Marguerite E. Bauer
Marguerite E. "Kit" Bauer of Bradford, Pa., died Tuesday at Bradford Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. She was 92.
The Pennsylvania native was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Church.
Local survivors include a daughter, Donna M. Kenlon of Gainesville; and a brother, Philip S. Taylor of Gainesville.
Nathan Allen Bell
HIGH SPRINGS -- Nathan Allen Bell died Monday at his residence in High Springs following an extended illness. He was 49.
Mr. Bell was a lifelong resident of High Springs. He attended the public schools of Alachua County. He was a member of Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church.
Survivors include his wife, Birda M. Bell of Gainesville; his mother, Elizabeth Mahamery of High Springs; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Bobbie and Richard Merriex of High Springs and Bernice and William Felix of Gainesville; a brother, Leroy Hampton of Gainesville; and a stepsister, Martha Durr of Gainesville.
Dr. A. Michael Hess
ALACHUA -- Dr. A. Michael Hess died at his Alachua residence Monday. He was 89.
Dr. Hess was born in Worthington, Iowa, and moved to Alachua from Sarasota in January 2000.
He was a urologist and a member of St. Madeleine's Catholic Church in High Springs. He was an Army Air Corps flight surgeon.
Survivors include three sons, James Michael Hess of Rockford, Ill., and Dr. R. Thomas Hess and Stephen Jon Hess, both of Alachua; a daughter, Mary Cait Harris of Seminole; a sister, Geraldine Engler of Dyersville, Iowa; two brothers, Gerald Hess of Dyersville and Donald Hess of Clear Lake, Iowa; six grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to Hospice of North Central Florida or St. Madeleine's Catholic Church.
Ida A. Higgins
Ida A. Higgins of Gainesville died in Gainesville Monday. She was 93.
Mrs. Higgins was born in Fall River, Mass., and moved to Gainesville from Seattle in 1978.
She was a secretary and a member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She was associated with the United Methodist Women.
Mrs. Higgins did volunteer work with Alachua General Hospital. She assisted at the Ronald McDonald House and Health Park.
Survivors include two sons, Aubrey S. Adams of Gainesville and Patrick L. Higgins of Seattle; two stepdaughters, M. Loraine Pharney of Bellflower, Calif., and Katherine Osborn of Federal Way, Wash.; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Delton Jerome Hickmon
FORT WHITE -- Delton Jerome Hickmon died May 30 at his residence in Fort White following a brief illness. He was 37.
The Gainesville native was a CNC operator for Bear Archery and a member of Bethlehem United Methodist Church.
He graduated from Columbia High School in 1982 and served in the U.S. Army.
Survivors include his companion, Carolyn Young of Gainesville; his mother, Pinkie L. Mack of Fort White; his father, Charles Hickmon of Titusville; four sisters, Teresa Mack of Lake City, Cheryl Hickmon of Summerset, N.J., Carol Franklin Hickmon of Atlanta and Debra Sanders of Alachua; a brother, Gary Robinson of Gainesville; and his grandfather, George Cook of Fort White.
David Michael Osteen
David Michael Osteen died of brain cancer Tuesday at his sister's residence in Gainesville. He was 53.
Mr. Osteen was born in Spartanburg, S.C., and lived in Jackson, S.C.
He was a baseball umpire.
Survivors include a son, Jorma K. Osteen of Asheville, N.C.; his mother, Rose P. Osteen of Jackson, S.C.; a sister, Glenna Auxier of Gainesville; a brother, William P. Osteen of Beach Island; a granddaughter, Sheva Rose Osteen of Asheville; two nieces, Allison Osteen and Casey Osteen of Beach Island, S.C.; and two nephews, Chip Osteen of Beach Island and Herschel Auxier of Gainesville.
Rosa Perry
Rosa Perry of Gainesville died Friday at Gainesville Health Care Center following a brief illness. She was 88.
