Obituaries

Elizabeth Carter

Elizabeth I. “Pat” Carter, 50, of Bonifay died Aug. 28 at her sister’s home there. She was born in Winter Haven, and had lived most of her life in Bonifay. Survivors include her sons, Thomas David Embry III and Charles Allen Jay Carter, both of Bonifay; her father, Leroy Bassham of Winter Haven; her step-father, Herman H. “Rusty” Torri of Bonifay; her sisters and brothers, Tammy Trimnel, Robert J. Bassham, Allen Dewyane Bassham and Charles Edward Bassham, all of Bonifay; a stepbrother, Richard Torri of Chipley; a stepsister, Babbette Torri of Panama City; her former husband, Thomas Wayne Carter of Bonifay; and numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Private memorial services will be held at a later date. Kent-Forest Lawn of Panama City was in charge of arrangements.

Wetona Fravezzi

Wetona Belvedere (Davis) Fravezzi, 86, of Belleview, died Aug. 31 at Bonifay Nursing and Rehab Center.  She was a former resident of Bonifay.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Howard Davis and Dorothy (Johnson) Davis.

Survivors include three daughters, Theresa Holder of Westville, Italia Hatch of Belleview, and Dorothy Swane of Nixa, Mo.; one son, Bert Fravezzi Jr. of Chipley; one sister,Virginia Timmins of Colchester, Conn.; one brother, Howard Davis Jr. of Summersville, S.C., 14 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, and seven great-great grandchildren.

Memorialization was by cremation with memorial services to be announced later. Arrangements are by Sims Funeral Home, Inc. of Bonifay.

MaeBelle P. Little

MaeBelle Perkins Tillis Little, 89, of Bonifay died Aug. 31 at her residence.  She was born April 8, 1918, in Blountstown, to the late John Robert and Margaret Clementine Elefair Tucker Perkins. 

Little was preceded in death by two sons, Wesley L. ‘Bo’ Tillis and Arson Tillis Jr.; one great-grandson, Ashton Music; four brothers and two sisters. 

Survivors include five sons and daughters-in-law, William and Janet Tillis, Walter and Donna Tillis, James and Sharon Tillis, Bobby and Erline Tillis, all of Caryville, Raymond and Patricia Perkins of Marianna; five daughters and sons-in-law, Lyndol and Bobby Davis of Mulberry, Irma and Jerry Griffin of Caryville, Faye and Wendel Wooten of Dothan, Ala., Jaclyn Newman of Bonifay, and Sharon Inell Tillis of Vernon; one sister, Maggie Rutledge of Vernon; 31 grandchildren; 68 great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren. 

Services were held Sept. 2, at New Bethany Assembly of God Church with the Revs. Leon Jenkins and Wayne Brannon officiating. 

Burial followed in the church cemetery with Peel Funeral Home of Bonifay directing.

Rex T. Yates

Rex T. Yates, 90, died Friday, Aug. 31, at Flowers Hospital in Dothan, Ala. He was born Dec. 12, 1916, in Bonifay to J.E. Yates and Leola Britt. He was a life long resident of Chipley and a member of the First Baptist Church.

He was part owner of the Dixie Abstract Company, and was a retired Major in the Florida National Guard. He also was Clerk of Court, a rural mail carrier, school teacher, and had a duck hunting camp for 50 years.

Yates was preceded in death by his wife: Audrey Yates.

Survivors include a daughter: Rexanne Holley and husband, Gerald, of Chipley; one sister: Mildred Farrior of Chipley; three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Sept. 3 at First Baptist Church in Chipley with the Rev. Mike Orr officiating.

Burial was in Glenwood Cemetery with Brown Funeral Home of Chipley directing.  

 

Charlotte Mitchell

Charlotte Ann Mitchell, 47, of Marianna died Sept. 1, at Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan, Ala. She was born and raised in Jackson County.

She devoted her life to helping others by working with Juvenile Delinquents and Persons with Disabilities. She was an active member of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church which she had attended all her life.  Her favorite hobby was collecting owl whatnots.

Survivors include her father, Zack (Jack) Mitchell,  her mother, Mervyne Mitchell;  a sister, Belinda Mitchell and husband, Johnnie Miles; niece Myra Miles; nephew, Beau Miles all of Grand Ridge. A host of aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 6, at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church with the Rev. Dallas Ellis officiating.

Burial will follow in Shady Grove Cemetery with James & Sikes Funeral Home, Maddox Chapel, directing.

Memorial contributions may be made to Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Building Fund.

Dallas Finch

Dallas (Ferrell) Finch, 65, died Sept. 2 at his home, after a long illness. He was born Aug. 10, 1942, in Chipley. He was a life-long resident of Bay and Washington  counties. He was retired from Florida Asphalt Paving Company of 33 years with the company.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Broward and Martha Finch; two brothers Pat and Junior Finch, and father in-law Joseph Barnes all of Chipley.

