Donna LeVonne Branch
Donna LeVonne Branch died Friday at her residence in St. Petersburg. She was 46.
Mrs. Branch was born in Baltimore, and lived in Cross City for 12 years before moving to St. Petersburg three years ago.
She served in the U.S. Army and worked as a patient-care assistant.
She was a member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Cross City.
Survivors include her husband, Ray Branch of Chipley; nine sons; five daughters, including Angelina Branch and Rachel Branch, both of Perry; four sisters; and a grandchild.
Ruby Braswell
GULF HAMMOCK -- Ruby Braswell, a lifelong resident of Gulf Hammock, died Monday at Cypress Cove Care Center in Crystal River. She was 87.
Mrs. Braswell was a homemaker and a Baptist.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Grimmer Braswell; and a daughter, Philene Williams.
Survivors include a granddaughter, Charlotte Yearty of Gulf Hammock; a grandson, Carl Williams of Otter Creek; and three great-grandchildren.
John Joseph Nolan
John Joseph Nolan died Dec. 28 at his residence in Gainesville. He was 81.
Mr. Nolan was born in New York, N.Y., and moved to Gainesville from St. Petersburg in 1948.
He was a history and psychology teacher at Gainesville High School, retiring after 25 years of service.
He served as a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II.
Mr. Nolan was a former headmaster at Florida Military Academy in St. Petersburg and a former principal of Waldo High School.
He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Tulsa in 1947 and a master's of arts in education from the University of Florida in 1951.
Mr. Nolan was tennis coach at Gainesville High School and former chairman of the tennis committee at the Gainesville Golf and Country Club and the 300 Club. He was a former president of the Gator Tennis Boosters.
Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Helen Nolan of Gainesville; a daughter, Katherine Nolan Conner of West Palm Beach; a son, Michael Nolan of West Palm Beach; and a granddaughter.
Martha Dillon Brown Woodward
LAKE CITY -- Martha Dillon Brown Woodward died Saturday at her residence in Lake City. She was 77.
Mrs. Woodward was born in Miami and moved to Lake City from Worthington Springs in 1998.
She was employed with the Dade County Tax Assessor's Office.
Survivors include her husband, William H. Woodward of Lake City; two daughters, Sue Ricks of Collegedale, Tenn., and Billee Joan Alexander of Citra; two sons, Calvin M. "Tim" Brown of Worthington Springs and Richard C. Brown of Starke; 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
James Leroy Carroll
James Leroy Carroll, a lifelong resident of Gainesville, died Monday at Shands at AGH. He was 62.
Mr. Carroll was a retired repair technician for Sears. He served in the U.S. Navy.
He was preceded in death by a son, James Roy Carroll.
Survivors include his wife, Carol Louise Carroll of Gainesville; a daughter, Verna Yarbrough of Jacksonville; two sons, Jeffery Fredrick Carroll of Gainesville and Jerry Lee Carroll of Jacksonville; five sisters, Ellen Atkinson of North Carolina, Christine Fowler and Wilma Bowden, both of Gainesville, Judy Banner of Ocoee and Addie Wise of Alabama; three brothers, Coy Carroll and Arvis Carroll, both of Hawthorne, and Lewis Carroll; eight grandchildren; and four great- grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to the American Cancer Society.
Clifford P. Crown
Clifford P. Crown, a lifelong resident of Gainesville, died Tuesday at his home. He was 82.
Mr. Crown retired from Baird Hardware Co. in 1978. He was a member of Ridgeview Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon. He was a former member of Knights of Pythias.
Survivors include his wife, Lucile S. Crown of Gainesville; two daughters, Judi Crown of Gainesville and Joan Moody of Belleview; three sons, David Crown of Gainesville, Ron Crown of George Town, Bahamas, and Gary Crown of Nashville, Tenn.; a brother, Eugene Crown of Moultrie, Ga.; four grandchildren; and two great- grandchildren.
Carol Kennedy DeFord
INTERLACHEN -- Carol Kennedy DeFord of Interlachen died Monday at Columbia/Putnam Medical Center in Palatka. She was 55.
Mrs. DeFord was born in Battle Creek, Mich., and moved to Interlachen from Jacksonville in 1971.
She was a secretary and receptionist.
She was a member of the Bethel Assembly of God Church in Interlachen.
Survivors include her husband, Richard DeFord of Interlachen; a daughter, Christina Mendez of Interlachen; a son, Richard E. DeFord of Otterville, Mo.; her stepmother, Freda Kennedy of Arkansas; a sister, Donna Kennedy of Battle Creek, Mich.; and a brother, John Kennedy Jr. of Miami.
Effie Beatrice Denny
STARKE -- Effie Beatrice Denny, a lifelong resident of Starke, died Monday at the Hospice House of Gainesville following an extended illness. She was 53.
Mrs. Denny was a Bradford County School Board employee and a member of the Madison Street Baptist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Walt Stansell.
Survivors include two daughters, Melissa Innocent of Gainesville and Mildred Edenfield of High Springs; her mother and stepfather, Elizabeth and Ed Mobley of Starke; a brother, Eddie Adams of Clyde, Texas; and six grandchildren.
Dora E. Fox
Dora E. Fox of Gainesville died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center following an extended illness. She was 85.
Mrs. Fox was born in Coleman, Okla., and moved to Gainesville from Lake Elsinore, Calif., in 1989.
She was a line supervisor and a lifelong member of the Nazarene Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, the Rev. Art B. Fox.
Survivors include three sons, Billie Joe White of Oklahoma City, Claud Lee White of Tulsa, Okla., and and Doil Leon White of Gainesville; and eight grandchildren.
Gary Edwin Hawk
MELROSE -- Gary Edwin Hawk died Monday at his residence in Melrose. He was 55.
Mr. Hawk was born in Nashville, Tenn., and moved to Melrose from Dallas six years ago.
He was a retired painting contractor and he served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War.
He was a member of the Church of Christ and AMVETS.
Survivors include his mother, Mary Taylor Hawk, a sister, Delinda Temples, and a brother, Ronald Hawk, all of Ponte Vedra Beach.
William Martin LeMire
LAWTEY -- William Martin LeMire died Monday at his residence in Lawtey. He was 67.
Mr. LeMire was born in Tewksbury, Mass., and lived in Miami and Starke before moving to Lawtey 18 years ago.
He was a roofer and a Catholic. He served in the U.S. Army.
Survivors include his wife, Pauline LeMire of Lawtey; a daughter, Cathy L. Wood of Starke; a son, Michael J. LeMire of Starke; and six grandchildren.
Joseph Murdock Pinner
Joseph Murdock Pinner of Tallahassee died Monday. He was 77.
Mr. Pinner was born in Old Town and moved to Tallahassee 56 years ago.
He was a security guard, and he served in the U.S. Air Force.
He was a member of the Cross City Assembly of God.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret Pinner of Cross City; a daughter, Virginia Harrison of Tallahassee; two sisters, Catherine Williams of Gainesville and Bonnie Gail Sapp of Land 'O Lakes; and a grandchild.
