martin Elmore, Henton Derek Elmore, Alana McCall and Jim McCall; great-great-grandchildren, Ashton Hale, Nicole Hale and Heather Hale; sister-in-law, Hazel Bruner, of Ashford, Ala.; and a very special family friend, Ruth Dykes, of Dothan, Ala.
A time of visitation will be conducted from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, at the Whitehurst Funeral Home. The funeral service will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, 1999, at the First Baptist Church of Ashford, Ala., with Rev. Bill Hand and Rev. James C. Bruner officiating. Mrs. Glass will be placed in the church one hour prior to the service for visitation. Interment will follow the service in the Ashford City Cemetery in Ashford, Ala. Floral tributes will be accepted at the funeral home and at the church in Ashford.
Arrangements and services are under the direction of the Whitehurst Funeral Home, 436 West James Lee Blvd., Crestview, Fla.
Bessie A. Lassiter
Bessie A. Lassiter, age 93, of Baker, Fla., passed away from this life to her Heavenly Home on Sunday morning, Feb. 7, 1999. She is preceded in death by her husband, B.W. Lassiter, and beloved older son, E.B. Lassiter.
She is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Charlene Lassiter, of Pensacola, Fla.; five daughters, Eunice Lassiter, of Crestview, Fla., Earnestine Barnes, of Escambia Farms, Fla., Louvene Harrison, of Baker, Fla., Evelyn Lassiter, of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and Arlissa and son-in-law, Clifton Miller, of Prattville, Ala. She was a grandmother to 18 children, great-grandmother to 35 children and great-great-grandmother to two children. Of these, one of her grandchildren and two of her great-grandchildren have preceded her in death and await her on the other side. She also has numerous nieces and nephews, who join with her family to mourn her passing and rejoice in her long life.
A time of visitation will be conducted from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, from the Whitehurst Funeral Home. The funeral service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, 1999, from the Chapel of Whitehurst Funeral Home with the Rev. James Paul and the Elder Terry Barnes officiating. Interment will follow the service in the Wing Cemetery, in Wing, Ala.
Arrangements and services are under the direction of the Whitehurst Funeral Home, 436 W. James Lee Blvd., Crestview, Fla.
Lyle E. Griswold
Mr. Lyle E. Griswold, age 79, of DeFuniak Springs, died Saturday, Feb. 6, 1999, in Jacksonville, Fla. Born Jan. 24, 1920, in Robinson, Ill., he was the son of the late Rual Everett and Nellie Price Griswold. Mr. Griswold was a lifelong resident of DeFuniak Springs, member of the First Presbyterian Church of DeFuniak Springs, where he served as a deacon. Mr. Griswold was preceded in death by his first wife, Estelle, Wooten Griswold, and also by his brother Larry Griswold.
Mr. Griswold is survived by three sisters: Nina Maxwell, of Montgomery, Ala., Darrah Canterbury, of Montgomery, Ala., and Anna Belle Hancock, of Tallahassee, Fla.; one grandson, James A. Madden III and his wife Brenda of Goodlettsville, Tenn.: one granddaughter: Tammy Madden; three-great-grandchildren, Lyle Madden, Sandy Wade and Cody Wade; one great-great-grandchild, Harley Wade.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, 1999, in the Clary-Godwin Funeral Home Chapel, 230 Park Avenue, DeFuniak Springs, Fla., with the Rev. Durl Odom officiating. Burial will be in Magnolia Cemetery.
A time of visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, 1999, in the Clary-Godwin Funeral Home Chapel.
Pallbearers will be: Larry Griswold Jr., Jerry Lee Bishop; Thomas Parvin, Joe Sellers, Mack Bozeman and Patton Padgett.
Honorary pallbearers will be: deacons of the First Presbyterian Church, John Rauch, Ron Andrews, Larry Moose, Roy Dillon, Randy McLean, Ellen McLean, Debbie Andrews, Tricia Rauch, Rita Toole, Ron Smith, Nan Manney and Jaque Spence.
Clary-Godwin Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Emluise "Liza" Franks
Emluise "Liza" Franks of Niceville, Fla., died Thursday night, Feb. 4, 1999. At Twin Cities Hospital.
Mrs. Franks was born in Gaffney, S.C., and moved to Florida in 1968. She loved reading and traveling and was a member of Cherokee Avenue Baptist Church in Gaffney. Mrs. Franks was very devoted to her blind daughter, Peggy.
Survivors include two daughters, Peggy Lynch of Milton, Fla., and Carole Rimkus of Niceville; and grandchildren, Tommy Rimkus of Niceville, Shea Lynch of Valparaiso, Fla., and Leslie Lynch of Long Beach, Calif.
