U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014Kathy Chandler-Clark
Kathy Chandler-Clark died Dec. 20 at her residence in Morristown, N.J., following a brief illness. She was 47.
Mrs. Chandler-Clark was born in High Springs and moved to Morristown, N.J., 28 years ago.
She was a senior investigator for internal affairs for the Department of Corrections for the state of New Jersey.
She graduated from A.L. Mebane High School in High Springs in 1969, Marywood College in Scranton, Pa., in 1977, New Jersey Criminal Justice Training Academy in Trenton, N.J., in 1983 and New Jersey Correctional Officers Training Academy in 1990.
Survivors include her mother, Emma L. Hopkins of High Springs; five sisters, Julia James, Emily Lou Chandler and Angela Washington, all of High Springs, Bernadette Chandler of Minneapolis and Dawn Chandler of Fort White; and a brother, Emory Chandler of Gainesville.
Carl J. Dukes
NEWBERRY -- Carl J. Dukes of Newberry died Saturday in Gainesville. He was 86.
Mr. Dukes was born in the community of Dukes and moved to Gainesville from Trenton in 1959. He recently moved to Newberry. Mr. Dukes was a steamfitter with the University of Florida physical plant division and a charter member of Southwest United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Evelyn Dukes of Newberry; two daughters, Margaret Mingin of Jonesboro, Ga., and Kathy Dukes of Newberry; a son, Gary Dukes of Archer; a brother, Hugh Dukes of Birmingham, Ala; a sister, Ethel Harris of LaCrosse; and three grandchildren.
Lawrence R. Foster Sr.
PALATKA -- Lawrence R. Foster Sr. of Palatka died Sunday at Putnam Community Medical Center following a brief illness. He was 90.
Mr. Foster was born in Otha, Colo., and moved to Palatka from Miami in 1974.
He retired from Pan American Airlines after 30 years of service as a mechanic. He also worked at Piggly Wiggly grocery store in Gainesville during the 1920s and 1930s.
He was a member of St. James United Methodist Church in Palatka.
Mr. Foster was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Alva Beville Foster.
Survivors include a daughter, Nancy Foster Sherer of Palatka; a son, L. Robert Foster Jr. of Hawthorne; a brother, Gerald A. Foster of Gainesville; five grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Harvia Melton Harrelson
CHIEFLAND -- Harvia Melton Harrelson died Saturday at his residence in Chiefland. He was 64.
Mr. Harrelson was born in Hialeah and moved to Chiefland from Sarasota three years ago.
He served in the U.S. Air Force, retiring after 20 years of service.
He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Moose Lodge in Sarasota.
Mr. Harrelson was a Baptist.
He was preceded in death by a son, Steve Harrelson.
Survivors include his wife, Faye Harrelson of Chiefland; a daughter, Diane Sorrells of Chiefland; and two sons, Michael Harrelson and David Harrelson, both of Sarasota.
Susie Westmoreland McChesnay
HIGH SPRINGS -- Susie Westmoreland McChesnay, a lifelong resident of High Springs, died Monday at Shands at Starke. She was 91.
She was a homemaker.
She was a member of First Baptist Church in High Springs and a former member of New Century Woman's Club of High Springs.
Survivors include a son, Pat Westmoreland of High Springs; two grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Della Margaret Nettles
CHIEFLAND -- Della Margaret Nettles died Saturday at her residence in Chiefland. She was 80.
Mrs. Nettles was born in Clay County, Ala., and moved to Chiefland from Newberry 46 years ago.
She was a retired school teacher.
She was a member of the United Methodist Woman's Association and the First Methodist Church of Chiefland.
Mrs. Nettles enjoyed gardening.
Survivors include her husband, Clarence Nettles of Chiefland; two daughters, Vickie Menasco of Chiefland and Nancy McKinney of Weirsdale; two sisters, Evelyn Etheredge of Chiefland and Elizabeth Sullivan of Camilla, Ga.; three brothers, Persey McGehee of Newberry, Murphy McGehee of Montevallo, Ala., and Billy McGehee of DeLand; and 10 grandchildren.
Vesta Paige Pinnell
Vesta Paige Pinnell, former Gainesville postmaster, died Dec. 18 at Shands at AGH. He was 94.
Mr. Pinnell was born in Eastman, Ga., and moved to Gainesville in 1932.
He owned and operated a seed and feed firm until 1936, after which he entered the postal service. He was commissioned postmaster in 1961, a position he held until his retirement in 1970.
In December 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy mail service and was briefly assigned duty at a Naval Operating Base in Norfolk, Va. After a year of duty at an Amphibious Training Base duty in December 1945, he was commissioned lieutenant.
He served as officer-in-charge of Fleet Post Offices at Cristobel and Balboa in the Canal Zone until he was released from active duty in December 1945.
Upon returning to the Gainesville post office, he served successively as superintendant of delivery, during which time the quadrant system was developed, assistant superintendant of mails and superintendant of University Station, while it was still on campus.
During his tenure as postmaster, two new buildings were built and dedicated -- a new University Station off campus and the federal building.
Mr. Pinnell was a member of First Baptist Church.
He served as president of Doers of the Word Sunday School class for two years and as a member of the Board of Deacons for four terms.
He was the chairman of Boy Scout Troop 81 for six years, and was chairman of Alachua District Boy Scouts of America Committee in 1962.
He also served on the City Beautification Board for a term.
Mr. Pinnell was a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, the National Association of Postmaster, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and a lifelong member of the Kiwanis Club of University City. He was a charter member of the Jaycees and the local Junior Chamber of Commerce, having served as secretary for a year.
Survivors include his wife, Mattie Lou Pinnell of Gainesville; and a son, Vesta Paige Pinnell Jr. of Santa Fe, N.M.; and a grandson.
Olive J. Steen
Olive J. Steen of Gainesville died Friday. She was 91.
Mrs. Steen was born in Pella, Iowa, and moved to Gainesville from Grand Rapids, Mich., in 1971.
She was a homemaker.
She attended Elian Baptist Church in Melrose.
Survivors include a daughter, Ina Dee Rogers of Belmont, Mich.; two sons, Terrance Steen and Edmund E. Steen, both of Gainesville; a sister, Esther Schilstra of Wyoming, Mich.; three brothers, Calvin DeBoer of Hudsonville, Mich.; Luther DeBoer of Marion, Mich., and Don DeBoer of Utah; 16 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Clarence Whitaker Sr.
OLD TOWN -- Clarence "Mack" Whitaker Sr. died Wednesday at his residence in Old Town. He was 83.
Mr. Whitaker was born in Shelbyville, Ky., and moved to Old Town from St. Petersburg 18 years ago.
He was a supervisor at a gas and electric company.
He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, having received the American Theater Ribbon, the Asiatic Pacific Ribbon, the Liberation Ribbon and the Victory Ribbon.
Mr. Whitaker was a Baptist. He attended the Countryside Pentecostal Holiness Chapel.
He enjoyed playing music, working on crossword puzzles and being around children.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Ella Frances Whitaker of Old Town; two daughters, Elizabeth Colson of Fort White and Lorraine Nelms of Old Town; two sons, Clarence "Buster" Whitaker Jr. of Old Town and Robert Marion Whitaker of Griffin, Ga.; a sister, Lola B. Cooper of St. Petersburg; a brother, Robert Howard Whitaker of Louisville, Ky.; 10 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
