Kenneth Bertram Willis
STARKE -- Kenneth Bertram Willis of Starke died Thursday at the Speciality Hospital in Jacksonville following an extended illness. He was 66.
Mr. Willis was born in Wynona, W.Va., and moved to Starke in 1994.
He served in the U.S. Army.
Mr. Willis was a retired truck driver.
He was a Baptist.
Survivors include three brothers, Harold Willis of Starke, Ronald Willis of Libby, Mont., and Donald Willis of Madison, Tenn.
Katharine Husband Bowers
Katharine Husband Bowers of Gainesville died Friday at the Hospice House after a long illness. She was 84.
Mrs. Bowers was a homemaker and an active volunteer in political and environmental issues.
She was born in Manistique, Mich., and received her bachelor's degree from Smith College in Massachusetts.
A teacher in Cleveland, she moved 50 years ago from St. Petersburg to Gainesville.
Mrs. Bowers was an early and active member of the Florida Defenders of the Environment, serving as a trustee and secretary of the Executive Board, and was active in the League of Women Voters, Friends of the Library and the University of Florida retired faculty.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert H. Bowers, a UF professor emeritus of English.
Survivors include three daughters, Phoebe H. Bowers of Gainesville, Susan B. Crist of Wilmette, Ill., and Deborah L. Bowers of Fort Myers Beach; and two grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Robert H. Bowers Fund (No. 3823) at the UF Foundation, P.O. Box 14425, Gainesville 32604-2425 or Florida Defenders of the Environment, 4424 NW 13th St., Gainesville 32609.
Joyce "Joe" Canada
Joyce "Joe" Canada of Gainesville died Saturday at North Florida Regional hospital. He was 75.
Mr. Canada was a retired mechanic.
He was born in Belfry, Ky., and moved from Belfry to Gainesville 35 years ago.
Survivors include a son, Connie David Canada of Hardy, Ky.; a sister, Dolly Wright of Gainesville; a foster daughter, Rose M. Daniel of Hawthorne; and two grandchildren.
Virginia M. Estes
WALDO -- Virginia M. Estes of Waldo died Saturday in Gainesville. She was 74.
Mrs. Estes was a homemaker.
Born in Alamo, Ga., she moved from Jacksonville to Waldo 54 years ago.
Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Emory Raymond Estes Sr. of Waldo; three daughters, Farinda E. O'Steen of Gainesville, Rama R. Haines of Williston and Kimberly Ann McElhenny of Green Cove Springs; four sons, Emory R. Estes Jr. of Chipley, Rodney Estes of Waldo, Stanley Estes of Campville and Timothy S. Estes of Melrose; 22 grandchildren; and 12 great- grandchildren.
Ann R. Hall
Ann R. Hall died Friday at Shands at the University of Florida. She was 68.
Mrs. Hall was a retired supervisor for the J Byrons department store in Key West.
Born in Oneco, she moved from Key West to Keystone Heights two years ago.
She belonged to the Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter in Key West and the Trinity Baptist Church in Keystone Heights.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Hall Jr., in 1990.
Survivors include her son, Henry Hall of Keystone Heights; her mother, Bonnie Doering of Hilliard; her sister, Pat Clay of Callahan; and five grandchildren.
Wanda Kay Miller
Wanda Kay Miller of Gainesville died Wednesday at Shands at AGH after a short illness. She was 50.
Mrs. Miller was a food-service employee.
She was born in Mountain City, Tenn., and moved from Tennessee to Gainesville 34 years ago.
Survivors include her husband, Herbert D. Miller of Gainesville; three sons, Denver Allen, Herbert Miller and Bruce Miller, all of Gainesville; three daughters, Brenda Anderson, Kathy Miller and Ann Martin, all of Gainesville; two sisters, Dolly Sitckney of Fort Lauderdale and Betty Morfield of Mountain City; 12 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Phyllis Jean Cochran
Phyllis Jean Cochran of Gainesville died Monday. She was 73.
