Ernest H. Cox
Ernest H. Cox of Gainesville died Monday at North Florida Rehab and Specialty Care Center after a long illness. He was 91.
Dr. Cox was an assistant dean in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida from 1964 until 1972, when he retired. He began at UF as an English and logic professor in 1947 and later served as assistant dean of the University College from 1962-64.
Previously, he was an elementary school principal in Waynesville, N.C., superintendent of schools in Elizabethton, Tenn., English professor at Mary Hardin Baylor College in Belton, Texas, and was an academic dean at Blue Mountain College in Mississippi.
He was born in Ashland City, Tenn., and moved from Blue Mountain, Miss., to Gainesville 52 years ago.
Dr. Cox received his bachelor's degree from Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn., his master's degree in English from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
He was a member of First Baptist Church and Doers of the Word (DOW) Men's Bible Class, which he taught for 11 years.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Annie Belle Smith Cox.
Survivors include two daughters, Mary Margaret Cox Overbey of Germantown, Md., and Clara Cox Todd of Chadds Ford, Pa.; and three grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to the First Baptist Church in Gainesville.
Florine Day
WILLISTON -- Florine Day of Williston died Monday at Oak View Care Center after a long illness. She was 91.
Mrs. Day was a homemaker.
She was born in Raleigh and lived in Williston for the rest of her life.
Mrs. Day was a member of the Female Protective Society, Pallbearers Lodge No. 2, and the Church of God By Faith, where she was a Sunday school teacher and a member of the Mother's Board, Home Mission and Usher Board.
Survivors include three daughters, Bessie M. Jones and Essie M. Jamerson, both of Williston, and Ethel L. Robinson of Raleigh; a sister, Flora B. Hammonds of Raleigh; 21 grandchildren.; 39 great-grandchildren; and 21 great-great- grandchildren.
Virginia B. Dingee
CHIEFLAND -- Virginia B. Dingee of Chiefland died July 21 at North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville.
She was 74.
Mrs. Dingee was a former cafeteria worker at Ashby High School, where she graduated from. She later was a clerical worker for Dr. Kenneth Wise in Florida. She and her first husband were foster parents to many children through Catholic Charities.
She was born in Wheeling, W.Va., and moved to Florida 28 years ago.
Mrs. Dingee was an adjutant in the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary Chapter 52 and was secretary of the Veterans Support Group, both in Levy County.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Albert Dingee.
Survivors include her husband, Morris Dingee same name of Trenton; a son, Ronald Dingee of Greenville, N.H.; a brother, Lynn Walker of Sebring; a sister, Betty Jackson of Scituate, Mass.; two granddaughters; and two great-granddaughters.
Carol Ann Nelson Fillyaw
LAKE BUTLER -- Carol Ann Nelson Fillyaw of Lake Butler died Monday at Memorial Hospital of Jacksonville after a brief illness. She was 52.
She was a homemaker.
Born in Gainesville, she lived in Fort Myers before moving to Lake Butler in 1969.
She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Starke.
Survivors include her husband, Robert E. Fillyaw Sr. of Lake Butler; three daughters, Lisa Preski and Ashley Fillyaw, both of Jacksonville, and GaNeene Fillyaw of Lake Butler; two sons, Charles Fillyaw of West Palm Beach and Robert E. Fillyaw Jr. of Lake Butler; her parents, Charles and Betty Nelson of Cape Coral; two sisters, Claudia Hart and Charlene McAleer, both of Cape Coral; a brother, Ronnie Berry of Cape Coral; and five grandchildren.
Tracy H. Fitz
Tracy H. Fitz of Gainesville died unexpectedly Sunday at Shands at the University of Florida. He was 40.
Mr. Fitz was a restaurant manager and a lifelong resident of Gainesville.
Mr. Fitz was a 1977 graduate of P.K. Yonge Laboratory School and later attended Santa Fe and St. Johns community colleges.
He was a member of Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church.
Survivors include his wife, Cynthia Fitz of Gainesville; a daughter, Chantel Fitz of Gainesville; his mother, Barbara Fitz of Gainesville; a sister, Tarolyn Waymon of Tallahassee; four brothers, Gerald Brown of El Paso, Texas, and Arracheo Fitz, Alforeso Fitz and Cleveland Kendall III, all of Gainesville.
Edwin E. Prentice
MORRISTON -- Edwin E. Prentice of Morriston died Tuesday in Morriston after a long illness. He was 83.
