James K. Bolk
James K. Bolk, 39, of Miramar Beach, passed away Oct. 13 in Pensacola.
He was born on April 24, 1962, in Duluth, Minn., and was a resident of this area for the past seven years when he moved here from Tampa. He was Lutheran by faith. He enjoyed most outdoor activities and especially barbecuing with friends. He was an avid NASCAR fan.
Bolk was preceded in death by his father, Virgil Bolk; grandparents, Felix Wasco, Margaret and Joe Turoski, and Dallas Bolk. He is survived by his wife, Debbie, of Miramar Beach; stepdaughter, Jessica Barton; mother, Joan Allen Carlson; grandmother, Edith Bolk; sister, Debbie (Ken) Lisdahl; brother, Douglas (Bonnie) Bolk; nieces, Danielle and Leah; nephew, Christopher; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
The family was scheduled to receive friends at a visitation this past Tuesday at Little Chapel Funeral Home in Fort Walton Beach, which handled the arrangements.
Bernard Elmo Willis Sr.
Bernard Elmo Willis Sr., 76, a resident of DeFuniak Springs for the past 14 years, moving here from Mary Esther, died Sunday Oct. 21.
He was born Oct. 12, 1925 in Nallen, W.Va. He was a veteran of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War era, serving his country faithfully for 30 years in the U.S. Air Force. He was awarded two Purple Hearts for the Battle of Iwo Jima.
He also retired from Okaloosa County working as a maintenance custodian with 15 years of service. He was Protestant by faith.
Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Yolande A. Willis of DeFuniak Springs; three sons, William G. Willis of Cordova, Tenn., Christian A.C. Willis and wife, Sandra, of Westville, Fla., and Bernarde E. Willis Jr. of Dallas; two daughters, Marie Linda Cox and husband, Roger, of DeFuniak Springs, and Bernadette H. Collier and husband, Brian, of Navarre; three sisters, Helen Cohernour of Charleston, W.Va., Hilda Legg of Ansted, W.Va., and NellJean Parish of Midland, Mich.; 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today in the Comander Funeral Home Chapel in DeFuniak Springs, with Air Force chaplain officiating. Burial will follow in Magnolia Cemetery with full military honors.
Comander Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Rhodina F. Miller
Rhodina F. Miller, 87, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 10, in Freeport.
Miller was born on June 23, 1914, in Great Falls, Mont., the daughter of the late Ernest and Rhodina Priest Thompson. She was a 49–year resident of Freeport after moving from Grayton Beach, Fla.
She taught school at Point Washington for a number of years. She enjoyed taking care of flowers and her garden. She especially enjoyed cooking, spending time with her family and keeping her grandchildren. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Freeport.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Herbert Miller, and sister, Aldena Humbert.
Survivors include her sons, Leslie Miller, Tommy Miller and David Miller and wife, Candy; daughter, Mary Sue Farrington and husband, George, all of Freeport; nephew, Bill Humbert of Tallahassee; nine grandchildren; nine great–grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services were scheduled to be conducted Friday at First Baptist Church of Freeport with the Rev. Joseph Ray officiating. Burial was to follow in New Hope Methodist Church Cemetery south of Vernon.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Covenant Hospice.
Clary–Godwin Funeral Home in DeFuniak Springs was in charge of arrangements.
Willadean Pate Wright
The family of Willadean Pate Wright is mourning the death of their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who died Wednesday, Oct. 10.
Willadean was born in Bonifay on Nov. 23, 1930, to Alza and Ona Mae Dyson. In the 1960s she and her family moved to Destin, where they owned and operated a hardware store.
Willadean was a secretary at Destin Elementary School, retiring after 30 years of service. She had the most remarkable and bright personality and was loved by everyone she met. She will be deeply missed by her loving family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, Sammy; and her husband, Frank.
She is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Alan and Sandy Pate of Knoxville, Tenn., and James and Nina Pate of Destin; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and a very special and caring friend, Theo Shaw of Destin.
