Johnny Ray Johns
Johnny Ray Johns, mayor and lifetime resident of Otter Creek in Levy County, died Monday at his home after a long illness.
He was 62.
He served on the town council for 24 years, the past six as mayor. He was a veteran of the Korean War.
He is survived by his companion and caretaker, Wendy Snow; a son, John Raymond Johns of South Bend, Ind.; brothers J.C. Hudson of Otter Creek, Elmer Johns of South Bend and Harold Johns of Bell; and a sister, Thelma Soloman of South Bend.
Arrangements by Knauff Funeral Home.
Shirley Johnson
CHIEFLAND - Shirley "Shelly" Johnson of Prairie Oaks died at Shands at the University of Florida on Jan. 8 of an extended illness. She was 57.
Mrs. Johnson was a lifelong resident of Chiefland.
Survivors include daughters Elindia Bowers Clemons of Chiefland and Evette Johnson of Immokalee; a son, Cedric Johnson of Chiefland; sisters Mary L. Blake, Mable White and Helen Johnson, all of Chiefland, Willie M. Johnson of Gainesville and Teressa Buie of Hudson, N.Y.; a brother, James Johnson of Clearwater; three grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Arrangements by Carnegie Funeral Home.
Annie Mae Johnson Sanders
WALDO - Annie Mae Johnson Sanders died Wednesday at her home following a brief illness.
She was 100.
Born in Valdosta, Ga., Ms. Sanders moved to Waldo from Lakeland nearly 60 years ago.
She was a retired cook. She was a member of the Philadelphia Missionary Baptist Church and of the Order of the Eastern Star.
Survivors include a cousin, Ada Williams of Lakeland.
She was cared for by Bernard Carter, Gussie Mae Rutledge and Grace Williams of Waldo.
Arrangements by Duncan Brothers' Funeral Home.
Lyman W. Kaul
McINTOSH - Lyman W. Kaul died Tuesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center.
He was 77.
Mr. Kaul, a retired executive for Ford Motor Co., was born in Saginaw, Mich. He came here from Brighton, Mich., in 1977.
He was a Navy veteran and served in World War II. Born on a farm, he loved the outdoors and nature. He was a member of St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Ocala.
Mr. Kaul is survived by his wife, Elvira Kaul; daughters Krista Lyn Jackson of Oakland, Calif., Karen D. Dewart of Coppell, Texas; and Kelleigh L. Brazier of Moorpark, Calif.; sons Kurt J. Kaul of Ocala and Kevin M. Kaul of Princeton, N.J.; a sister, Charlotte Cherry of Saginaw; and four grandchildren.
Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.
John C. Ward Jr.
EVINSTON - John C. "Sam" Ward Jr. of Evinston died Tuesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center.
He was 73.
Mr. Ward formerly owned Woods Printing of Ocala.
Born in Fairbanks, he lived in Alachua County most of his life. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.
He was a member of the Micanopy Masonic Lodge No. 29 and the Evinston United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Wilma Friedel Ward of Evinston; a son, Steven William Ward of Flemington; daughters Susan W. Camp of Sparr, Nancy A. Wood of Ocala and Patricia W. Harrell of Jacksonville; two sisters; and seven grandchildren.
Arrangements by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.
Doris Avoline West
Doris Avoline West of Gainesville died Monday in Shands at AGH.
She was 74.
Mrs. West was born in Greensboro, N.C., and moved here from Charlotte, N.C., 32 years ago. She was a homemaker and a Presbyterian and loved the outdoors, fishing, gardening and animals.
Survivors include her husband, Pat West; a daughter, Diana Vallas of Gastonia, N.C.; stepdaughters Rita Kay Norwood of Charlotte and Rebecca Triggs of Scottsdale, Ariz.; sons Dan Smith of Rockhill, S.C., Mike Smith of Lowell, N.C., and Robert Smith of Tallahassee; a brother, Robert Clapp of Sarasota; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; and five step-great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Milam Funeral Home.
Raymond R. McKnight
Raymond R. McKnight of Gainesville died Wednesday at the Veterans' Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville. He was 76.
A lifelong resident of Gainesville, Mr. McKnight was a Navy veteran of World War II and a 1948 graduate of Lincoln High School. He was a retired baker and lab technician.
Mr. McKnight was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church, a past Exalted Ruler of University City Lodge 1218 of the Improved Benevolent Protective Order of Elks of the World, and a member of the Rising Sun Lodge 10 of the Masonic Organization.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Rosa Lee Bryan-McKnight.
He is survived by a daughter, Barbara Ann McKnight of Tampa; and his stepmother, Emma Lee Dew of Daytona Beach.
James Spaulding
James Spaulding of Gainesville died Jan. 14 at Shands at AGH after a lengthy illness. He was 92.
Mr. Spaulding was born in Georgia and moved to Jasper when he was very young. He later moved to Live Oak and lived many years in Ocala before moving to Gainesville in 1990. He was a laborer and a member of New Bethel Baptist Church in Ocala.
Survivors include his wife, Janie Spaulding of Jasper; sons Joseph Gunsby and James Gunsby, both of Ocala; a daughter, Debra Gunsby of Ocala; 17 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Chestnut Funeral Home.
Rachel A. Tummond
BRANFORD - Rachel A. Tummond died Wednesday at her home following a long illness. She was 77.
Mrs. Tummond was born in Branford July 5, 1924. She was a homemaker and a nurse's aide with Lakeland General Hospital in Lakeland and a member of Hatch Bend Apostolic Church.
Mrs. Tummond is survived by a daughter, Sharon Estelle Jackson of Gainesville; sons Leon Tummond Jr. of Tampa, James Michael Tummond of Branford, David Carroll Tummond of Casper, Wyo., Gary Dixon Tummond of Vero Beach and Hugh Carl Tummond of Lynchburg, Va; a brother, Howard Smith of Floral City; 17 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Daniels Funeral Home of Branford.
Lallie Lontein Lanier Kight
HORSESHOE BEACH - Lallie Lontein Lanier Kight died Friday in Cross City. She was 70.
Mrs. Kight was born in Trenton and lived in Horseshoe Beach most of her life.
She was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church of Horseshoe Beach.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 41 years, Arthur Kight.
Survivors include a daughter, Charlene Huggins of Horseshoe Beach; sons Cecil, Teddy, Danny, David and Dale Kight, all of Horseshoe Beach, and Glen Kight of Dunnellon; sisters Helen Whiteside of Williston and Blanche McEwen of Edgefield, S.C.; 24 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Rick Gooding Funeral Home.
Peggy Jean Modler
MELROSE - Peggy Jean Modler died Thursday at Shands at AGH. She was 50.
Mrs. Modler was born in Crosby, Minn., and moved to Melrose from Peeksville, N.Y., 10 years ago.
She was a homemaker and a Catholic.
Survivors include her husband, Michael Modler of Melrose; a stepson, Mark Modler of Vancouver, Wash.; sisters Susan McCloskey of Pueblo, Colo., Pam Smith and Janet Smith, both of Madison, Wis., and Maureen Alaboud of Brooklyn Park, Minn.; and brothers Robert Smith of Bloomington, Minn., Patrick Smith of Crosby, Minn., and Richard Smith of Colorado Springs, Colo.
Arrangements by Moring Funeral Home.
