Obituaries 9-26-7

Wesley Owen

Wesley E. Owen, 77 of Chipley died Sept. 14. He was born July 14, 1930, in Washington County, son of James Homer and Kinnie (Fussell) Owen.

Owen was self employed as a peanut farmer. Of the Free Will Baptist faith, he was a member of Piney Grove Free Will Baptist Church. He had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and, it was said, he looked forward to going home.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Carl Owen.

Survivors include his wife, Katie Owen of Chipley; two sons, Wendell Owen and wife, Lynn, the Rev. Tim Owen and wife, Karen, all of Chipley; two brothers, Robert Owen and wife, Pearl, of Winter Haven, Clyde Owen and wife, Patsy of Crawfordville.

Funeral was held Sept. 17 at Piney Grove Free Well Baptist Church with the Rev. David Williford officiating.

Burial was in the church cemetery with Brown Funeral Home of Chipley directing.

Memorial donations may be made to the building fund at Piney Grove Free Will Baptist Church.

Max L. Dixon

Max Lamar Dixon, 73, of Geneva, Ala., died Sept. 16 at his home following a battle with Corticobasal Ganglion Degeneration (CBGD). He was born Dec. 21, 1933, in Geneva County to the late Zeb and Lillie Mae Thames Dixon.

He retired from the U.S. Army after 20 years of service. During his military career, he was an Infantry Indirect Fire Crewman and received several distinguished medals including Army Occupation Medal (Germany), Good Conduct Medal (5th award), Expert Infantry Badge, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (Berlin), Vietnam Service Medal with one Silver and one Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device, three Overseas Service Bars, Army Commendation Medal, Purple Heart, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm and the National Defense Service Medal with OLC. He was a member of Adoniram Baptist Church.

Dixon was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Jack, Ray Don and Jimmy Dixon.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, JoAnn Brooks Dixon; one daughter and son-in-law, Judy and Junior Mixon; two sons and daughters-in-law, Hobie and Shelia Dixon, Tommy and Sherri Dixon, all of Geneva, Ala.; one brother, Hubert Dixon of Columbus, Ga.; two sisters-in-law and their husbands, Blondell and Harvey Golson, Athealone and Vernon Lewis; a sister, Peggy Newby of Texas; seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, several nieces,nephews and other family.

Graveside services were held Sept. 19 at Black Community Cemetery in Black, Ala., with Chaplain Tom Heedle officiating and Sorrells Funeral Home of Geneva directing.

Memorials may be made to Covenant Hospice, 2855 Ross Clark Circle, Suite 110, Dothan, AL 36301.

Christine Justice

Christine D. Justice, 80, of Chipley died Sept. 14. She was born in Chipley July 13, 1927, to Carlton and Jenny (Jenkins) Deal.

She was the first female EMT in Washington County, and the first female employee for the Washington County Sheriff's Office. She was a beautician for 20 years and worked for Washington County Hospital for many years.

Survivors include one son and daughter-in-law, Charley and Becky Justice of College Station, Texas; two daughters and a son-in-law, Judith and Chris Roberts of Chipley and Linda Justice of Gulfport, Miss.; one sister, Blondell Lewis of Garland, Texas; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Graveside service was held Sept. 17 in the New Orange Baptist Church Cemetery with Brown Funeral Home of Chipley directing.

Annie V. McDaniel

Annie Virginia McDaniel, 83, died Sept. 14 at her residence. She was born in Chipley May 15, 1924, to J.F. and Madge (Hudson) Rustin.

McDaniel retired in 1984 from AT&T where she had 41 years of service. She was a member of the Holmes Creek Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Nolan McDaniel; her parents, Joe and Madge Rustin; and two brothers, Bernaro and Ronal Rustin.

Survivors include two sons and daughters-in-law, Wayne and Ann McDaniel, Gary and Kim McDaniel, all of Chipley; three sisters, Zelma Waymire of Chipley, Clara Newsome of Bonifay and Dot Williams of Port St. Joe; three brothers, J.T. Rustin and Kenneth Rustin, both of Chipley, and Joe Rustin of Abbeville, Ga.; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral was held Sept. 17 in the funeral home chapel with the Revs. Tim Steele and Dennis Singletary officiating.

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

Andrew Wimes Jr.

Andrew "June Bug" Wimes Jr., 54, of Marianna died Sept. 11 at Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan, Ala. He was born March 11, 1953 in Fort Pierce, son of the late Andrew Wimes Sr. and Essie Mae Carroll Wimes.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Erie Wimes and Debra Snell.

Survivors include a daughter, Tiffany Wimes of Tampa; a sister and brother-in-law, Ernestine and Keith Wimes of Cottondale; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Melvin and Barbara Wimes of Cottondale, Jerome and Sarina Wimes of Dothan; a special brother-in-law and his wife, King David and Kikilia Snell of Marianna; stepmother, Dorothy Wimes of Palm Coast; a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives.

A memorial service was held Sept. 17 in the McKinnie Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. J. Caroll officiating.

Memorialization was by cremation with McKinnie Funeral Home of Campbellton in charge of arrangements.

Ethel Lawrence

Ethel Lou Lawrence, 81, of Chipley died Sept. 14. She was born March 30, 1926, in Deputy, Ind., and had lived in Chipley since 1984, moving there from Altamonte Springs.

