Edwin Heath St. John
MELROSE - Edwin Heath St. John died Friday at Shands at the University of Florida. He was 53.
Born in Jacksonville, Mr. St. John lived in Melrose since 1965. He was a clerk at the Melrose Post Office for 24 years, a member of the last graduating class of Melrose High School in 1968, a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War, where he served on the USS Saratoga and a Baptist.
Survivors include his wife of 10 years, Linda Perry St. John; sons Christian Thompson and Michael Thompson, both of Melrose; his mother, Mary Paulling McCormick of Keystone Heights; one sister, Susan Voliva of Washington, D.C.; and brothers John McCormick and David McCormick, both of Keystone Heights, Jimmy McCormick of Valrico and Matthew "Little Brother" Goldtrap of Gainesville.
Arrangements by Moring Funeral Home.
Myrtle Ruby Stowell
Myrtle Ruby Stowell of Gainesville died Monday at her home. She was 92.
She was born in Elgin, Ill., and moved to Gainesville three years ago. She was a homemaker and worked at Elgin Watch Factory in Elgin.
She was Methodist.
Survivors include daughters Lila J. Bielewicz of Wisconsin, Roberta "Bobbie" Waschow of Elgin and Donna R. Hayes of Gainesville; a son, James Stowell of Crystal Lake, Ill.; 11 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.
Leoma Whitehead
LAKE BUTLER - Leoma Whitehead died Thursday at Shands at Starke. She was 81.
Mrs. Whitehead was born in Macclenny and moved to Lake Butler from Raiford 60 years ago. She was a retired Bradford County school bus driver and a member of the First Baptist Church of Starke.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Allen Bradford "AB" Whitehead Sr.
Survivors include daughters Charlotte Durrance of Lake Butler and Marjorie Fachko of Jacksonville; sons Allen Bradford Whitehead Jr. of Starke and Charles E. "Bud" Whitehead of Jacksonville; one brother, Marjell Dobbs of Madison; sisters Emaline Dockery, Kathryn Reddish and Betty Brancantti, all of Lake Butler, and Joyce Carlton of Palatka; 10 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Archie Tanner Funeral Home of Starke.
James John Boczar
James John Boczar of Valrico died Monday in Tampa. He was 54.
He was a former state senator from Sarasota.
Local survivors include his mother, Violet Ciavatta of Gainesville; and sisters Irene Larsson and Clarice Polczynski, both of Gainesville.
Evelyn Marie Bryant
WALDO - Evelyn Marie Bryant, a lifelong resident of Waldo, died Tuesday at Shands at Jacksonville. She was 72.
Mrs. Bryant was a homemaker and a member of the Church of God in Waldo.
Survivors include sons Lang Pons of Gainesville, David Earl Pons of Port Orange and Donald Smith of Hampton; sisters Atchie Pons of Windsor, Daisy Stephens of Waldo and Ida McClendon of Jacksonville; eight grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Milam Funeral Home.
Martha A. Byrnes
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS - Martha A. Byrnes died Wednesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center following an extended illness. She was 87.
Mrs. Byrnes was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Keystone Heights from Satellite Beach in 1973.
She was a homemaker and a member of Friendship Bible Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, John W. Byrnes.
Survivors, all of Keystone Heights, include a daughter, Barbara Booth; a son, Robert L. Byrnes; a sister, Evelyn Strunk; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Jones Funeral Home.
Chong Han Hughes
Chong Han "Kathy" Hughes of Gainesville died Wednesday at Shands at AGH. She was 59.
A native of China, Mrs. Hughes moved to Gainesville in 1984.
She was a manicurist and a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
Survivors include her husband, John B. Hughes of Gainesville; a son, David Hughes of Gainesville; brothers Joseph Han of Union, N.J., and Pete Ree of Maryknoll Mission, Venezuela; sisters Su Cha Han of Gainesville, Ok Pa Han and Ok Yung Han, both of New York City, Maggie Han of Maryknoll Mission and Ok Nam Han of Seoul, Korea.
Arrangements by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.
Mabel H. Kaninberg
McINTOSH - Mabel H. Kaninberg died Thursday at her residence. She was 95.
Mrs. Kaninberg was born in Leitchfield, Ky., and moved to McIntosh from Louisville, Ky., in 1950.
She was a floor supervisor at Shinley Distillery and a Protestant.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Victor Kaninberg.
Survivors include her caregiver, Connie Cole of McIntosh.
Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.
John Richard Keene
HIGH SPRINGS - John Richard Keene, a lifelong resident of High Springs, died Wednesday at Shands at AGH. He was 76.
Mr. Keene was a U.S. Navy World War II veteran and a member of New Oak Grove Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by a son, Ricky Keene.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret Keene of High Springs; sons Glen Keene of High Springs and Paul Keene of Alachua; a daughter, Mary Sumner of Jacksonville; a brother, Wayne Pearce of Gainesville; sisters Mildred Keene of Atlanta, Bonnie Parker of Gainesville and Evelyn Strickland of Jacksonville; and six grandchildren.
Thomas Jackson Koon
MAYO - Thomas Jackson "T.J." Koon, a lifelong resident of Lafayette County, died Wednesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He was 78.
A farmer and dairyman, Mr. Koon was the owner of T.J. Koon Dairy. He was a member of Airline Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Sallie L. Koon of Mayo; sons Charles G., Howell E. and Robert D. Koon, all of Mayo; daughters Sandra G. and Lynn J. Koon, both of Tallahassee; brothers Herman and R.L. Koon Jr., both of Mayo; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Beggs Funeral Home.
Robert Charles Lee
MICANOPY - Robert Charles Lee died Wednesday at his residence. He was 98.
The South Carolina native moved to Micanopy from Georgia in 1947.
He was a professor in the English department at the University of Florida. He was an accomplished violinist and had studied at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore. He played violin with the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Lee was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Lee.
Survivors include a son, Robert Michael Fouche of Arlington, Va.; daughters Nancy Lee Keene of Lake City, Frances Lee Feaster of St. Augustine, Mary Linda Lee Jones of Wesley Chapel, Julia Lee O'Connell of Westminster, Md., and Martha Virginia Fouche Bolton of Hollywood, S.C.; 17 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.
Charles A. Pollard
FANNING SPRINGS - Charles A. Pollard died Tuesday at his residence. He was 68.
Mr. Pollard was born in Nashville, Tenn., and moved to Fanning Springs from Spring Hill two years ago.
He was a retired nuclear engineer with the U.S. Navy and a member of First United Methodist Church in Old Town and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5625.
Survivors include daughters Charlotte Goodwin of Spokane, Wash., Linda Torrez of Georgetown, Texas, and Tammy Silver of Sunrise; a son, Jeffery Silver of Tulsa, Okla.; brothers Walter Pollard of Leslie, Ark., and Robert Pollard of Laurel Hill; half-brothers Jerry and Paul Pollard; and four grandchildren.
Arrangements by Knauff Funeral Home.
