John L. Washington Sr.
John L. "Diddy" Washington Sr., a lifelong resident of Gainesville, died April 20 at Vencor Hospital in Green Cove Springs following a brief illness. He was 53.
Mr. Washington was an assistant superintendent at the University of Florida. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1965.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Washington of Gainesville; two daughters, Tanga Washington and Erica Washington, both of Gainesville; five sons, Eric Williams and Kenny Washington, Carlos Washington, all of Gainesville, Markel Washington of Alachua and John L. Washington Jr. of New Jersey; two sisters, Irene Ward of Alachua and Bessie Richardson of Micanopy; a brother, Edgar Washington; and five grandchildren.
Dwight Otis Bell
WILLISTON -- Dwight Otis Bell, a lifelong resident of Williston, died at home Tuesday. He was 58.
Mr. Bell was a retired Levy County property appraiser, having served in that capacity for 16 years.
He was a Mason, a Shriner and a member of the Moose Lodge. He loved fishing and gardening. He also loved pets.
Survivors include two sons, Michael Bell and Ryan Bell, both of Chiefland; his father, Otis Bell of Williston; a sister, Glenda Henderson of Gainesville; a brother, Chris Bell of Plainfield, Ill; and four grandchildren.
Lisa Beth Bestoso
LAKE CITY -- Lisa Beth Bestoso of Lake City died Wednesday at Shands at Lake Shore in Lake City following an extended illness. She was 37.
Ms. Bestoso was born in Miami and lived most of her life in Raiford before moving to Lake City 3 years ago.
She was a secretary and a Methodist.
Survivors include her mother, Dolores I. Bestoso of Lake City; a sister and brother-in-law, Linda B. and Harold Poole of Winter Haven; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Michael N. and Dwayne Bestoso of Worthington Springs and Duane and Jo Ann Bestoso of Lake City; and three nieces and two nephews.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to M.A.D.D.
Dr. David Bowie Broyles Sr.
Dr. David Bowie Broyles Sr. of Winston-Salem, N.C., died Aug. 22 in Winston-Salem following an extended illness. He was 71.
Dr. Broyles was born in Georgia and lived in Gainesville from 1932 to 1939 during the time that his father, the late Richard J. Broyles, was the minister of the First Methodist Church in Gainesville.
Dr. Broyles taught politics at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem from 1966 until his retirement in 1999.
He was preceded in death by a son, David Bowie Broyles Jr.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Isabelle Walker Broyles of Winston-Salem; a son, Douglas Scott Broyles of Charlotte, N.C.; a sister, Lucy Anne Golsan of Stockton, Calif.; and a brother, Arthur A. Broyles of Gainesville.
Felton Lee Bryant Jr.
Felton Lee "Mooney" Bryant Jr. of Gainesville died Aug. 23 at Shands at AGH following a sudden illness. He was 59.
Mr. Bryant was born in Gainesville and lived in San Francisco before returning to Gainesville in the early 1980s.
He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
He was a Baptist and a graduate of Lincoln High School.
Survivors include his wife, Diane Joy Bryant-Bryant of Newark, N.J.; two daughters, Deltra Bryant-Stanley of St. Petersburg and Sabrina Wilkes Morris of Rocky Mount, N.C.; a son, Felton Lee Bryant III of Newark, N.J.; seven brothers, Willie D. Bryant Sr., Calvin Bryant, Donnell Bryant, Joseph Bryant and Robert L. Bryant, all of Gainesville, Ezzard C. Bryant of Valrico and Jerry Bryant of Savannah, Ga.; and 12 grandchildren.
Willie Mae Clayton-Lang
WILLISTON -- Willie Mae Clayton-Lang, a lifelong resident of Williston, died Tuesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. She was 64.
Mrs. Clayton-Lang was a retired Levy County commissioner and a member of New Hope Baptist Church. She attended schools in Levy County.
Survivors include her husband, Fred Lang of Daytona Beach; a daughter, Pamela Clayton of Williston; five sons, Gary Thompson of Washington, D.C, and Nuriabdullah Clayton, Patrick Clayton, Wade Clayton and Greg Clayton, all of Williston; her mother, Lillie Mae Wallace-Thompson of Washington, D.C.; and seven grandchildren.
Ulice Grant Crawford
Ulice Grant Crawford of Gainesville died Aug. 19 at North Florida Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. He was 89.
Mr. Crawford was born in Crawfordville and moved to Gainesville from Chiefland in 1956.
He was a member of the Southeast 10th Avenue Church of Christ.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Bines Crawford; and a son, Lester Crawford.
Survivors include nine daughters, Gwendolyn Young, Judy Warren, Calprina Filer, Brenda Hall, Betty Bell, Mary Davis and Brenda C. Hall, all of Gainesville, Mary Collins of Fort Lauderdale and Dorothy Anderson of San Antonio, Texas; a son, Willie Crawford Sr. of Gainesville; 22 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
Robert Dotson Fulmer
Robert Dotson Fulmer of Gainesville died Wednesday at Shands at AGH. He was 74.
Mr. Fulmer was born in Central, Ala., and moved to Gainesville from Spartanburg, S.C., in 1963.