Burial will be in Gaffney. Memorial services will be held at a later date.
Helen E. Franklin
Helen E. Franklin, age 80, of Destin, Fla., died Sunday, Feb. 7, 1999, in a local hospital.
Mrs. Franklin moved to this area 18 years ago from Grand Blanc, Mich., and was a member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church.
Survivors include her husband, George W. Franklin of Destin; daughter, Suzanne E. Whittaker of Destin; grandchildren, Keith Whittaker of Pensacola, Fla., Scott Whittaker and wife Teri of Gainesville, Fla., and Deborah Sizemore and husband Fred of Gainesville; and three great-grandchildren, Patrick and Lauren Whittaker and Benjamin Sizemore.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at McLaughlin Mortuary.
A funeral Mass will be conducted at Corpus Christi Catholic Church on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Ralph Hogan officiating. Interment will follow in Destin Memorial Cemetery.
McLaughlin Mortuary, 17 Chestnut Ave., Fort Walton Beach, Fla., entrusted with arrangements.
Ralph Neil Sellars
Maj. Ralph Neil Sellars, U.S. Army retired, age 69, of Mary Esther, Fla., died Feb. 6, 1999.
Born on Aug. 29, 1929, in Fulton, Ky., he served in the United States, Panama, Germany and Korea. Mr. Sellars retired from his last position as a chemical dependence mental health technician at Twelve Oaks. He was a friend of Bill W. for many years. Mr. Sellars also served as a member of the Army Retiree Advisory Council in Fort Benning, Ga.; Toastmaster's International; and the American Bowling Congress.
He is survived by his wife, Kathryn Sellars; Joan Blackwell, mother of his five children, Mary Ann Davis, Barbara Jones, Patricia Sellars, Joseph Sellars and Deborah Kuchta; sisters, Sheila Saunders and Shirley Scrivner; nine grandchildren, Steve and Danny Davis, Erica, Neil and Andy Jones, Andrew, Joey and Katie Sellars, Paul Kuchta Jr.; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass will be held at St. Peter's Catholic Church on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 11 a.m., followed by interment at Fort Barrancas National Cemetery.
Relatives and friends are encouraged to make memorial contributions to St. Peter's Educational Building Fund, 100 Francis St., Mary Esther, FL 33569.
McLaughlin Mortuary, 17 Chestnut Ave., Fort Walton Beach, is entrusted with arrangements.
Foye Lester Beckham
Foye Lester Beckham, age 81, of Shalimar, Fla., passed away Sunday evening, Feb. 7, 1999, in a local hospital.
Mr. Beckham was born on Feb. 11, 1917, in Samson, Ala., to the late Charles and Florence Beckham. He had been a resident of the Fort Walton Beach, Fla., area since 1947, and was the owner of Beckham's Department Store in Valparaiso, Fla. He was a deacon in Valparaiso Community Church. Mr. Beckham was very active in the Niceville Rotary Club; a charter member of "Billy Bowlegs"; chairman of the Community Chest Club; and served on the Okaloosa County committee to promote adult education.
Mr. Beckham was preceded in death by his brothers, Wilbur LaRue Beckham and Robert Earl Beckham. He is survived by his wife, Grover Nell "French" Beckham of Shalimar; daughter, Linda Suzanne Tillman and husband Gary of Naples, Fla.; and brother, James Howard Beckham of Samson, Ala.
Funeral services for Mr. Beckham will be conducted at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at Samson First Baptist Church with the Rev. Randy Kuhn officiating. Interment will follow in Traveler's Rest Cemetery.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Road N.E., Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
R.W. "Richie" Spencer
R.W. "Richie" Spencer, age 82, of Milton, Fla., died Feb. 6, 1999, in a local nursing facility.
Richie was a native of Indianapolis and had lived in Florida for over 50 years. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Holt, Fla., and a master electrician. Richie was a past master of the Masonic Lodge 131 in Baker, Fla., where he served as chaplain for many years; and was a member of the Hadji Temple, Scottish Rite and Eastern Star.
Survivors include his wife, Elnora; son, Richard L. Spencer of Philadelphia, N.Y.; daughter, Cheryl Broxson of Milton; eight grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and sister, Alice Brummett of Martinsville, Ind.
The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, at the funeral home.
Graveside Masonic services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, at Holt Baptist Church Cemetery in Holt.
Pallbearers will be members of Baker Lodge 131. Honorary pallbearers are members of his Sunday school class.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to the Masonic Lodge 131 in memory of Richie.
God saw that he could not be healed, so he put his arms around him and whispered, "Come with me."
McLaughlin-Aultman Funeral Home, Crestview, Fla., is in charge of arrangements.
