William Dale Gray Jr.
ST. PETERSBURG -- William Dale Gray Jr. of St. Petersburg died Wednesday at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Petersburg. He was 35.
Mr. Gray was a social worker.
Born in Gainesville, he moved from Gainesville to St. Petersburg six years ago. He was a graduate of Santa Fe High School.
He was a Protestant.
Survivors include his mother and stepfather; a brother, Stephen Gray of Gainesville; a sister; a stepbrother; a stepsister; and his step-grandparents.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Florida Federation of Garden Clubs Scholarships Fund for Hazel Simmons Hodges in Winter Park.
Merle E. Hamner
LAKE GENEVA -- Merle E. Hamner of Lake Geneva died Tuesday at Shands at AGH in Gainesville. He was 83.
Mr. Hamner was a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army.
Born in Bosler, Wyo., he moved from Cleveland to Lake Geneva 18 years ago.
He was preceded in death by his son, Merle E. Hamner Jr.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Betty Hamner of Lake Geneva; two sons, Jeffrey Hamner and George Hamner, both of Cleveland; six daughters, Diana Mazzocco of Akron, Ohio, Millie Anne Hamner of Vail, Colo., Carole Hamner of Crownsville, Md., Nancy Masiello of Sebastian, and Sandra Donegan and Cathy Everett, both of Cleveland; a brother, Dr. Charles Hamner of Hawaii; a sister, Alice Helm of North Hollywood, Calif.; and 10 grandchildren.
Lillian W. Jackson-Loosli
Lillian W. Jackson-Loosli of Gainesville died Tuesday in Gainesville. She was 89.
Mrs. Jackson-Loosli was a homemaker.
Born in Jessamine County, Ky., she moved from Kentucky to Gainesville 14 years ago.
She was a member of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Survivors include her husband, John Loosli of Gainesville; three sons, Douglas Jackson of High Springs, Jerry Jackson of Apopka and Michael Jackson of Fort White; three daughters, Lucille Chaney of Dunnellon, Mary E. Michael of Miamisburg, Ohio, and Dorothy McGraw of Fort Wayne, Ind.; a brother, Fred Wade of Lexington, Ky.; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Betty Yawn Mason
Betty Yawn Mason of Gainesville died Tuesday in Gainesville. She was 68.
Mrs. Mason was a homemaker and a member of Windsor Baptist Church. She was born in Colquitt County, Ga.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Erskin Richard Mason.
Survivors include two sons, William Mason of Graham and Edward Mason of Gainesville; her mother, Ruth Giles Yawn of Moultrie, Ga.; a brother, Charles Yawn of Moultrie; a sister, Virginia Yarbrough of Moultrie; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Willie Briggs McCraven
Willie Briggs McCraven of Gainesville died May 9 at Alachua Nursing Rehab Center in Gainesville after a long illness. She was 97.
Mrs. McCraven was a homemaker and a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church.
Born in Marianna, she moved from Windsor to Gainesville about 10 years ago.
She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Lonnie McCraven.
Survivors include a stepson, Simon Augusta of Micanopy; and a sister, Lillie Mitchell of Gainesville; and numerous step-grandchildren.
Kenneth Smith McMullen
TAMPA -- Kenneth Smith McMullen of Tampa died Wednesday at University Community Hospital in Tampa. He was 92.
Mr. McMullen was a retired district director of the Agriculture Extension Service at the University of Florida.
Born in Lee, he moved from Gainesville to Tampa 18 years ago. He received his master's degree in agriculture from UF.
He was a member of Temple Terrace United Methodist Church, Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity and was a former Kiwanis Club member.
Mr. McMullen won awards for his work in Florida 4-H clubs and the Florida citrus industry.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Gertrude McMullen.
Survivors include a son, Jack McMullen of Tampa; and three grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to the John Knox Village Benevolent Fund in Tampa.
Eric Pernell Pelham
Eric Pernell Pelham of Gainesville died Wednesday at Shands at the University of Florida after a brief illness. He was 29.
Mr. Pelham was a pet groomer.
Born in Gainesville, he moved from Atlanta back to Gainesville three years ago. He attended Eastside High School.
Mr. Pelham was a member of Bartley Temple United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his mother, Juanita Pelham-Camps of Gainesville; his father, Donald Bradford of Atlanta; his stepfather, Louis Camps of Gainesville; a sister, Crystal Pelham of Mobile, Ala.; his grandfather, Johnnie Pelham of Waldo; and his grandmother, Lola M. Camps of Gainesville.
Oneila Munden Wood
WILLISTON -- Oneila Munden Wood of Williston died Wednesday at Hospice House of Gainesville after a long illness. She was 79.
Mrs. Wood was a retired clerk at the University of Florida.
Born in Morriston, she was a lifelong resident of Levy County.
She was a member of First Baptist Church of Morriston.
Mrs. Wood enjoyed fishing and sewing.
Survivors include a daughter, Joanne Dice of Gainesville; two brothers, Hoover Munden and Ben Munden, both of Williston; three sisters, Katie Markham of Wildwood, Macey Adams of Ocala and Wilma Johnson of Corder, Mo.; and one grandson.
Emma Louise Demeritt
CEDAR KEY - Emma Louise Demeritt of Cedar Key died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville. She was 92.
Mrs. Demeritt was a former postal clerk for the U.S. Postal Service.
She was a lifelong resident of Cedar Key and a member of the Cedar Key Historical Society.
Survivors include four nephews, including Guy Williams of Gainesville.
William Rexford Hite
STEINHATCHEE - William Rexford Hite of Steinhatchee died Saturday in Cross City. He was 65.
Mr. Hite was an electronic engineer. He also had been a sergeant in the U.S. Army.
Born in Pittsburgh, he moved from Pittsburgh to Steinhatchee eight years ago.
He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Jena.
Survivors include a son, Steven Rexford Hite of Chicago; two daughters, Shelley Ann Hite of Clearwater and Julie Lynn Theimann of Seminole; and two grandchildren.
