Patricia M. Tiemeier
Died: Monday, September 22, 2003
Age: 82
She was a retired bookkeeper at Kennedy Space Center and a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rockledge, Fla.
She is survived by son Terry Tiemeier of Neptune Beach; daughters Mary P. Armstrong of Napean, Ontario, Sharon Spivey of Alaska and Deborah Hall of Rockledge, and five grandchildren.
A service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, with burial at Florida Memorial Gardens. Florida Memorial Funeral Home.
Danielle Marie Noblitt
Died: Thursday, September 18, 2003
Born April 11, 2003, she was the daughter of John Noblitt and Jennifer Huether of Marion, N.C.
In addition to her parents, she is survived by sister Amanda Noblitt; twin brother John William Noblitt; maternal grandparents Helen Woods of Marion and Robert Huether of Selden, N.Y.; paternal grandparents James and Joyce Noblitt of Marion; maternal great-grandparents James and Virginia Sword of Atlantic Beach, an aunt and an uncle.
Services were held Sept. 21 at the Westmoreland Chapel in Marion, with burial in the Noblitt Family cemetery.
William E. Brown
Died: Thursday, September 11, 2003
Age: 67
He was born Feb. 2, 1936, in Logan County, W. Va. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Dorthea Toy Johnson.
He is survived by children Joetta Kirk of Sanford, Fla., Shrea Emma Davidson of Holmes Beach, Fla., and Tonda Hopkins of Bent Mountain, Va.; sisters Emma Wyatt of Atlantic Beach, Opal McCallister of Port St. Lucie, Fla., Georgia Lee Hill of Pensacola, Fla., and Stella Kisamore of Charleston, W. Va.; brothers Raymond Brown of Canton, Ga., and Roby Brown Jr. of South Shore, Ky.; 10 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
A service was held at Bethel Renewal Church on St. Johns Bluff Road, with Dr. Richard M. Lyon, pastor and nephew of Mr. Brown, officiating. Burial will be in South Shore, Ky., where a graveside service will be held Oct. 11. Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, St. Johns Bluff Road, Jacksonville.
Charles Herman "Herm" Thompson
Died: Saturday, September 06, 2003
Age: 70
He was born July 20, 1933 in Lynchburg, Va. He was retired from the Air Force and was an air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration for more than 20 years. He was predeceased by his wife, Beverly Thompson, in 1984. His son, Brodie Thompson, died Sept. 26, 2003.
He is survived by his son Clinton Brady Thompson of Neptune Beach and other relatives.
A celebration of his life will be held 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, at European Street Cafe, 5500 Beach Blvd., Jacksonville.
Raymond J. Ruffio
Died: Saturday, November 22, 2003
Age: 78
Born Aug. 7, 1925, in Pelham, N.Y., he was a graduate of Pelham Memorial High School where he played varsity football and basketball. He served during World War II with the Army Air Corps, with the 15th Air Force as a top turret gunner on B-24s with the 780th Bomb Squadron, stationed in Fogia, Italy. After honorable discharge, he attended Boston University and Vesper School of Art. Upon returning to New York, he received management and advertising degrees from City College of New York.
He worked for Grey Adv. and William Galbraith Agency and held marketing or advertising sales positions for numerous publications, including “Good Housekeeping,” “Look,” “This Week” magazine, “ Army/ Navy/Air Force Times” and Xerox Student Group Magazines. He was president of RJR Media and was New England sales manager for “Bon Appetite,” “Modern Bride,” “American Heritage,” “Kiwanis,” “Realite,” “Connecticut Magazine” and others.
After retiring to Ponte Vedra Beach, he began All Pro Media as advertising sales representative for “The Inn at Ponte Vedra” in-house magazine and several other publications.
He was an avid golfer and sports enthusiast, a member of Sawgrass Country Club, and a longtime member of Silver Spring Country Club in Ridgefield, Conn. He was communicant at Our Lady of Fatima in Wilton and Our Lady Star of the Sea in Ponte Vedra Beach. He was predeceased by his older brother, Louis G. Leahy (Ruffio) of Pelham, NY.
He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Robin, and daughter Rachel Hazen, also of Ponte Vedra.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Fatima, Wilton Historical Society, Visiting Nurse Association, the Wilton Library, Our Lady Star of the Sea or Community Hospice of Northeast Florida.
Mass of the Christian burial will be celebrated at 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1 at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, with the Rev. Christopher Liguori as celebrant. Interment will be at Hillside Cemetery
in Wilton.
Xander Gage Locke
Died: Friday, November 21, 2003
He was born July 28, 2003 in Jacksonville.
He is survived by his parents, Jonathan David Locke and Kristie Spradling; brother Christopher Rivera; maternal grandparents, John and Marianne Spradling and paternal grandparents, Otis and Pamela Locke, all of Jacksonville Beach.
A service was held Tuesday at Quinn-Shalz, A Family Funeral Home, Jacksonville Beach, with the Rev. Ron Nichols officiating. Interment was in Beaches Memorial Park.
Darrell S. 'Skip' Hilliker
Died: Friday, November 21, 2003
Age: 58
He was an Army veteran and a member of the American Legion Post 129 and the 40/8.
