U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014Bessie M. LeGree
FORT WHITE -- Bessie M. LeGree of Fort White died Saturday at Shands at Lake Shore in Lake City. She was 86.
The Fort White native was a homemaker and member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in Fort White.
Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Garnell LeGree of Fort White; two daughters, Annie Frances LeGree of Fort White and Dr. JoAnn E. LeGree Shemwell of Louisville, Ky.; a stepdaughter, Willie Pearl Conner of Boynton Beach; three sons, Jack M. LeGree Sr. and John Henry LeGree, both of Fort White, and Glenice A. LeGree of Jasper; two sisters, Essie D. Mosley of Fort White and Thelma C. McKinnon of Detroit; six grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
Mildred Cross Meredith
Mildred Cross Meredith, formerly of Keuka in Putnam County, died Sunday at her son's home in Callao, Va., following a brief illness. She was 90.
A native of Indiana, she lived in Keuka for more than 30 years before moving to Callao four years ago.
She was a member of the Interlachen United Methodist Church, where she participated in the United Methodist Women's League.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charles Henry Meredith.
Survivors include a daughter, Judith Lahmann of Indianapolis; two sons, Charles Rodger Meredith of Callao, Va., and Dennis H Meredith of Gainesville; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Gloria Jane Tyler Pilcher
STARKE -- Gloria Jane Tyler Pilcher died Wednesday at her residence in Starke following an extended illness. She was 54.
Mrs. Pilcher was born in Fort White and lived in Baker and Bradford counties for most of her life.
She was a sentence specialist at Florida State Prison for about 28 years.
She was a member of Northside Baptist Church and a past president of the ladies auxiliary of the Florida Peace Officers Association.
Survivors include her husband, Jerry Carl Pilcher of Starke; four sons, Jason Pilcher of Keystone Heights and Jeff Pilcher, Jeremy Pilcher and John Pilcher, all of Starke; her father and stepmother, Clarence and Edith Tyler of Sylacauga, Ala.; a sister, Patricia Pearce of Sanderson; and four grandchildren.
Emily Ethel Shoemaker
Emily Ethel Shoemaker of Gainesville died Wednesday at Shands at AGH. She was 66.
Mrs. Shoemaker was born in Charleston, W.Va., and moved to Gainesville from Texas 43 years ago.
She was a bookkeeper and a Baptist. She was a member of the Granddaughters of the Confederacy.
Mrs. Shoemaker was preceded in death by a brother, Samual Via.
Survivors include her husband of 41 years, Marvin F. Shoemaker of Gainesville; two daughters, Peggy Diane Sullivan of Gainesville and Susan Lynn McWatters of Waldo; a stepdaughter, Marvena Goodwin of Starke; two sons, Orville Ray "Pete" Slaymaker of Pikesville, N.C., and Steven Wayne Slaymaker of Gainesville; a stepson, Pete Shoemaker Jr. of Fairbanks; 11 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.
Eddie Williams Jr.
Eddie Williams Jr. of Gainesville died Friday at Shands at AGH following a lingering illness. He was 77.
Mr. Williams was born in Albany, Ga., and moved to Gainesville in 1928.
He was a retired custodian and a World War II veteran.
He was a member of the former NW 4th Avenue Church of Christ.
He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1951.
Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Carretha Roberts-Williams of Gainesville; two daughters, Eddie Mae Williams of Seattle and Shirley M. Williams of Hawthorne; a stepsister, Egurthea Thomas of Hollywood; two grandchildren, Willie Cunningham and Natalya Williams, both of Gainesville; and two great-grandchildren, Sasha Cunningham and Willie Cunningham, both of Gainesville.
John Ashley Crews
ALACHUA -- John Ashley Crews died Monday at his residence. He was 80.
Mr. Crews was born in Miami and moved to Alachua 26 years ago.
