Juanita McDuff
WILLISTON -- Juanita McDuff of Williston died Saturday in her home in Williston. She was 76.
Mrs. McDuff was born in Louisville, Ky., and moved to Williston from Okeechobee six years ago. She was a homemaker and a Protestant.
Survivors include her husband, Horace P. McDuff of Williston; a son, Raymond McDuff of Thomasville, Ala.; three daughters, Margaret J. Shartzer of Ocala, Mary Aulena McDuff of Murphy, N.C., and Cindy Lynn Dungan of Gulf Breeze; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Wesley Barnard Golden
Wesley Barnard Golden of High Springs died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He was 70.
Mr. Golden was born in Tallassee, Ala., and moved to High Springs from Lake Butler in 1974. He was a communications supervisor, serving in the U.S. Army in the Korean War. He attended First Baptist Church of High Springs.
Survivors include his wife, Wynona Golden of High Springs; his stepmother, Wylene Golden of Sasser, Ga.; three sons, Keith Golden of Americus, Ga., Kim Golden of High Springs and Jim Golden of Wichita Falls, Texas; a daughter, Susie Blankenship of High Springs; five brothers, Bibb Golden of Buena Vista, Ga., Robert Earl Golden of Phenix City, Ala., and Tommy Golden, Hardy Golden and James Golden, all of Albany, Ga.; three sisters, Jackie Dacus of Phenix City, Martha Jordan of Sasser and Beth Anthony of Ocala; and eight grandchildren.
Alice Mae Sybrant Hamilton
STARKE -- Alice Mae Sybrant Hamilton of Starke died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center following a short illness. She was 85.
Mrs. Hamilton was born in Townville, Pa., and moved to Starke 26 years ago from Homestead. She was a homemaker, a retired cook at the Homestead Air Force Base, and a member of First Baptist Church of Starke and the Bradford County Senior Citizens Club.
Survivors include three daughters, Rama Ormsbee and Rita Frey of Starke and Ruth Pence of Ridgefield, Wash.; a stepdaughter, Doris Swan of Jonesboro, Ga.; three sons, Raymond Hamilton of Corry, Pa., Ronald Hamilton of Columbus, Pa., and Richard Hamilton of Keystone Heights; four sisters, Orma Peters of McKene, Pa., and Carol Drake, Winifred Hamilton and Marjorie Smith, all of Townville; 39 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren.
Robert Leo Meagher Sr.
Robert Leo Meagher Sr. of Gainesville died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He was 69.
Mr. Meagher was born in Rochester, N.Y., and moved to Gainesville from Camp Hill, Pa., in 1996. He retired from Consolidated Rail Corp. and served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.
Mr. Meagher was preceded in death by his wife, Jane Rosalie Meagher. Survivors include three sons, Robert L. Meagher Jr. of Gainesville, Randall Lane Meagher of Lemoyne, Pa., and Richard Lee Meagher of Sarasota; a sister, Betty Murrell of Rochester; three brothers, Richard Meagher of Rochester, William Meagher of Ocala and Frank Meagher of Venice; and two grandchildren.
William James Murphy
CROSS CITY -- William James Murphy of Cross City died Saturday in Cross City. He was 77.
Mr. Murphy was born in Turner, Mont., and moved to Cross City from Homosassa 13 years ago. He was a schoolteacher, a veteran of the U.S. Navy and a Methodist.
Mr. Murphy was preceded in death by a sister, Freda Hewitt, and a brother, Loren Murphy. Survivors include his wife, Martha Murphy of Cross City; three sons, Michael King Murphy of Irvine, Calif., Timothy James Murphy of Sebring and Ray Wheeler Jr. of Fort Meade; two daughters, Patricia Dee Baker of Balboa, Calif., and Cindy Copeland of Homosassa Springs; a sister, Marie Deal of Murray, Ky.; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Evelyne Sterrett
Evelyne Sterrett of Gainesville died Friday at Hospice House in Gainesville. She was 76.
Mrs. Sterrett was born in Nashville, Tenn., and moved to Gainesville from Orlando five years ago. She was executive secretary and treasurer for the Florida Bankers Association. She was a Methodist.
Survivors include two nieces, Beverly Noll of Gainesville and Bettye Harris of Manassas, Va.; and a brother-in-law, Charles S. Baxter of Gainesville.
Catherine Stewart
Catherine Stewart of Gainesville died Thursday in her home following a lengthy illness. She was 87.