Survivors include his wife of almost 30 years, Belinda Finch; one daughter and son-in-law, Katrina and Kevin Tanton of the Sand Hills, two sons, Keith and Kevin Finch of Panama City; five granddaughters; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Ross and Betty Finch, Ronnie and Elizabeth Finch, all of Cottondale; two sisters Willie May Morris of Marianna, Betty and husband Winston Spencer of Chipley; two sisters-in-law, Ida Mae Finch Sexton, of Sneads and Emma Finch of Chipley; three brothers-in-law, Don and wife, Martha Barnes, of Chipley, Charles and wife, Marion, Barnes of Colorado Springs, Colo., Dennis Barnes of Columbus, Ga.; and mother in-law, Yvonne Barnes of Chipley, numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Sept. 5, in the funeral home's Brickyard Road chapel, with the Rev. Tim Hall officiating.

Burial was in Gap Pond Cemetery with Brown Funeral Home of Chipley directing.

Memorials may be made to Covenant Hospice, 107 West 19th Street, Panama City, FL  32405.

Ruth R. Sexton

Ruth Richardson Sexton, 95, of Marianna died Sept. 2 in Marianna. She was born in Dale County, Ala., in 1912, and spent most of her life in Jackson County where she was a homemaker.

She was a member of First Baptist Church of Marianna for more than 50 years. She

was in the WMU and adult Sunday school. She also was a member of Rose Circle Garden Club for 30 years. She loved fishing and playing Canasta.

She was preceded in death in 1984 by her husband, Harvey Sexton.

Survivors include two daughters and a son-in-law, Pat Howard of Altamonte Springs and Sue Ann and Don Schafer of Lynn Haven; one brother, Harold Richardson of Panama City; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were held Sept. 5, at Maddox Chapel with the Rev. Roland Rabon officiating.

Burial was in Pinecrest Memorial Gardens with James & Sikes Funeral Home, Maddox Chapel, directing. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.

Billy L. Williams

Billy Luther Williams, 66, of Westville died Sept. 1.

Survivors include a daughter, Lisa Marie Vice; son, Bryan Christian Williams; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Joyce and Randy Vickers of Westville and Judy Goddin of Marianna; two brothers, James Goddin of Westville and Roy Goddin of Port St. Joe; two grandsons and two nieces.

A graveside service was held Sept. 8 at Beulah Anna Baptist Church Cemetery with the Rev. David Hidle officiating.

Pittman Funeral Home of Geneva was in charge of arrangements.

Doris F. Watford

Doris Frances Watford, 78, of Malone, died Sept. 4 at her residence. She was a native of Bascom and had lived in Malone most of her life. She was a homemaker.

Watford was preceded in death by her husband, Fauline Watford, who died in 1998; her parents, Thomas L. and Creamer Culverhouse Atwell; her daughter, Judy Watford;  sisters, Mary Lou Shelton and Sara Ellen Bass;  brother, Thomas "Tom" Lester Atwell.

Survivors include her daughters,  Shirley W. Allen and husband, Larry, of Gordon, Ala., Teresa W. Churchill and husband, Brad, of Enterprise;  one brother, James Atwell of Marianna;  five sisters, Evelyn Perkins of Lovedale, Mamie Harper and Linda Griffin, both of Port St. Joe, Helen Hall and Betty Cross, both of Bascom;  a cousin, Kitty Murdock; two grandsons, and four great-grandchildren, 

Funeral services were held Sept. 7, at Mt. Olive Baptist Church near Bascom with the Rev. Claude Turner officiating. Burial was in the church cemetery with James & Sikes Funeral Home, Maddox Chapel, directing. 

Raymond Wright

Raymond Jackson Wright, 77, of Marianna died Sept. 4 at his home. He was a native and lifelong resident of Marianna.

Wright was a U S Army veteran, and a manager with Sod, Inc. He was a charter member of Trinty Baptist Church,

He was preceded in death by two sons,  David Wright and Douglas Wright.

Survivors include his wife, Glennis F. Wright;  two sons, Daniel Travis Wright and wife, Cindy, of Tallahassee, and Darren Wright of Marianna;  one daughter, Kathy McDaniel of Lakeland;  six grandchildren, two great-grandchildren.

Funeral services was held Sept. 8, at Trinity Baptist Church with the Rev. Roland Rabon officiating. Burial followed in Pinecrest Memorial Gardens with James & Sikes Funeral Home, Maddox Chapel, directing.

Memorials may be made to Covenant Hospice, 4440 Lafayette Street, Marianna, FL 32446, or Trinity Baptist Church, 3023 Pennsylvania Ave. Marianna, FL 32446.

Ralph C. Carter

Ralph Campbell Carter, 75, of Chipley died Sept. 4 at Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan, Ala. He was born June 25, 1932, in Geneva, Ala., to Ralph Clarence and Annie Elizabeth (Cronin) Carter. He had lived in Chipley since he was five years old, moving there from Geneva. He operated Carter Cattle Farm.

Of the Presbyterian faith, he had served as an officer in Chipley First Presbyterian Church since he was nineteen years old.