Mrs. Perry was born in the Jonesville Community and moved to Gainesville from Tampa in the late 1970s.
She was a retired beautician and a member of Greater Fort Clarke Missionary Baptist Church.
Survivors include a brother, Lemuel Perry of Fort Lauderdale; and many nieces and nephews, including her caretakers, Judy P. Tolbert of Fort Lauderdale, Patsy P. Legette and Bennette Perry, both of Gainesville, Cheryl P. Abner of Glendale, Ariz., and Lafayette Perry of Gainesville.
James W. Porter
James W. Porter of Gainesville died in Gainesville Wednesday. He was 68.
Mr. Porter was born in Blountstown and moved to Gainesville from Trenton in 1949.
He was a land surveyor.
He was a member of Wayfair Primitive Baptist Church, where he served as a deacon.
Mr. Porter enjoyed fishing.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Cruce Porter of Gainesville; two sons, Ralph Tracy Porter of Gainesville and Samuel Lee Porter of Mason, Mich.; three sisters, Louise Sapp of High Springs, Nellie Yeager of Melrose and Hazel Werner of Gainesville; four brothers, John F. Porter of Gainesville, Grady Porter of Newberry, J.C. Porter of High Springs and Junior Porter of Alabama; and a granddaughter, Samantha Porter.
Kenneth Dale Simmons III
CEDAR KEY -- Kenneth Dale Simmons III of Cedar Key died Monday in an automobile accident in Cedar Key. He was 34.
Mr. Simmons was born in Jacksonville and moved to Cedar Key from Alachua 12 years ago.
He was a carpenter and a Baptist.
Survivors include a daughter, Larissa Simmons of Chiefland; a son, Kenny Simmons of Chiefland; his parents, Arvey and Mary Ann Bass of Trenton; a sister, Michelle Jansen of Archer; and two brothers, Glenn Bass of Alachua and Quinn Bass of Gainesville.
Frances K. Smith
Frances K. Smith of Jacksonville died Friday at Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville. She was 93.
Mrs. Smith was born in Madison and lived in Hawthorne for 73 years before moving to Jacksonville three years ago when her health began to fail.
She was a homemaker and a member of the Hawthorne Church of God By Faith.
Survivors include two sons, B.H. Smith of Jacksonville and Lindell Smith of Winter Haven; a brother, Robert S. Johnson of Daytona Beach; seven grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and six great-great-grandchildren.
Arlie Ervin Tillman
NEWBERRY -- Arlie Ervin Tillman died Wednesday at his residence in Newberry. He was 88.
Mr. Tillman was born in Colquitt County, Ga., and moved to Newberry from Tampa in 1985.
He served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II and the Korean War, retiring at the rank of master sergeant. He was in the 305 Bomb Squadron.
He was a Baptist.
Survivors include his wife, Marguerite I. Tillman of Newberry; two daughters, Beverly Demers of Putnam, Conn., and Linda Elmore of Newberry; four sons, Harvey G. Tillman of Orlando, Gerald H. Ohmstede of Tampa, Thomas E. Ohmstede of Branford and Francis R. Ohmstede of Lake City, Tenn.; a brother, Marlie D. Tillman of Pavo, Ga.; a sister, Myrtle T. Bailey of Cool Springs, Ga.; 20 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Helen Cecelia Tucker
Helen Cecelia Tucker of Gainesville died Monday at North Florida Rehabilitation and Speciality Care. She was 88.
Mrs. Tucker was born in Wilmington, Del., and moved to Gainesville from Holiday six months ago.
She retired in 1972 as deputy clerk of the U.S. District Court in Wilmington.
She was a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Holiday, where she was in the Ladies Guild.
Mrs. Tucker was also a member of the Holiday Lake Estates Civic Association.
Survivors include a son, Norman E. Tucker Jr. of Baltimore; a daughter, Mary Ann Heck of Gainesville; a sister, Catherine Hagee of Newark, Del.; five grandchildren; and four great- grandchildren.