Mr. Prentice was a retired custodian for the Hillsborough County School Board. He also was a shipyard worker in Tampa.
He was born in Youngstown, Ohio, and moved from Tampa to Morriston 18 years ago.
Mr. Prentice was a deacon at First Baptist Church in Inglis and was a member of the Ornan Masonic Lodge No. 231 F&AM.;
Survivors include his wife, Essie Mae Prentice of Morriston; a daughter, Sharon Staples of Lakeland; two grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Norman L. Redding
STARKE -- The Rev. Norman L. Redding of Starke died Wednesday at Shands at AGH in Gainesville after a long illness. He was 74.
The Rev. Redding was a minister in Alabama, Louisiana and Pensacola, and he was a former chaplain for the Department of Corrections.
He was born in Brewster and moved from Gadsden, Ala., to Starke 37 years ago. The Rev. Redding was a member of Kingsley Lake Baptist Church in Starke.
Survivors include his wife, Emma Jean Davis Redding of Starke; a daughter, Christie Torode of Starke; a son, Col. Butch Redding of Starke; a sister, Zela Gillette of Pensacola; and four grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Kingsley Lake Baptist Church Building Fund.
Avelene Nixon Barton
Avelene Nixon Barton of Gainesville died Saturday at the home of her sister in Gainesville.
Mrs. Barton was born in Gainesville and returnedmoved to Gainesville 5 months ago from Greensboro, N.C. She worked for Schiffman's Jewelry Store in Greensboro for more than 40 years and was a Baptist.
Mrs. Barton was preceded in death by her husband, Jack S. Barton. Survivors include a brother, Erby Millard Nixon of Panama City; and three sisters, Eunice Campbell of St. Augustine, Ruth Buenzli of Indialantic and Ruby O'Kelley of Gainesville.
Vera Cumbers
WILLISTON -- Vera Cumbers of Williston died Sunday in Nature Coast Hospital in Williston. She was 77.
Mrs. Cumbers was born in Coffee County, Ga., and moved to Williston from Miami 22 years ago. She was a homemaker and attended the Church of God in Williston.
Survivors include her son, George F. Cumbers of Pompano Beach; two daughters, Sharon Edwards of Williston and Annie Cumbers of Kissimmee; six grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Louis John Celoria
HARBOR OAKS -- Louis John Celoria of Harbor Oaks died Saturday in Ormond Beach. He was 92.
Mr. Celoria was born in East Rutherford, N.J., and moved to Harbor Oaks from Daytona Beach 14 years ago. He was a barber and a Baptist.
Mr. Celoria was preceded in death by a daughter, Patricia Robinson. Survivors include his wife, Virginia Mims Celoria of Williston; three sons, Don Celoria of Lakeland, Alan Celoria of Smithdale, Miss., and John Eder of Colorado Springs, Colo.; a daughter, Linda Sabis of Gainesville; a sister, Josie Discepola of New Jersey; 20 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Juanita McDuff
WILLISTON -- Juanita McDuff of Williston died Saturday in her home in Williston. She was 76.
Mrs. McDuff was born in Louisville, Ky., and moved to Williston from Okeechobee six years ago. She was a homemaker and a Protestant.
Survivors include her husband, Horace P. McDuff of Williston; a son, Raymond McDuff of Thomasville, Ala.; three daughters, Margaret J. Shartzer of Ocala, Mary Aulena McDuff of Murphy, N.C., and Cindy Lynn Dungan of Gulf Breeze; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Wesley Barnard Golden
Wesley Barnard Golden of High Springs died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He was 70.
Mr. Golden was born in Tallassee, Ala., and moved to High Springs from Lake Butler in 1974. He was a communications supervisor, serving in the U.S. Army in the Korean War. He attended First Baptist Church of High Springs.
Survivors include his wife, Wynona Golden of High Springs; his stepmother, Wylene Golden of Sasser, Ga.; three sons, Keith Golden of Americus, Ga., Kim Golden of High Springs and Jim Golden of Wichita Falls, Texas; a daughter, Susie Blankenship of High Springs; five brothers, Bibb Golden of Buena Vista, Ga., Robert Earl Golden of Phenix City, Ala., and Tommy Golden, Hardy Golden and James Golden, all of Albany, Ga.; three sisters, Jackie Dacus of Phenix City, Martha Jordan of Sasser and Beth Anthony of Ocala; and eight grandchildren.