He was a retired captain with the Miami Fire Department. He served as a fighter pilot with the U.S. Army Air Force during World World II and the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife, Rose Marie Brown Crews of Alachua; a son, Robert Ashley Crews of Pompano Beach; a daughter, Constance Leah Crews of Pompano Beach; a brother, Robert Lee Crews of Hialeah; and five grandchildren.
Arrangements by Evans-Carter Funeral Home.
Kathryn Ann Huber Lewis
Kathryn Ann Huber Lewis of Gainesville died Sunday at North Florida Rehabilitation and Speciality Care Center. She was 81.
A native of Mansfield, Ohio, Mrs. Lewis moved to Gainesville in 1953.
She was an administrative assistant for the College of Journalism at the University of Florida for 33 years.
She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville.
Mrs. Lewis was preceded in death by her husband, Fred A. Lewis, and a grandson.
Survivors include daughters, Cynthia Lewis Jones of Baton Rouge, La., and Toni Kay Lewis Wilson of Brandon; a son, Fred H. Lewis of Newberry; seven grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
Arrangements by Milam Funeral Home.
Bethel M. Little
Bethel M. Little of Gainesville died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. She was 81.
Mrs. Little was born in Jackson, Ky., and moved to Gainesville from Hazard, Ky., in 1961.
She was a licensed practical nurse, and she attended First Assembly of God Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Johnnie Little.
Survivors include daughters, Linda Leach and Jennifer Vause, both of Orlando, Carolyn Murphy of Atlanta and Jacqueline Friedlander of Gainesville; sons, Paul D. Little of Ocala, John David Little of Gainesville and Stephen Little of Boca Raton; a sister, Ruth Absher of Lexington, N.C.; 16 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.
Sharon Emily Sikes
Sharon Emily Sikes of Gainesville died Monday at Shands at AGH. She was 52.
Mrs. Sikes was born in Statesboro, Ga., and moved to Gainesville from Green Cove Springs in 1996.
She was a beautician and a Protestant.
She loved arts and crafts.
Survivors include sisters, Betty J. Williams of DeLand and Marjean Turie of Hawthorne; and brothers, Hup V. Sikes of Jacksonville and Stephen P. Sikes of Raleigh, N.C.
Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.
Cressie Mae Churchill
Cressie Mae Churchill died March 27 at North Florida Regional Medical Center following an extended illness. She was 86.
Mrs. Churchill, a retired nursing assistant who worked at Alachua General Hospital, was born in Fort Myers and moved to Gainesville in 1957. She graduated from A. Quinn Jones and attended Poro College in Philadelphia. Mrs. Churchill was a member of Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church in Gainesville.
Survivors include her husband, Ernest James Churchill of South Carolina; son Floid Churchill of Gainesville; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Carnegie Funeral Home.
Samuel Thomas Crews
HIGH SPRINGS - Samuel Thomas "Sam" Crews of High Springs died suddenly Wednesday. He was 88.
Mr. Crews was a member of First Baptist Church of High Springs.
Survivors include his wife, Murrye R. Crews of High Springs; daughters Cleone C. Chastain of High Springs, Wilma C. Loar of Bellview, and Sandra Lewis of Ocala; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.
Joyce L. Barnes Halbrook
SANTA FE - Joyce L. Barnes Halbrook died Wednesday at Orange Park Medical Center following an extended illness. She was 96.
Mrs. Halbrook was born in Trenton and spent most of her life in Santa Fe before moving to Jacksonville in 2001. She was postmistress of Santa Fe from 1952 to 1960 and was a member of the North Pleasant Grove Baptist Church until the Santa Fe Baptist Church was established, where she was a charter member.
Survivors include daughters Janie Mae Rowland of Orlando, Betty Dowling of Fleming Island and Joyce Elrod of Jacksonville; sons David Phillip Barnes of Jacksonville and Charles Halbrook of Santa Fe; sisters Carra Crosby, Edna Smith and Dorothy Beck, all of Trenton; 13 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Archer Funeral Home.
