Eugene L. Matthews
STARKE -- Eugene L. Matthews of Starke, retired owner, editor and publisher of the Bradford County Telegraph, died Monday at Shands at Starke following a long illness. He was 91.
Mr. Matthews bought the Telegraph from his father in 1933, sold it to his two sons-in-law in 1973 and continued to work there until 1994.
He was a two-time president of the Florida Press Association in the 1950s and was elected to the Florida Press Association Hall of Fame in 1989.
But Mr. Matthews, a lifelong resident of Bradford County, was most known for his community service, said Marcia Miller, editor of the Telegraph.
"Just about every community improvement way back, he was involved in, " Miller said, including a new recreation center and the restoration of the Bradford County Courthouse. Matthews' series of articles in the 1950s about how people saw the community was a springboard for the improvements, Miller said. Matthews won a statewide community service award in 1954.
He was a member of the Bradford County Historical Society, now called the Eugene Matthews Bradford County Historical Society in his honor.
Mr. Matthews was a charter member of First United Methodist Church in Starke.
Survivors include three daughters, Mary Agnes Ferguson and Madge Anne Miller, both of Starke, and Elizabeth Liddon Meng of Keystone Heights; eight grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two nieces.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Eugene L. Matthews Historical Museum in Starke, to the First United Methodist Church in Starke or to the Crosby Lake cemetery Association in Starke.
Services will be 10 a.m. today at the First United Methodist Church.
Forest Berkley Amburgey
Forest Berkley Amburgey of Gainesville died Thursday in Gainesville. He was 71.
A native of Kentucky, Mr. Amburgey moved to Gainesville in 1985.
He was a retired police officer and a member of Suitland Christian Church.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy E. Amburgey.
Survivors include three daughters, Cathy Hamilton of Arlington, Va., Susie Mills of Inez, Ky., and Debby Self of Frederick, Md.; a son, Steven Amburgey of Green Cove Springs; four sisters, Lelah Litteral of Paintsville, Ky., Lottie Caughman of Columbia, S.C., Dottie Hayes of Barnwell, S.C., and Linda Cantrell of Severn, Md.; two brothers, J. Bart Amburgey of Berea, Ky., and Bud Amburgey of Lexington, Ky.; five grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Emma Winifred Collins Hayes
HAWTHORNE -- Emma Winifred Collins Hayes of Hawthorne died Monday in Keystone Heights. She was 96.
Mrs. Hayes was born in London, England, and moved to Hawthorne from Jacksonville five years ago.
She was a registered nurse and a member of the Church of the Nativity Episcopal Church in Jacksonville.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Hayes.
She has no immediate survivors.
Missouri James
Missouri James of Gainesville died Sunday in Gainesville following an extended illness. She was 84.
Mrs. James was born in Spindel, N.C., and moved to Gainesville 60 years ago.
She was a custodian. She volunteered with the Willing Worker's Club.
She was a member of the Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church, where she served as a member of the Missionary Society.
Survivors include a daughter, Carolyn Lee of Gainesville; three sons, Harrington Debose and C.J. James, both of Gainesville, and Carl James of Baltimore, Md.; a sister, Leola Williams of Gainesville; 10 grandchildren; and six great- grandchildren.
Frederick Woodrow Josten
ARCHER -- Frederick Woodrow Josten of Archer died Sunday in Gainesville. He was 69.
A native of New York, Mr. Josten moved to Archer 30 years ago.
He was a painter and a veteran of the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife, Linda D. Josten of Archer; three daughters, Missy Estep of St. Augustine, Dorothy Hull of Lake City and Lori English of Falls Branch, Tenn.; a son, Freddy Josten of Bristol, Tenn; a stepson, Wayne Johnson of Newberry; a sister, Alice Rink of Zephyrhills; a brother, Pete Josten of Edgewater; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
George Dennis Mason
George Dennis Mason, a lifelong resident of Gainesville, died Tuesday in Gainesville following a brief illness. He was 92.
Mr. Mason was a retired postal clerk with the U.S. Postal Service.
He was a member of the First United Methodist Church, where he was involved with the choir for 64 years.
Survivors include his wife, Blanche D. Mason of Gainesville; two sons, James Quincey Mason of Gainesville and George Drummond Mason of Cross Creek; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a nephew.