Mrs. Stewart was born in Fort Lauderdale. She was a homemaker, a foster grandparent at Tacachale and a member of Emanuel Baptist Church, where she served on the usher board.
Survivors include her caregiver, Bertha White of Gainesville; two stepchildren, James Stewart Jr. and Irene Martin, both of Gainesville; and two grandchildren.
Vesta D. Aiken
ORLANDO -- Vesta D. Aiken of Orlando died Sunday at Central Park Village in Orlando. She was 88.
Mrs. Aiken was born in Omaha, Ala., and moved to Orlando from Keystone Heights in 1998.
She and her husband owned and operated of a poultry farm in Keystone Heights.
She was a member of the Eastern Star and an honorary charter member of the Keystone Heights Country Club.
She was a member of Community Church in Keystone Heights.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer Frank Aiken.
Survivors include a daughter, Angela Massey of Orlando; and two grandsons, Daniel Massey and Bennie Massey III, both of Orlando.
Raymond Leon Bess
Raymond Leon Bess of Gainesville died Friday at the Veterans Affairs Nursing Home following an extended illness. He was 69.
Mr. Bess was born in Kokomo, Ind., and moved to Gainesville from Tennessee in 1984.
He was a retired U.S. Marine Corps master sergeant and a Baptist.
Survivors include his wife, Martha E. Bess of Gainesville; a daughter, Cyndi Cummings of Gainesville; two sons, Michael Bess of North Carolina and Robert Bess of Memphis, Tenn.; a stepson, Bradley Newsom of Memphis, Tenn.; a brother, Jim Shaffer of Kokomo, Ind.; seven grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Beatrice Eleanora Cowgill
ALACHUA -- Beatrice Eleanoracq Cowgillcq of Alachua died Jan. 12 at her home in Alachua. She was 93.
Mrs. Cowgill was a homemaker and a Methodist.
Born in Washington D.C., she moved from Missouri to Alachua three years ago.
She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Survivors include two daughters, Marion Sirkcq of Lisbon, Md., and Marylee Creegancq of Gainesville; six sons, Melvin Botts and John Cowgill, both of Lanham, Md., Henry Bottscq of Lenoir City, Tenn., Ralph Pariscq of Fairfax, Va., Perry Cowgill of Vashon, Wa., and Parker Cowgill of Altadena, Calif.; and 26 grandchildren.
Iva Lee Ellis Davis
ALACHUA -- Iva Lee Ellis Davis, a lifelong resident of Alachua, died Monday at Sue-el's Assistance Living Home after an extended illness. She was 89.
She was a homemaker, and she worked on the family farm.
She was a member of St. John's United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Davis was preceded in death by her husband, Tanner Davis; and two daughters, Jan Elizabeth Davis and Martha Hayes.
Survivors include two sons, Hal Davis of Alachua and Wendell Davis of Lake City; a sister, Lola Davis of Alachua; seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Julia P. Dykes
LAKE WALES -- Julia P. Dykes of Lake Wales died Jan. 12 at Lake Wales Medical Center. She was 78.
Mrs. Dykes was born in Jackson County and moved to Lake Wales from Cedar Key in 1998.
She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church of Lake Wales.
Survivors include her husband, W. Wayne Dykes Sr. of Lake Wales; a daughter, Julia Marie Dykes of Lake Wales; three sons, Walter W. Dykes Jr. of Lake Wales, Ronald E. Dykes of Tampa and Bruce A. Dykes of High Springs; three sisters, Ruthie Inez Shouppe of Eagle Lake, Mary Louise Tharp of Graceville and Betty Jean Taylor of Tallahassee; two brothers, Willie Junior Broom of Winter Haven and Martie Edward Broom of Mayo; six grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Good Shepherd Hospice.
John Wesley Hoover
John Wesley Hoover, a long-time resident of Gainesville, died Monday at Life Care Nursing Center in Orange Park. He was 83.
Mr. Hoover was born in Demopolis, Ala., and raised in Marion, Ala. He lived in Gainesville for 48 years.
He taught in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Florida for more than 30 years.
He was a long-time member and past president of University City Kiwanis Club. He was a member of the Institute of Aeronautics and Science and the past president of Florida Engineering Society.
Mr. Hoover was a member of First Presbyterian Church and the John Hoover Bible Class.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Clarence Jones Hoover.
Survivors include a daughter, Sister Rose Failey Hoover of Metairie, La.; a son, John Wesley Hoover Jr. of Orange Park; two sisters, Lillian Epps of Tulsa, Okla., and Katherine Creager of Peachtree City, Ga.; and two grandchildren.
