Robert Courson
LAKE BUTLER -- Robert "Bob" Courson of Lake Butler died Wednesday at Shands at the University of Florida after a brief illness. He was 79.
He lived in Union County for most of his life. After graduating from Mason City High School, Mr. Courson served in the Medical CorpsCore of the U.S. Army during World War II.
He took part in the invasion at Normandy Beach and the Battle of the Bulge. He received a Good Conduct MedalMetal. After returning home, he worked as a farmer.
He was a member of Lulu Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Pauline Woods Courson of Lake Butler; a daughter, Sylvia Jean Carter of Lake Butler; two sons, Ralph Courson and Alan Courson, both of Lake Butler, a sister, Eala B. Bryant of Lake Butler; six grandchildren and four great- grandchildren.
Joseph R. Limpert
Joseph R. Limpert of Gainesville died Tuesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center after a brief illness. He was 71.
He was born in Pittsburgh and served as an aviation machinist in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He attended the University of Pittsburg, receiving a degree in civil engineering in 1951.
He moved to Gainesville in 1966, and helped to open the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he served as chief of engineering service for 18 years. He worked in the same capacity at the James A. Haley VA Hospital in Tampa for three years before returning to Gainesville in 1988.
Mr. Limpert was a Catholic and a licensed professional engineer. He was an avid golfer, a private pilot and a University of Florida football fan.
Survivors include his wife, Rita K. Limpert of Gainesville; three daughters, Lisa A. Limpert of Gainesville, Vicky L. Martin of Flagler Beach and Susan L. Pistone of Palm Coast; a son Joseph A. Limpert of Gainesville; three sisters, Alma Drake of Payson, Ariz., and Lucetta Simeone and Patricia Owens, both of Pittsburgh; a brother, Robert Limpert of Edgewater; and three grandchildren.
Gladys D. Rimes
Gladys D. Rimes of Gainesville died Tuesday at North Florida Rehabilitation and Speciality Care Center. She was 94.
She was born in Hillsborough County and moved to Gainesville from High Springs three years ago.
She was a homemaker and a member of the First Presbyterian Church in High Springs.
Survivors include three nieces, Mary Haley of Decatur, Ga., the Rev. Joyce Rimes of Gainesville, Lucille Whitlock of Arcadia; and a nephew, Paul B. Witherspoon of High Springs.
Letty Mae Woodburn
STARKE -- Letty Mae Woodburn of Starke died Wednesday at the Hospice House in Gainesville after an extended illness. She was 60.
She was born in Jacksonville and moved to the Starke area at a young age, remaining there for most of her life.
She was a homemaker and a Baptist.
Survivors include her daughter, Nancy Jo of Callahan; four sisters, Louise Green and Ferris Youkevicius, both of Jacksonville, Shirley Jenkins of Starke and Mazelle Bettencourt of Modesto, Calif.; a brother, George W. Rosier of Jacksonville; and three grandchildren.
Dr. Thomas H. Maren
A memorial service for Dr. Thomas H. Maren will be held at 7 p.m., on Monday at the Sweetwater Branch Inn at 625 E. University Ave. The service is open to all friends, as well as the University of Florida faculty, staff and students.
Dr. Maren, a founding father of the UF College of Medicine, died August 15 at his summer home in Bar Harbor, Maine.
George B. Cowart Jr.
HAWTHORNE - George B. Cowart Jr. died Saturday. He was 77.
He was born in Bainbridge, Ga., and moved to Hawthorne 25 years ago. He was a retired lieutenant colonel with the U.S. Air Force, where he served for 30 years. He received a doctorate in law from the University of Georgia.
He was a member of Bethel Assembly of God in Interlachen.
He was preceded in death by his first wife, Elizabeth Gill Cowart.
Survivors include his wife of 25 years, Brenda Cowart of Hawthorne; daughters Betty Jean Cowart of Oceanside, Calif., and Julie Cowart Fronzuto of Berea, Ky.; a son, George B. Cowart III of Darien, Ga.; sisters Jeanne Glover of Bainbridge and Carol Cowart of Brunswick, Ga.; several nieces and nephews; and eight grandchildren.
Arrangements by Williams-Thomas-Hawthorne Funeral Home.
Gerald Luther Ervin
ALACHUA - Gerald Luther "Luke" Ervin died Saturday in North Florida Regional Medical Center. He was 69.
