Robert Warren Russell
ARCHER -- Robert Warren Russell died Saturday at North Florida Regional Medical Center after a short illness. He was 81.
Mr. Russell was a dairyman. He also served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was born in Key West and moved from Miami to Archer 30 years ago.
Mr. Russell enjoyed sports and working outside.
Survivors include his wife, Ernacq Raye Williams Russell of Archer; and two sisters, Betty Russell and Faye Russell, both of Archer.
Robert James Strunk
HAWTHORNE -- Robert James Strunk of Hawthorne died Friday night in an auto accident near Cross Creek. He was 40.
Mr. Strunk was a plumber.
He was born in Madison, Wis., and moved from Germantown, Md., to Hawthorne 25 years ago.
Mr. Strunk enjoyed fishing and working on automobiles.
Survivors include a daughter, Roberta Strunk of Ocala; two sons, James Strunk and Steven Strunk, both of Cross Creek; his parents, Robert and Annette Strunk of Cross Creek; a sister, Michelle Strunk; his grandmother, Edna Aeschlimancq of Middleton, Wis.; and one grandson.
Leo Julian Thomas Jr.
Leo Julian "Buddy" Thomas Jr. of Gainesville died Tuesday in Yulara, in northern Australia, while on vacation. He was 69.
Mr. Thomas was past president and CEO of Thomas Oil Co. in Gainesville.
He also served in the U.S. Navy and was a lieutenant in the Naval Reserve.
He was born in Lake City and moved from Jacksonville to Gainesville 55 years ago. He graduated from the University of Florida. Mr. Thomas was a past president of Florida Petroleum Marketers Association, past director of the National Oil Jobbers Council, and past captain of the Gainesville Quarterback Club.
He was a member of the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Gator Boosters, Gator Hunt Club, Eastside Garden Club, Friends of Jazz, North Florida Fly Fishers, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, and the council of the U.S. Branch of Clan MacThomas Society of Scotland.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy C. "Dorie" Thomas of Gainesville; two daughters, Kimberly Ann Tutancq of Savannah, Ga., and Catherine Thomas Bagley of Wilmington, N.C.; a son, Leo David Thomas of Gainesville; and four grandsons.
Floyd G. Barker
FORT McCOY -- Floyd G. Barker of Fort McCoy died Tuesday at Shands at AGH. He was 65.
He was born in Bayboro, N.C., and moved to Fort McCoy from Lochloosa nine years ago.
Mr. Barker was a retired commercial fisherman.
He attended Hog Valley Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Alice Cassels Barker of Fort McCoy; two daughters, Brenda Sparkman of Fort McCoy and Penny Kingsley of Arapahoe, N.C.; five sons, Ricky Atkinson, Robert Atkinson and Johnny Atkinson, all of Fort McCoy, and Larry Barker and Gary Barker, both of Trenton, N.C.; five sisters, Valchin D. Pedgron of Wilmington, N.C., Christine Modlin of Ocala, Lily Mae Pilgram of Marybelle, N.C., and Beatrice Apple and Edna Lanchaster, both of Washington, N.C., and Ethel Barker of Virginia; and four brothers, Chandler Barker of Trenton, N.C., and J.C. Barker, Roosevelt Barker and Gilbert Barker, all of North Carolina.
Sarah Louise Bridges
Sarah Louise Bridges of Gainesville died Saturday at North Florida Regional Medical Center after a lingering illness. She was 75.
She was born in Weston, Ga., and moved to Gainesville a year ago.
Mrs. Bridges was a homemaker and a Baptist.
Survivors include three daughters, Ola Bell Peters and Peg Ross, both of Gainesville, and Ollie Ruth Thomas of Albany, Ga.; four sons, Johnny Glynn and Grady Bridges, both of Gainesville, Bobby Bridges of Palatka and Henry Bridges of Leesburg, Ga.; 12 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Desmond Freeman Dukes
LAKE BUTLER -- Desmond Freeman Dukes of rural Lake Butler died Wednesday at Brookwood Nursing Center in Starke after an extended illness. He was 96.
He was born in Dukes in Union County and lived most of his life in Orange Lake before relocating to Lake Butler in 1980.
He was a railroad station agent with the Atlantic Coastline/Seaboard Coastline Railroad, retiring in 1980 after 30 years of service.
Mr. Dukes was a member of the Little Springs Primitive Baptist Church near Worthington Springs.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 63 years, Ouida Mae Holder Dukes.
Survivors include a daughter, Wanda Dukes Godwin of Worthington Springs; two sons, Donald Lamar Dukes of Tampa and Wayne Barry Dukes of Worthington Springs; a sister, Alethea Clyatt of Dukes; 11 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Carole Joan Fox
Carole Joan Fox of St. Petersburg died Wednesday at Shands at the University of Florida. She was 57.
She was born in Boston and moved to St. Petersburg 30 years ago.
She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, her mother, a son, three brothers and an aunt, Nancy Grissom of Gainesville.
Robert Benjamin Hall
LIVE OAK -- Robert Benjamin Hall of Live Oak died Thursday at North Florida Regional Medical Center after an extended illness. He was 81.
He was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, and moved to Live Oak from Miami in 1974.
He was a retired Episcopal priest. He was a former president of the Little Theatre and the Artists Guild of Live Oak. He was a member of the Live Oak Rotary Club, where he played the piano and edited the newsletter. For several years he was a volunteer in the elementary schools in remedial reading and art education. He was a member of the St. Luke's Episcopal Church and conducted services during the rector's vacations for 14 years.
He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II and taught aerodynamics to pilot trainees.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Marjorie Wilson Hall of Live Oak; a daughter, Alix Gash of Miami; a son, Ross Benjamin Hall of Dahlonega, Ga.; a sister, Margaret Hemphill of State Center, Iowa; and four grandchildren.
James L. Haynes
James L. Haynes of Sebring died Wednesday at the Integrated Health Service in Sebring. He was 81.
He was the owner and operator of Jim Haynes Family Citrus and Caretaking.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Haynes of Sebring; two sons, including Billy Joe Haynes of Gainesville; a daughter, a sister, a brother, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Clifford Darwyn Phelps
Clifford Darwyn Phelps of Umatilla died Wednesday at Waterman Hospital in Eustis. He was 64.
He was born in Otter Creek and moved to Lake County in 1960.
Mr. Phelps was a veteran of the U.S. Army.
He was a Baptist.
Survivors include a daughter, a sister and three brothers.
Fern Fugate Ratcliff
Fern Fugate Ratcliff died Wednesday at her Gainesville residence after an extended illness. She was 70.
She was born in Williston and moved to Gainesville from St. Louis 20 years ago.
She was an executive accountant specializing in automobile dealerships in St. Louis County and later worked for Doctor's Managements Inc. in Gainesville.
Survivors include her husband, Philip Ratcliff of Gainesville; and a cousin, Jack Clark of Fairfield, Ill.
Mary Katherine Reber
Mary Katherine Reber of Gainesville died Wednesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. She was 83.
She was born in Bourbon, Ind., and moved to Gainesville from Decatur, Ind., in 1994.
Mrs. Reber was a homemaker.
Survivors include a daughter, Loretta Reber of Gainesville; a son, Lorraine Dunhan of Arcost, Ind.; seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