Services are scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday at Destin United Methodist Church with pastor John Friedman officiating. Burial will follow in Destin Memorial Cemetery.
Visitation is scheduled from 5-7 p.m. today at Emerald Coast Funeral Home.
Flowers are welcome or friends who wish may contribute to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Office of Donor Services, 1311 Mamaroneck Ave., Whit Plains, N.Y. 10605, or to Covenant Hospice, 101 Hart St., Niceville, Fla., 32578.
Arrangements are under the direction of Emerald Coast Funeral Home in Fort Walton Beach.
Alberta Douglass
Alberta Armstrong Douglass, 94, of DeFuniak Springs, passed away Sunday, Oct. 7, in a Crestview nursing facility.
She was born on Aug. 4, 1907, in Noma, Fla., the daughter of James Monroe and Amanda Virginia Tindell Armstrong and was preceded in death by her husband, Colen G. Douglass.
She was a member of Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include her sons, Angus Monroe Douglass and Colen Deweyne Douglass and wife, Shirley; daughters Mary Virginia Locke and husband, Ted, Mary Laird, and Florasteen Alberta Davis and husband, Lyndell, all of DeFuniak Springs; 12 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
Services were scheduled to be conducted this past Wednesday at Euchee Valley Presbyterian Church with the Rev. Henry Mooney and Dr. Robert Jaye officiating. Burial was to be in Euchee Valley Cemetery.
Jerry Evans Funeral Home in DeFuniak Springs was in charge of arrangements.
Anthony Herrmann
Anthony Herrmann, of Destin, passed away at his home on Friday morning, Oct. 5. He was 72 years old. Mr. Herrmann retired in 1991 and moved to Destin from New York City.
His daughter, Ellen, predeceased Mr. Herrmann. His wife, Dorothy; daughter, Christiane Herrmann of Indianapolis, Ind.; daughter, Darci Pierce of Destin; son, Anthony Herrmann of Newtown, Pa.; son William Herrmann of Haddonfield, N.J.; and six grandchildren survive him.
In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Hospice of the Emerald Coast is appreciated.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home, 113 Racetrack Rd., Fort Walton Beach, is in charge of arrangements.
Lillie Lee Manley
A lovely lady has passed away. Lillie Lee Manley died at Destin Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center on Oct. 2.
Lee was born on June 30, 1911, in Fairfax, Ala., to Elizabeth Ray Webb and June LeVoy Webb. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Willis "Red" Manley; and sisters, Lillian McIntire and Viree Reid.
Mrs. Manley is survived by her daughter, Janice Cawley and husband Billy of Beulah, Ala.; daughter, Myra Rogers and husband Richard of Pine Mountain, Ga.; son, Richard Manley and wife Mary Ann of Fort Walton Beach. She will be especially missed by her grandchildren, Byll and Sally Cawley, Rob and Jill Cawley, Rick and Jenny Rogers, Randy and Ann-Moss Rogers, Ronnie and Margie Rogers, Reid and Kim Rogers, Rich and Lisa Manley, Del Manley and Jan Manley. Her great-grandchildren are Chris, Reese, Aubrey, Richard, Charles, Owen, Andrew, Thomas and Sarah. She is also survived by a niece and five nephews.
Mrs. Manley was a resident of Destin Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center since March 2000, where she continued to share her love, making many new friends among the staff and the other residents.
A time of visitation was scheduled for Oct. 4, at Johnson-Brown Funeral Home, Valley, Ala. Service were scheduled to be held at Fairfax United Methodist Church in Valley on Oct. 5, with burial in Fairfax Cemetery.
McLaughlin Mortuary, 17 Chestnut Ave., Fort Walton Beach, was in charge of local arrangements.
Mary Nell Yates Anderson
Mary Nell Yates Anderson entered into eternal rest on Oct. 2 at the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center. She was 49.
Born July 17, 1952, she had been a resident of Fort Walton Beach and Destin since the age of two.
She attended Choctawhatchee High School and Okaloosa–Walton Community College. In 1990 she became an electronic publishing specialist for the Oklahoma State University field office based at Eglin Air Force Base.