James A. McHard
James A. McHard of Gainesville died Saturday in Gainesville. He was 86.
A native of Illinois, Mr. McHard moved to Gainesville from Michigan in 1969.
He was a chemist with Dow Corning and a Mason. He was a member of Civitan in Michigan.
He was preceded in death by a brother, William McHard.
Survivors include his wife, Nelia McHard of Gainesville; a daughter, Sharon D. Shanton of Oro Valley, Ariz.; two sons, James L. McHard on Libonia, Mich., and Richard W. McHard of Pomona, Calif.; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Edgar Daniel Eastep
Edgar Daniel Eastep of Micanopy died Thursday in Micanopy of heart failure. He was 73.
Mr. Eastep was born in Altoona, Pa. He moved to Gainesville in 1953 and Micanopy in 1960. He was a retired sales representative for Providian Life Insurance Co. and International Harvester and also operated a consignment sales business in Gainesville from 1958 to 1962.
Mr. Eastep was a longtime Crisis Center phone volunteer and care team member. He was in the Peace Corps in Guatemala from 1980 to 1984. His interests included travel, reading, wildlife, history, archaeology and flying.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; a daughter, Susan Ramirez of Dallas, Texas; a son, Michael Eastep of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; one sister, Jean Cooksey of Spartanburg, S.C.; one brother, Robert Eastep of Morehead City, N.C.; and three grandsons.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
Ovid R. Gano
MELROSE -- Ovid R. Gano of Melrose died Friday near Melrose in a car accident. He was 82.
Mr. Gano was born in Island Grove and moved to Gainesville 50 years ago. He was a retired electrical engineer, a former faculty member at the University of Florida College of Engineering and founding director of bioengineering at the UF Health Center with a faculty appointment in the department of radiology at the UF College of Medicine. He retired in 1982.
Mr. Gano attended Trinity Episcopal Church.
Survivors include his wife, Roberta Gano of Melrose; two daughters, Melissa Olivenbaum of Gainesville and Sherry Matthews of Jacksonville; and five grandchildren.
Charles Huff
Charles Huff of Bogart, Ga., died Sunday. He was 78.
Mr. Huff was a retired lieutenant with Gainesville Fire Rescue, where he served for 25 years.
Survivors include his wife, Ellie Bee Yawn Huff of Bogart; a daughter, Barbara Alari of Oswego, N.Y.; four sisters, Betty Sims, Loraine Huff and Zue Nash, all of Athens, Ga., and Annette Parham of Bogart; and three brothers, Thomas Huff, James Huff and Herschel Huff, all of Bogart.
Melba Dafeen Murphy
McINTOSH -- Melba Dafeen Murphy of McIntosh died Friday at Hospice Care Center after an extended illness. She was 64.
Born in Lashmeet, W.Va., Mrs. Murphy moved to Gainesville from Princeton, W.Va., in 1978 and to McIntosh in 1988. She was a member of the Community Presbyterian Church of McIntosh and served as secretary of the Women In Church organization.
Mrs. Murphy was a retired secretary for the Alachua County School Board. She had previously worked at Rockwell International and the Dean Co. in Princeton. She was also a Realtor associate in Princeton and Gainesville.
Mrs. Murphy was preceded in death by her parents, T.C. "Tub" Hill and Euva Mae Shrewsbury Hill.
Survivors include her husband, R.V. "Bob" Murphy Jr. of McIntosh; two sons, Rodney Ford of Melrose and Jeffrey Ford of Cape Canaveral; two stepsons, Carl Murphy of Princeton W.Va. and Thomas Murphy of Durham, N.C.; one brother, Richard Hill of Rock, W.Va.; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Community Presbyterian Church of McIntosh, P.O. Box 616, McIntosh 32664.
Martha Euralee O'Steen
Martha Euralee O'Steen of High Springs died Saturday at Ayers Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was 78.
Mrs. O'Steen was born in Fort White and moved to High Springs from Branford 60 years ago. She was a homemaker and attended Mount Horeb Baptist Church.
Survivors include three sons, Wendell O'Steen and Larry O'Steen, both of High Springs, and Ralph O'Steen of Gainesville; two brothers, W.C. Williams and Gerald Williams, both of Branford; four sisters, Thelma Lowe, Lois Porter and Eloise Harrison, all of Fort White, and Adell Torise of Homestead; six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
