John Henry Hickmon
ALACHUA - John Henry Hickmon of Alachua died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville after a short illness. He was 86.
Mr. Hickmon was a retired truck driver.
He was born in Thomasville, Ga., and moved from O'Brien to Alachua 50 years ago.
Mr. Hickmon was a member of St. Luke AME Church in Alachua.
Survivors include a daughter, Vanessa Hickmon Callahan of Ocala; six sons, Nathaniel Hickmon of Panama City, Izell Hickmon of Titusville, Wesley Hickmon of Trenton, N.J., Allen Hickmon of Newberry, the Rev. Freddie Hickmon of High Springs and Charles Hickmon of Titusville; 31 grandchildren; and 37 great-grandchildren.
Jannie Hughes Roberts
Jannie Hughes Roberts died Sunday at her daughter's house in Gainesville after a long illness. She was 84.
Mrs. Roberts was a homemaker.
She was born in Newberry and moved from Hague to Gainesville more than 70 years ago.
Mrs. Roberts was a graduate of the old Lincoln High School and a member of Williams Temple Church of God in Christ in Gainesville, where she was a member of the church's Hospitality Club.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dave Roberts, and a son, Arthur L. Roberts.
Survivors include five sons, Joseph N. Roberts and Jerry L. Roberts, both of Camden, N.J., the Rev. James E. Roberts of Ashville, N.C., Carl E. Roberts of Gainesville and David E. Roberts of Camden, N.J.; two daughters, Edna V. Roberts of Pensacola and Barbara J. Walker of Gainesville; 32 grandchildren; and 40 great-grandchildren.
Elsie Mae Batten Hunter Pigott Straughn
HAWTHORNE - Elsie Mae Batten Hunter Pigott Straughn of Hawthorne died Tuesday at Shands at AGH after a short illness. She was 80.
Mrs. Straughn was born in Starke and moved from Starke to Hawthorne 40 years ago.
She was a Baptist and a retired nurse's aid in several hospitals, including Bradford Hospital in Starke.
She was preceded in death by her son, Roy D. Hunter Jr.
Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Thomas of Macclenny; four sons, Richard M. Hunter Sr. and Kenneth D. Hunter, both of Macclenny, Jimmie B. Pigott of Waldo and Ronnie M. Pigott of Hawthorne; two foster children, Johnny Straughn and Paula Straughn, both of Greenville, Ala.; a brother, Earl Batten of Starke; a sister, Anna Fender of Starke; 19 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
Joyce E. Tuttle
Joyce E. Tuttle of Gainesville died Wednesday at her home. She was 79.
Mrs. Tuttle was born in Sydney, Australia, and moved from Clearwater to Gainesville six years ago.
She was Catholic.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Philo J. Tuttle.
Survivors include four daughters, Karen L. Hatfield, Patti L. Tuttle, Tabitha Tuttle and Foxy Tuttle, all of Gainesville.
Ada Thompson Porter Williams
WILLISTON - Ada Thompson Porter Williams of Williston died March 4 at Nature Coast Regional Hospital in Williston. She was 103.
Mrs. Williams was born in Georgia and moved to Newberry, where she lived most of her life. She moved to Williston two years ago.
She was raised in the Holiness church and was the mother of Miller's Temple in Alachua.
Mrs. Williams was the last survivor of 10 children and lived to see five generations of her family. She was a nanny to all of her nieces and nephews and enjoying taking care of needy people in the community.
"She was a loving and caring person, " said her niece, Bertha Henderson. "Once you get to know her, you never forget her."
Despite going blind in 1991, Mrs. Williams taught crochet and other needlework classes at the community center until she had a stroke two years ago.
Henderson said Mrs. Williams valued family history and told her that her grandfather found and freed all of his children from slavery after the Civil War.
Survivors include her caretaker, Henrietta Brown of Williston; and many nieces and nephews.
Ronald D. Young
Ronald D. Young of Gainesville died Wednesday at his home. He was 86.
Mr. Young was a retired superintendent of the Washingtonville School District in New York.
He was born in Denmark, N.Y., and moved from Sarasota to Gainesville three years ago.
Mr. Young served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Survivors include a daughter, Donni Young of Micanopy.
William Caver
William "Hershel" Caver died Tuesday at his residence in Gainesville. He was 84.
Mr. Caver was born in Booneville, Miss., and lived in Richmond, Va., and Orangeburg, S.C., before moving to Gainesville 28 years ago.
He retired from the Federal Bureau of Investigation after 30 years of service.
He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.
Mr. Caver was preceded in death by his first wife, Frances E. Hopkins Caver.
Survivors include his wife, Jill E. Kelly Caver of Gainesville; two daughters, Susan Caver of Washington, D.C., and Patricia Caver of Houston; a son, Michael Caver of Deerfield, Ill.; a stepdaughter, Brenda Kelly of Gainesville; a stepson, Brian Kelly of Atlanta; a sister, Zana Hill of Booneville, Miss.; a brother, Ralph Caver of Booneville, Miss.; and four grandchildren.
Rosalie E. Lang
OLD TOWN -- Rosalie E. Lang of Old Town died Tuesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. She was 69.
Mrs. Lang was born in Paterson, N.J., and moved to Old Town in 1987.
She was an accountant and a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church.
Survivors include her husband, Joe Lang of Old Town; a daughter, Janet Lee-Tuttle of Pine Brook, N.J.; a son, John Neglia of Hewitt, N.J.; a brother, Jack Tescione of Westbrookville, N.Y.; and three grandchildren.
Orrian Lee
Orrian "Joe Joe" Lee died Thursday at his home in Gainesville following a sudden illness. He was 47.
Mr. Lee was a lifelong resident of Gainesville.
He was a retired pediatric nursing assistant.
He graduated from Gainesville High School in 1971 and was a member of St. Paul Baptist Church.
Survivors include his mother, Gladys Lee of Gainesville; his father, Cleander Lee of Alachua; five sisters, Barbara L. Strowbridge, Eleanor F. Mills and Sherry Lee, all of Gainesville, Rachel Burgess of Fort Lauderdale and Olivia Lee of Alachua; and eight brothers, Norman Lee, Tony Lee, David Lee, Douglas Lee and Ronald Lee, all of Gainesville, Nathaniel Lee of Springfield, Mass., Cleander Lee of DeLand and Charles Lee of Alachua.
Linda Georgette Mathis
CHIEFLAND -- Linda Georgette Mathis died Tuesday at her residence in Chiefland following an extended illness. She was 53.
Mrs. Mathis was a lifelong resident of Chiefland.
She was homemaker and a Pentecostal.
Survivors include her husband, Raleigh Earl Mathis of Chiefland; two daughters, Carla Regina Kirkland and Kristal Bethany Mathis, both of Chiefland; a son, Raleigh "Hank" Mathis of Chiefland; two sisters, Yvonne Parrish of Cleveland, Ga., and Audrey Carter of Chiefland; a brother, George Meeks of Chiefland; and a grandson.
Elmer L. Miller
Elmer L. Miller of Gainesville died Wednesday at Shands at AGH. He was 84.
Mr. Miller was born in Whitetop, Va., and moved to Gainesville from Troy, N.C., in 1946.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II and the Korean War, retiring at the rank of captain.
He was a member of Parkview Baptist Church.
Mr. Miller was preceded in death by his wife, Iris Howell Miller.
He is survived by a daughter, Janet McDonald of Alachua.