Of the Methodist faith, she was a member of the Orange Hill Methodist Church.

Survivors include her husband, R.L. Lawrence of Chipley; five daughters and three sons-in-law, Genell and Jerry Whitson of Chipley, Mary Parslow of Floral City, Pat and Richard Posener of Fort Worth, Texas, Margaret Lane of St. Petersburg, Judy and Joe Claxton of Lake Wales; six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Services were held Sept. 19 in the funeral home chapel with the Rev. Jerry May officiating.

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

James H. Douglas

James "Harold" Douglas, 88, of Marianna died Sept. 18 following a brief illness. He was born in Williston March 23, 1919, to Leon and Ruby Messer Douglas.

He graduated from Fellowship High School where he played basketball. He served in the U.S. Army from July 1940 to Oct. 1945. A veteran of World War II, he was a lieutenant for Company C, 744th Light Tank Battalion in Normandy, France, Holland, Belgium and Germany.

After several years of farming/ranching and raising their family in Marion/Levy County, Harold and wife, Corinne, moved to Jackson County in 1973 to continue his peanut farming. Throughout his life, he received several Peanut Producers' and Soybean Producers' awards in both Marion and Jackson counties. He and his family were named Marion County Farm Family of the Year.

Douglas was a member of the First Baptist Church of Marianna and the American Legion. He was an avid outdoorsman.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Corinne Hewitt Douglas; one daughter, Linda Douglas Basford and husband, Daniel, one son, Maynard Harold Douglas and wife, Lisa, all of Marianna; one brother, Edwin Douglas and wife, Betty, of Williston; a sister, Lona Douglas McCormick and husband, Gwenn, of Ocala; seven grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, several nieces and a nephew.

Services were held Sept. 20 at First Baptist Church in Marianna with the Revs. Michael Petty and Gwenn McCormick officiating.

Williston and Morriston were home to Mr. Douglas for many years. He was buried at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Morriston Sept. 21 following a brief service at First Baptist Church in Williston.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Marianna, or the charity of your choice.

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of James and Sikes Funeral Home, Maddox Chapel of Marianna.

William Skinner

William D. (Junior) Skinner, 81, of Chipley died Sept. 15 at his home. He was born in Geneva County, Ala., May 4, 1926, son of William Dolphus Sr. and Aeta Lee (Cassidy) Skinner.

Of the Free Will Baptist faith, he was a member of Chipley Free Will Baptist Church.

Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Jimmie Lou and Donnie Russell of Chipley; a brother and sister-in-law, Billy and Sarah Skinner of Milton; numerous nieces and nephews.

Graveside services were held Sept. 20 at Glenwood Cemetery in Chipley with the Rev. Paul Smith officiating, and Brown Funeral Home of Chipley directing.

Irene Andrews

Irene Simmons Andrews, 60, of Westville died Sept. 17 at Southeast Alabama Medical Center in Dothan, Ala. She was born in Ponce de Leon April 8, 1947, to Bill and Velma Holley Simmons.

She was preceded in death by her parents, and one sister, Arevielia Taslock.

Survivors include her husband, Elton Andrews of Westville; five children, Arron Kersey, Dustyn Kersey and Madison Kersey, all of Samson, Ala., Cheri Simmons and Angel Simmons, both of Westville; seven brothers, Henry Simmons and wife, June, of Ponce de Leon, Billy Simmons of Blountstown, Albert Simmons and wife, Murl, Willard Simmons and wife, Janette, Luther Simmons, Wilber Simmons and wife, Kelly, Howard Simmons and wife, Joann, all of Ponce de Leon; six sisters, Juanita Sasnett and husband, John, Mayble Minger and husband, Ralph, Lowreane and husband, Paul, Wayavene Curry and husband, Rodney, Helen Sasnett and husband, Elmer, all of Westville, Inez Cassiday and husband, Harold, of Ponce de Leon; several nieces and nephews.

Services were held Sept. 20 at Evergreen Baptist Church in Holmes County with the Rev. Mitchell Holsonback officiating.

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

James D. Bush

James D. "Jimmy" Bush, 66, died Sept. 17 at his home in Chipley after a year-long battle with cancer. He was born March 20, 1941, in Chipley, son of Thomas Ell and Vera Bush. He was a life-long resident of Chipley.

Bush was preceded in death by his father.

He worked in roadway design and project management for the Department of Transportation for 35 years. Then, he worked for Avcon Engineering for seven years, and was a consultant for Metric Engineering until he fully retired. He was an avid fisherman.

Survivors include his mother, Vera Peterson, his wife of almost 45 years, Annie Jo Bush, a son, and daughter-in-law, Eric and Angie Bush, all of Chipley; daughters, Carol Bell of Port St. Joe and Amy Bush of Pensacola; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Alton and Phyllis Bush of Chipley and Curtis Bush of Dothan, Ala.; two sisters and a brother-in-law, Mary Helen Clifford of Pensacola, Betty and Larry Parker of Chipley; six grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A celebration of his life was held Sept. 20 at Shiloh Baptist Church with the Rev. Gary Wiggins officiating.

Burial was in the church cemetery with Brown Funeral Home of Chipley in charge of arrangements.