Mr. Ervin was born in Florala, Ala., and lived most of his life in Gainesville and Alachua. He was a funeral assistant and support staff member at Forest Meadows Funeral Home. He was retired from Sears and also worked at Winn-Dixie.
A Gainesville High School graduate, Mr. Ervin attended Georgia Tech and the University of Florida. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was a member of First United Methodist Church of Alachua.
Survivors include his wife, Nancy Duke Ervin; daughter Penny Ervin of Alachua; sons Duke Ervin of Alachua and Bruce Ervin of Gainesville; brothers Roland H. "Bill" Ervin of Bartow and Dan. W. Ervin of Alturas; and two grandchildren.
Arrangements by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.
Herman David Hirshberg
BRONSON - Herman David Hirshberg died Thursday at Shands at AGH. He was 95.
He was born in Louisville, Ky., and moved to Bronson 20 years ago. He was a retired radio engineer and an engineer for the St. Petersburg Police Department. He also performed in the Van Orden Band in Bradenton.
Survivors include a son, Sherwin Hirshberg of St. Petersburg; a daughter, Barbara Judith Allen of Largo; brothers Norman and Russell Hirshberg, both of Bradenton; 13 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Hiers Chiefland Funeral Home.
Willie Jean Hurst
ARCHER - Willie Jean Hurst died Friday. She was 64.
She lived in Archer her entire life and was a retired bookkeeper. She was also Baptist.
Survivors, all of Archer, include her husband, James "Jimmy" W. Hurst; a brother, Jesse Lee Morris; a niece, Leeann Slaughter; and a nephew, Patrick L. Morris.
Arrangements by Milam Funeral Home.
Marie Padgett Morrison
STARKE - Marie Padgett Morrison died Friday at Bradford Terrace following a long illness. She was 68.
Mrs. Morrison was born in Middleburg and was a lifelong Bradford County resident. She worked for Bradford Furniture and attended the Victory Revival Center in Starke.
Survivors include daughters Joyce Sasser and Janet Thornton, both of Starke, and Joann Herald of Cedar Grove. W.Va.; one son, David Morrison of Starke; one sister, Margaret Padgett of Middleburg; brothers Leroy Padgett, Gene Padgett, Merril Padgett and Claude Padgett, all of Middleburg; 11 grandchildren; and 16 great- grandchildren.
Arrangements by Jones Funeral Home of Starke.
Elizabeth Haigler Purvis
JACKSONVILLE - Elizabeth Haigler Purvis died Friday in Baptist Medical Center. She was 88.
Mrs. Purvis was born in Gainesville and lived there until she moved to Jacksonville in 1997. She was a homemaker, a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville and Alpha Delta Pi sorority, and past president of the Junior League of Gainesville.
Mrs. Purvis was preceded in death by her husband, Roy Lee Purvis.
Survivors include her son, Roy Lee Purvis Jr. of Brentwood, Tenn.; daughter Elizabeth Anne Nimnicht of Jacksonville and four grandchildren.
Arrangements by Milam Funeral and Cremation Services.
Gilbert Eugene Robbins
STARKE - Gilbert Eugene Robbins died Wednesday in Bradford Terrace. He was 70.
Mr. Robbins was born in North Vernon, Ind., and moved to Starke 21 years ago from Jacksonville.
He was a member of First Christian Church of Starke, a retired U.S. Navy weapons inspector at Mayport Naval Air Station and a cabinetmaker at Camp Blanding.
He served in the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Survivors include his wife, Phyllis Rutherford Robbins; daughters Kimberly T. Robbins of Lincoln, Neb., and Donna G. Barrow of Boston, Mass.; sons Michael D. Robbins of Palmyra, Neb., and John G. Robbins of Chattanooga, Tenn.; sisters Mable Christian of Centerville, Ind., and Katherine Waltermire of DeLand; and three grandchildren.
Arrangements by Jones Funeral Home of Starke.
Vera Vashti Wimberley Snider
MAYO - Vera Vashti Wimberley Snider died Thursday at North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville. She was 78.
She was born and raised in Mayo, lived in Cocoa and returned to Mayo in 1973. She was a homemaker and a member of Alton Church of God.
She was preceded in death by a son, John Stacy Snider.
Survivors include her husband, John Russell Snider of Mayo; sons Ronney and Stanley Snider, both of Mayo; a daughter, Melody Koon of Mayo; sisters Doris Marie Haley of Branford and Ruth Green of Mayo; 10 grandchildren; and eight great- grandchildren.
Arrangements by Beggs Funeral Home.