He was a 1950 graduate of Chipley High School where he received the Danforth Youth award for leadership, and represented the school and Washington County in a number of capacities He was awarded the Florida Bankers Scholarship to the University of Florida, and received the Governor's Award in the Field of Soil Conservation, Carter served three terms as President of Washington County Farm Bureau, director of Washington-Holmes Cattleman's Association, and was chairman of District One welfare board.

He was elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 1960 and served three consecutive terms. He successfully shephered through a bill to establish the Washington Holmes Vocational Technical  School and a bill to designate and set up Falling Waters State Park. He was the last representative to serve only Washington County.

Survivors include his wife: Carolyn Gunter Carter of Chipley; one son: Ralph Campbell Carter Jr. of Rochester, N.Y., and friend Van Van Zanten; two daughters: Angela Marie Carter Sprunger and husband, Mark, of Lancaster, Pa., Nancy Inez Carter Cooke and husband, Tom, of Atlanta, Ga.; two sisters: Sarah Carter Oaks and husband, Frank, of Cantonment, and Sue Carter Jefferson of Chipley; five grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren and nine stepgreat-grandchildren; two stepsons, William H. Gunter Jr. and wife, Gail, and Charles Wesley Gunter and Donna, all of Chipley; one stepdaughter: Andi Patterson, and husband, Joe, of Chipley. 

Funeral services were held Sept. 8 at Brown Funeral Home's Brickyard Road Chapel in Chipley with the Revs. David Darrow, Bert Swearingen and LeAnn Gunter Johns officiating.

Burial was in Glenwood Cemetery with Brown Funeral Home of Chipley directing.

Memorials may be made to First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 237, Chipley, FL 32428.

James A. Lewis

James A. Lewis, 76, of Marianna died Sept. 5 at his residence.  He was born in Clarksville, and lived most of his life in Marianna.

He graduated from Florida State Univerity with a bachelors degree before serving in the U.S. Army for two years.  He returned to the university and received his masters degree.  In 1957, he joined the staff of Chipola Jr. College where he was an instructor, business manager, and academic dean during his 40 years of tenure. During his service at Chipola, Mr. Lewis earned his doctorate of public administration degree from Nova University.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church. 

Survivors include his wife, Barbara M. Lewis; two sons, John Robert Lewis of Harrisburg, Pa., James Michael Lewis and wife, Sandie, of Covington, La.; two grandchildren, one great-grandchild. 

Graveside services were held September 8 at Pinecrest Memorial Gardens with Gino Mayo officiating,  and James & Sikes Funeral Home, Maddox Chapel, directing.  

Julia H. Wilson

 Mrs. Julia Hand Wilson, 56, of Westville died Sept. 4 at Infirmary West in Mobile, Ala.  She was born Feb. 16, 1951, in Hartford, Ala., daughter of Gus Samuel and Ozie Peterson Hand. 

Wilson was preceded in death by her father, Gus Hand, and a son, Kevin Daniel Wilson. 

Survivors include her husband, Paul Wilson of Westville; one son, Mark Wilson and wife, Cindy of Bonifay; her mother, Ozie Hand of Westville; two brothers, Frank Hand of Hartford, Ala., Joe Hand and wife, Jeanne, of Westville; two sisters, Alice Hand of Westville, JuVonne McDuffie and husband, Mike, of Daleville, Ala.; a sister-in-law, Joppa Cornell of Pennsylvania. 

Services were held Sept. 6, at Camp Ground Church with the Revs. Wesley Adams and John Chance officiating.  Burial followed in the church cemetery with  Peel Funeral Home of Bonifay directing.

 Mrs. Clyde Klodner

 Mrs. Clyde Brock Klodner, 86, of Bonifay died September 4 at Doctors Memorial Hospital there.  She was born in Bonifay Sept. 1, 1921, to the late Wyatt and Henryetta Yates Brock. 

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Klodner; a son, Billy Joe Pate; and two brothers, Detroy Brock and Claude Brock. 

Surviving are two sons, Tommy Pate and wife, Ella, of Bonifay, Don Pate and wife, Tammy, of Caryville; one daughter-in-law, Becky Pate of Caryville; 15 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren. 

Services were held Sept. 7 in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Devon Richter officiating. 

Burial was in Bethlehem Methodist Church Cemetery with Peel Funeral Home of Bonifay directing.

Helen Marie Richardson

Helen Marie Richardson, 58, died September 4, at her residence. She was born in Elba, Ala. December 2, 1948 to Cecil D. and Onie B. (Flowers) Duffell. Richardson was employed at Poplar Springs High School and was a member of the Bethel Baptist Church.

She is preceded in death by one brother, Thomas Duffell.

Survivors include her son, William Richardson and wife Stella; one brother, David Duffell and wife Kathy; two grandchildren; three aunts and one uncle; several nieces and nephews; and special friend, James Richardson.

Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16, at Brown Funeral Home Chapel with Jackie Register officiating.

Memorization will be by cremation.   Brown Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.