She was preceded in death by her father, Lawden Henry Yates Sr. Survivors include her husband, Gary A. Anderson of Destin; her mother, Bessie L. Yates of Fort Walton Beach; her sister Betty Louise “Bett” Yates Adams (Dixon) of Pensacola, and San Miguel de Allende, Gto., Mexico; three brothers, Cooper Leland Yates of Pensacola, Lawden Henry Yates (Judy) of Blountsville, Ala., Donald Neal Yates (Teresa) of Statesboro, Ga.; three children, Melisa Christine Dickson Savickas (Peter), Nathan Colin Dickson, and Cooper Clayton Dickson, all of Fort Walton Beach; two stepchildren, David Anderson and Matthew Anderson of Destin; three grandchildren: Grayton Shade Savickas, Dawson Chandler Savickas and Elisha James Savickas; five nieces and nephews, Robin Michelle “Shelley” Boudreau (Josh) of Mars, Pa., Christian Marcos Perez (Megan) of Washington, D.C., Lawden Christopher Yates (Brenda) of Mobile, Ala., Amanda Lauren Yates of Blountsville, Ala., Paul Gustav Yates and Alice Elizabeth Yates of Portland, Ore.; and three grandnephew.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donation may be made in Mary Nell’s name to the American Cancer Society, 4 Jackson Street N.E., Fort Walton Beach, Fl 32548 or by calling 800–227–2345.
A visitation was scheduled for Oct. 4 with services scheduled to be held Friday, Oct. 5, at the Abundant Life Church. Rev. Bill Lackey and Dr. Howard Gates officiating.
Pallbearers were her sons, her brothers and her son–in–law. Burial was scheduled to follow in Beal Memorial Cemetery.
Little Chapel Funeral Home were in charge of the arrangements.
Mac R. Shelfer
Mac R. Shelfer of Santa Rosa Beach died Sept. 30 at his home. He was 71.
The son of the late Sam and Lillie Mae Britt Shelfer, he was born on Oct. 5, 1929, in Chattahoochie.
Shelfer proudly served his country in the U.S. Marines for 23 years. He was a Vietnam War veteran. Throughout his military service he was awarded four Good Conduct Medals; a Meritorious Mast, as a platoon sergeant of the Anti Tank Co., and the Navy Achievement Combat V Medal for meritorious service in Vietnam.
Survivors include daughters Stephanie Castaneda of Murneta, Calif., and Candice Quintana and husband, Jerald, of Riverside, Calif.; grandchildren, Jeremy Alan Quintana, Arron Matthew Quintana and Megan Elizabeth Castaneda of California.
Shelfer will be greatly missed by family and his loving friends in the Santa Rosa Beach area.
Services are private and will be held in California at a later date.
Arrangements were under the direction of McLaughlin Twin Cities Funeral Home in Niceville.
Eileen G. Ernst
Eileen G. Ernst, 77, of Destin, died at her residence Sunday, Sept. 30.
She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Frederick; and a brother, John Heinz, of Lake Ozark, Mo.
Eileen was preceded in death by three brothers, Jerry, Dan and Robert Heinz.
A memorial service was scheduled for St. Peter's Catholic Church in Skokie, Ill. Burial was planned there in St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery.
Emerald Coast Funeral Home in Fort Walton Beach was in charge of arrangements.
Mildred M. Suggs
Mildred M. Suggs, 77, of Destin, died Saturday, Sept. 29, in a local hospital.
She was a member of Florosa Baptist Church.
She is survived by two sons, Thelbert H. Suggs Jr. of Atlanta and Charles B. Suggs of Fort Walton Beach; and two daughters, Rose Clark of Colorado Springs and Jill Hertzog of Wichita Falls, Texas.
Services were scheduled for Tuesday in Beal Memorial Cemetery, with Pastor Charles Dugan officiating.
McLaughlin-Aultman Funeral Home in Crestview was in charge of arrangements.
