Ralph William Hayes
PUTNAM HALL - Ralph William Hayes died March 27 at Integrated Health Services of Gainesville following an extended illness. He was 80.
Mr. Hayes, a laborer in the construction industry, was a member of the Abilene Baptist Church of Putnam Hall, where he served as deacon and was a member of the choir. He was also a member of Pallbearer Lodge.
Survivors include sons William Hayes Sr. of Putnam Hall, Howard Hayes of Melrose, Raymond Hayes Sr. of Florahome and Michael Hayes of Alachua; daughters Claretha Davis of Putnam Hall and Marvella Cliffin of Interlachen; brothers Solomon Hayes of Gainesville and Earl Hayes of Putnam Hall; sister Lamar Russell of Gainesville; 33 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren.
Philena Mae Heiser
Philena Mae Heiser died Tuesday at Shands Hospital in Gainesville.
She was 86.
Mrs. Heiser was born in Jacksonville and moved to Gainesville in 2000. She enjoyed reading and sewing and was a volunteer for the Veterans Administration, receiving numerous awards for her service.
Survivors include sons Duane Heiser of North Palm Beach and Kevin Heiser of Gainesville; daughters Helen Colgan of Arkansas, MaryAnn Mayfield of Daytona Beach, Andrea Robertson of West Palm Beach and Linda Heiser of Gainesville; brother Clyde Ward of South Carolina; 18 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Volusia Memorial Funeral Home.
Lillie Bell Dawson Neal
Lillie Bell Dawson Neal of Gainesville died Friday at Shands at AGH following an extended illness. She was 91.
Mrs. Neal was born in High Springs and moved to Gainesville several years ago. She was a retired cottage parent supervisor with Tacachale and a member of Southeast Tenth Avenue Church of Christ.
Mrs. Neal was preceded in death by her husband, Elder John Neal Sr.
Survivors include her godchildren and caretakers, Von and Ulysees Rushing of Gainesville; and caretakers Mary Ann Ewell and Sandra Kendall of Gainesville.
Arrangements by Duncan Brothers' Funeral Home.
Leona Ruggles Shields
ALACHUA - Leona Ruggles Shields died Friday at her home. She was 87.
Mrs. Shields, a retired registered nurse, was born in Germantown, Ky., and moved to Alachua from Lexington, Ky., four years ago. Mrs. Shields was a graduate of the Good Samaritan School of Nursing. She was a member of the American Business Women's Association, Daughters of the Nile and the Kentucky Nurses Association. She was a Lioness and a member of Calvary Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Vivian Shields Payne of Hawthorne; a brother, Ester Cline Ruggles of Lexington, Ky.; a sister, Helen P. Ruggles Murphy of Lexington, Ky.; one granddaughter; and four great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.
Rudolph Stephens Sr.
Rudolph Stephens Sr. of Gainesville died Monday at Shands at the University of Florida following a brief illness. He was 65.
Mr. Stephens, a custodian, was born in Gainesville and remained a lifelong resident. He attended Lincoln High School and was a member of Friendship Baptist Church, the church's trustee board, the Sarah Ivory Choir and the Ministry of Men.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby Rouse of Gainesville; sons Rudolph Stephens Jr. of Orlando, Nathaniel L. Williams of St. Petersburg and James L. Stephens, Kenneth Stephens, Willie L. Young Jr., Arthur D. Young and Charles Williams, all of Gainesville; daughters Yvonne Malone, Annie J. McDonald, Thomasine McPhadden, Sharon Foreman and Arlene Stephens, all of Gainesville; his mother, Beatrice Neal of Archer; brothers Billy Stephens and John Stephens, both of Gainesville, Dewitt Stephens of West Palm Beach and James Davis of Miami; sisters Geraldine Walker, Joyce Stephens and Penny Williams of Gainesville, Pauline Stephens Petty of the Bahamas and Betty Stephens of Orlando; 26 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Chestnut Funeral Home.
Mozell Veal
Mozell Veal of Gainesville died March 24 at home following a brief illness. She was 56.
Miss Veal, a homemaker, was born in Gulf Hammock and lived in Gainesville for many years.
Survivors include two brothers, William Veal Jr. of Bronson and Mark Anthony Veal of Dunnellon.
Arrangements by Carnegie Funeral Home.
Elma Carolyn Corbin
STEINHATCHEE -- Elma Carolyn "Babe" Corbin of Steinhatchee died Saturday. She was 87.
Mrs. Corbin was born in San Pedro Bay.