He is survived by his wife, Paulette Hilliker of Neptune Beach; daughters Danielle Robinson of Alexandria, Va., and Denise Powell and Tiffany Kelly of Jacksonville; parents Darrell and Hope Hilliker of Jacksonville; sisters Rebecca Browning and Karen Phipps of Jacksonville; brother Michael Hilliker of Dexter, Maine; stepchildren Anthony Johnson of Jacksonville Beach, Deborah Stover of Magnolia, Del., and Gregory Heffler of Germany, and 12 grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at the American Legion Post 129, Jacksonville Beach. Eternity Funeral Home, Jacksonville.
'Jettie' Shirley Griffin
Died: Thursday, November 20, 2003
Age: 52
Born July 31, 1951 in Jacksonville, she was a photographer and a Christian. She enjoyed working with girl’s high school and college athletics.
She is survived by her mother, Shirley Nettles of Charleston, S.C.; ; brother Charles William Griffin III; half-brother Richard Griffin, and other siblings.
A memorial service was held Sunday at Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, Jacksonville Beach.
Catherine E. Brown
Died: Wednesday, November 19, 2003
Age: 82
Born May 1, 1921, in Lisbon, Ohio, she was chief laboratory technician for Geauga Community Hospital, a member of Eastern Star and a member of Community Presbyterian Church. Her husband, Durwood, preceded her in death.
She is survived by daughters Marsha Kreuz of Atlantic Beach and Patti (Don) Arebaugh of Port Clinton, Ohio; a sister, Frances Fitzgerald of Leesburg, Fla., grandchildren Chad Kreuz of Jacksonville, Sheri Burns of Medina, Ohio, Ty Kreuz of Thompson, Ohio, Angie Arebaugh of Port Clinton and Greg Arebaugh of Port Clinton, and nine great-grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Monday at Community Presbyterian Church, 150 Sherry Drive, Atlantic Beach. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Shriner’s Hospitals for Children, Office of Development-International Shriner’s Headquarters, 2900 Rocky Pointe Drive, Tampa, Fla., 33607-1460. Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home, Jacksonville Beach.
Albert Daniels Wright
Died: Tuesday, April 13, 2004
He grew up on a 160-acre dairy farm on Jefferson Hill, attended Jefferson Hill School through the eighth grade and then graduated from Woodsville High School in 1940. He enrolled in Michigan State University, School of Veterinary Medicine where he met Ruth May Weinman. They were married on June 23, 1943. Upon graduation as a doctor of veterinary medicine, he returned to Wells River in 1945 where he opened his own practice and clinic on Main Street where he served the farmers and residents of the Connecticut Valley. Dr. Wright became well known in the community for his rapid responses over local back roads to the needs of the area farmers. In 1953, he fulfilled his commitment to the U.S. Government by joining the U.S. Air Force as a Captain, was transferred to England and decided to make the Air Force his career. Returning to the University of Michigan in 1963 for a masters of public health, Dr. Wright rose to the rank of Colonel and retired from active duty in 1979 after a distinguished career in the veterinary service. His assignments included duty in England, Northern and Southern California, Texas , Michigan, Florida and Mississippi. He was the recipient of the Legion of Merit upon retirement as well as numerous military ribbons and citations. Upon retirement, Al and Ruth relocated to Halls Lake Vt. and Fleet Landing in Atlantic Beach. He continued his community involvement by service with the Wells River Rotary Club, the Halls Lake Association, and the Vermont Club among others. He is a member of the Wells River Congregational Church, the Palms Presbyterian Church and was a Scottish Rite Mason belonging to the Royal Order of Knights Templar. Most recently he has volunteered his services for the optical shop at the Mayo Clinic.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth, his daughter Sandy Weddle of Nashville, son Richard D. Wright of Nashville, son Bruce Wright of Reston, Va. and daughter Linda Shotwell of Rixeyville, Va., seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at Fleet Landing April 16, 2004 at 2 p.m. Arrangements by Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home in Jacksonville Beach.
Hilton Martin Floyd
Died: Monday, April 12, 2004
He was born on Feb. 3, 1924. He was a native of Mayport and made his home in the Pascagoula/Moss Point Miss. area for 41 years.
A seventh generation commercial fisherman, he fished the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. His love of the sea continued into a career as captain of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Research Vessels. Following years of pioneering oceanic research, he became a Fishery Methods and Equipment Specialists and retired after serving as a fishery advisory in South Viet Nam. He was a World War II Veteran and the recipient of the Purple Heart for service during the Normandy Invasion.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen Cooper Floyd, his parents Frank and Helen Floyd, two brothers Joseph and Francis Floyd and one sister Carmel Franks.
He is survived by one sister Nancy (Clyde) Jones of Fort Myers, seven children Elena (Duncan) May of Moss Point, Penny (Carl) King of Ocean Springs, Miss., Beth Gammill, Peter (Jeannie) Floyd, Hilton (Rhonda) Floyd Jr. of Pascagoula, Patrick (Patricia) Floyd of Fort Myers and Tamara Floyd, 17 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
A funeral mass officiated by Rev. Michael Austin will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Moss Point April 17. at 10 a.m. Final services will be held at Helen Cooper Floyd Park in Mayport at 11 a.m. April 24 with Rev. Joseph Meehan officiating. Combined ashes of Hilton and his late wife, Helen, will be put to rest at sea. In keeping with his giving nature and charitable work, the family requests donations to St. Jude Children’s Research in lieu of flowers. Arrangements by Holder-Wells Funeral Home, Moss Point.