A native of Lansing, Mich., Mrs. Cochran moved to Gainesville in 1988.
She was a member of the DAV Auxiliary and the Abiding Savior Lutheran Church. She was also a den mother of The Courtyards.
Survivors include two daughters, Cassandra Emmett of Nokomis and Dianne Carlson of Lansing, Mich.; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Ray A. Durden
ALACHUA -- Ray A. Durden died of a heart attack Monday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He was 61.
Mr. Durden, a lifetime resident of Alachua, was a member of New Hope Advent Christian Church.
Mr. Durden served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960 and from 1963 to 1966. He earned his journeyman's electrician certification and became an electrician for the Institute of Food and Agriculture Science at the University of Florida, where he worked from 1985 until retiring Thursday.
Survivors include his wife, Rebecca Durden of Alachua; two sons, Mickey Durden of Alachua, and John Durden of Longview, Texas; a daughter, Charlotte Tison of Gainesville; his mother, Vida Mae Durden of Bell; two brothers, Paul Durden of Gainesville, and Jerrel Durden of Alachua; two sisters, Mary Frances Harlow of Jacksonville, and Mildred Harris of Gainesville; and one grandchild.
Roberto Dedmon Gano
MELROSE -- Roberto Dedmon Gano of Melrose died Monday following a brief illness. She was 81.
Mrs. Gano was born in Jacksonville and moved to Melrose in 1979.
She was a retired secretary for the Duval County School Board. She was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Church Women.
She was a member of the Melrose Woman's Club, and she volunteered with North Central Florida Hospice.
Mrs. Gano was preceded in death by two husbands, Charles G. Dedmon Sr. and Ovid Gano.
Survivors include four sons, Derry W. Dedmon of Green Cove Springs, Eddie L. Dedmon of Callahan, Carl B. Dedmon of Jacksonville and C. Gil Dedmon Jr. of Fernandina; and eight grandchildren.
Mildred A. Griffis
STARKE -- Mildred A. Griffis died Monday at her residence in Starke following an extended illness. She was 70.
Mrs. Griffis was a lifelong resident of Bradford County.
She was a homemaker and a member of Hope Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Louis Griffis.
Survivors include five daughters, Shirley Bishop of Keystone Heights, Lillian Sweat of Lake Butler, Marilyn Nehring of Orange Lake, Yvonne Robbins of Starke, and Arlene Cooper of Hampton; two sons, Louis F. Griffis Jr. of Keystone Heights, and Vincent Griffis of Starke; six brothers, Clarence Griffis of Starke, James Griffis, Gerald Griffis, Arnold Griffis and Frank Griffis, all of Lawtey, and Charles Griffis of Greenville, S.C.; 14 grandchildren; and 10 great- grandchildren.
Margaret Marie Rodia
BRONSON -- Margaret Marie Rodia of Bronson died Friday at her home. She was 65.
Mrs. Rodia was born in Stamford, Conn., and moved to Bronson from Fort Pierce one year ago. She was a homemaker and a Catholic.
Survivors include three sons, Ralph Rodia of Dunnellon, Marc Rodia of Only, Tenn., and Arthur Rodia of Bronson; two daughters, Margaret Martinez of Bronson, and Rebecca Toriello of Fort Pierce; one sister, Judith Maiorano of Stamford; seven grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
William S. Brushaber
MELROSE - William S. Brushaber died Sunday at home. He was 79.
A native of Wolverine, Mich., Mr. Brushaber was a construction builder and a Navy veteran. A previous resident of Roscommon, Mich., Mr. Brushaber had lived in Melrose for 10 years.
He was a Catholic and a past governor of the Ann Arbor Chapter of the Loyal Order of the Moose.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Rose Marie Brushaber of Melrose; a daughter, Barbara Rozboril of Gainesville; sons William Brushaber II of Manchester, Mich., and Kurt Brushaber of Harbor Springs, Mich.; 13 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Moring Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