She moved to Steinhatchee at a young age and was a longtime resident. She was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church of Jena.
Mrs. Corbin was preceded in death by her husband, Cleveland Burton Corbin Sr.
Survivors include four sons, Cleveland Corbin of Steinhatchee, Jimmy Corbin of Mayo and Mack Corbin and Tommy Corbin, both of Jena; three daughters, Carolyn Currie of Old Town, Imogene Corbin of Jena and Margie Stephenson of Old Town; one sister, Willie Mae Russell of Steinhatchee; 25 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Edna Griffis Hall
WILLISTON -- Edna Griffis Hall of Williston died Tuesday in Nature Coast Hospital in Williston. She was 90.
Mrs. Hall was born in Newington, Ga., and moved to Williston 44 years ago from Hawthorne. She was a housewife and a Methodist.
Mrs. Hall was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Henry Hall.
Survivors include one daughter, Mary Germani of Williston; two sisters, Alma Gillis and Beatrice Townsend, both of Gainesville; three grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Allie Mae O'Steen
MAYO -- Allie Mae O'Steen of Mayo died Saturday. She was 91.
Mrs. O'Steen was born in Mayo and was a lifelong resident. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Live Oak, and she loved to cook and garden.
Mrs. O'Steen was preceded in death by her husband, Riley O'Steen. She is survived by one sister, Ruth Watts of Livingston, La., and six nieces and nephews.
Fairy Wood Wilkerson
BELL -- Fairy Wood Wilkerson of Bell died in her home Saturday. She was 75.
Mrs. Wilkerson was born in Yuma, Tenn., and moved to Bell from Memphis, Tenn., 39 years ago.
She was a homemaker and a member of Bethel Church of Christ in Bell.
She was preceded in death by a son, Ricky Alan Halter.
Survivors include her husband, Cleveland Wilkerson of Bell; two sons, Gary Halter and wife Joanne Halter, and David Halter and wife Cherry Halter, all of Bell; four grandchildren, Alisha Halter Kage and husband David Kage, Joey Halter and wife Jennifer Halter, Aaron Halter, and Faith Rebecca Sanders and husband Shane; and many nieces and nephews.
Herbert L. Hathcock
Herbert L. "Candyman" Hathcock, a lifelong resident of Gainesville, died Feb. 28 at Oaks Residential and Rehabilitation Center.
He was 70.
Mr. Hathcock was a laborer. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He attended the public schools of Alachua County.
Survivors include a daughter, Stella Woodbury of Brooklyn, N.Y.; a son, Herbert L. Hathcock Jr. of Fort Lauderdale; sisters Reatha Mae Ellis of Gainesville, Jessie L. Hathcock of Alachua and Gladys Howell of Jacksonville.
Arrangements by Chestnut Funeral Home.
Joel Hoch
Joel Hoch of Gainesville died Wednesday at his residence. He was 85.
Mr. Hoch was born in Poland and moved to Gainesville from Hollywood, Fla., seven years ago.
He was a certified public accountant and the founding partner of Hoch, Frey and Zugman CPA Firm in Fort Lauderdale.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was a graduate of City College of New York. He was a member of Mensa.
He was a member of B'Nai Israel Congregation and the B'Nai Israel Friendship Circle .
Survivors include his wife of 64 years, Edna Hoch of Gainesville; daughters Diane Hoch of Gainesville and Mindel Letovsky of Tsfat, Israel; sons Bruce and David Hoch, both of Gainesville; sisters Edith Klugman of New York City and Miriam Ashkenazi of California; and two grandchildren.
Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.
Eddie Lee Johnson
Eddie Lee "Big E" Johnson of Gainesville died Monday at Hospice of North Central Florida following a brief illness. He was 62.
Mr. Johnson was born in Lawtey and moved to Gainesville in 1939.
He was a bus driver with Gainesville Regional Transit and a member of Praise and Worship Ministries of Hawthorne.
Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Geneva Mitchell Johnson of Gainesville; daughters Patricia McDaniel of St. Petersburg, Janice Phillips of LaCrosse, and Shirley Thomas, Au-thenia Johnson, Judy Reed and Shameka Johnson, all of Gainesville; a son, Toney Johnson of Gainesville; sisters Doretha Miller and Pearlie Mae Lange, both of Gainesville and Oneida Clarke of Albany, Ga.; brothers Levi Griffin and L.J. Johnson, both of Gainesville, and Napoleon Johnson of Jacksonville; 19 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Duncan Brothers Funeral Home.