He was a state administrative officer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and he volunteered with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He was a member of the Alachua General Hospital Auxiliary and the First United Methodist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Sybil Fulmer Davis of Silver Springs; a son, Michael Keith Fulmer of Gainesville; a brother, Paul Fulmer of Hendersonville, Tenn.; and two grandchildren, Regan Theed and Kyle Fulmer.
Shyann Miracle Garrison
Shyann Miracle Garrison, the 7-week-old daughter of Sylvester and Lillie Mae Garrison of Gainesville, died Aug. 24 at Shands at the University of Florida.
In addition to her parents, Shyann is survived by a sister, Symone L. Garrison of Gainesville; her maternal grandparents, Elliott and Ruby Debose of Johnson; her paternal grandparents, Albert and Mavis Garrison of Alachua; her maternal great-grandfather, Roosevelt Debose of Edgar; and her paternal great-grandmother, Ruth Stevenson of Ocala.
Earl Douglas Howard
Earl Douglas Howard of Washington, D.C., died Saturday in Washington, D.C. He was 68.
A native of High Springs, Mr. Howard moved to Washington, D.C., from Gainesville in 1970.
He was a businessman and a Methodist.
He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife, Dyanne Howard of Washington, D.C.; four daughters, Ayanna Howard of Washington, D.C., Sabrina Howard and Wanda Howard-Holms, both of Gainesville, and Cathy Howard of Columbus, Ohio; three sons, Earl Dexter Howard of Gainesville, Artis Howard of Maryland and Errol Howard of Washington, D.C.; a sister, Betty Bennett of Hawthorne; two brothers, Denifield Player and Chester Player, both of Gainesville; and six grandchildren.
Sammie Lee Jones Sr.
Sammie Lee "Boy" Jones Sr. of Gainesville died Aug. 24 at Shands at UF. He was 67.
A native of Ocala, he moved to Gainesville in 1951.
He was a retired gas technician and a member of Second Morning Star Missionary Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon.
Survivors include his wife, Pearlie Mae Davis-Jones of Gainesville; three daughters, Kathy J. Gordon and Annie Rolle-Stephens, both of Gainesville, and Faith Crooms of Jacksonville; four sons, Sammie Jones Jr. of Jacksonville and Toney Jones, Wayne Jones and Gregory Jones, all of Gainesville; two sisters, Rosa Lee Elliott and Jerlene Gainey, both of Gainesville; two brothers, Odell Jones of Ocala and Freddie Jones of Tallahassee; four stepsisters, Christine Hines of High Springs, Esther J. Hall of Jacksonville, Burnell Davis of St. Petersburg and Evelyn Nobles of Gainesville; three stepbrothers, James Johnson of Bellview, Bobby Johnson of Daytona Beach and Charles Ford of Jacksonville; 15 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Arthur James Lawrence
Arthur James Lawrence, a lifelong resident of Gainesville, died Aug. 23 at Shands at AGH. He was 71.
Mr. Lawrence was a cook and a Baptist.
Survivors include his former wife, Jewel Hall-Lawrence of Gainesville; two daughters, Linda Davis and Patricia Carter, both of Gainesville; two sons, Wayne Lawrence and Dwayne Lawrence, both of Gainesville; three stepdaughters, Josie Richardson and Jewel Jackson-Williams, both of Gainesville, and Helen Battis of Sarasota; two stepsons, Curtis Reese and Arthur Gordon, both of Gainesville; two sisters, Margaret Buchanon and Eileen Hayes, both of Gainesville; two brothers, Irvin Lawrence Jr. and Nathaniel Wells, both of Gainesville; his stepmother, Daisy Wells of Dania; 26 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
Annie Lucille Wooten Williamson
Annie Lucille "Aunt Sweet" Wooten Williamson of Gainesville died Thursday at Sunbridge Care and Rehabilitation Center of Gainesville following a brief illness. She was 91.
Mrs. Williamson was born in Gainesville and lived in New Jersey before returning to Gainesville more than 50 years ago.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Old Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church.
Survivors include two great-nieces, Olivia Simmons-Lewis and Gale Simmons-Robinson, both of Gainesville; and a great-nephew, Craig Brazil of Gainesville.
Martin Maines Loadholtz
PALATKA -- Martin Maines Loadholtz of Palatka died Sunday at Columbia-Putnam Medical Center in Palatka after an extended illness. He was 92.
Mr. Loadholtz was born in Lake Butler and moved to Palatka 30 years ago. He was a carpenter in home and commercial buildings and was a member of Lulu Baptist Church.
Mr. Loadholtz was preceded in death by a son, Donald Loadholtz. Survivors include two daughters, Harriett Brooks of Gainesville, and Thelma Cooley of Lake Butler; three sons, Lowell Loadholtz of Cocoa, Shannon Loadholtz of Miami and Roger Loadholtz of St. Augustine; 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Myrtle Land Mills
LIVE OAK -- Myrtle Land Mills of Live Oak died Saturday after a lengthy illness. She was 89.
Mrs. Mills was born in Live Oak and was a lifelong resident. She was a homemaker, an elementary school secretary and an active member of First Baptist Church of Live Oak, serving in the women's missionary union and Sunday school programs.
Mrs. Mills was preceded in death by her husband, Brantley Rees Mills, and a son, Robert Drew "Bobby" Mills. Survivors include one daughter, Mary Maude Mills of Live Oak; one son, William Brant "Billy" Mills of Florence, S.C.; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
