Annie Ruth Thompson
Annie Ruth Thompson of Gainesville died Saturday at Hospice House. She was 86.
Mrs. Thompson was a homemaker and a member of the North Gainesville Baptist Church.
Born in Macon, Ga., she moved from Macon to Gainesville two years ago.
Survivors include five sons, Hunter Gordon Thompson of Macon, James T. Thompson of Gainesville, William B. Thompson of Gordon, Ga., Paul E. Thompson of Clarksville, Tenn., and John Lee Thompson of Orlando; three brothers, John Gordon Herndon of Macon, Robert Cornelias Herndon of Arkansas, and James Marion Herndon of St. Petersburg; two sisters, Edith Excell and Margaret Lillian Walker, both of Macon; 13 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.
Willard H. Whitcomb
Entomologist at UF, writer dies at age 86
Willard H. Whitcomb of Gainesville died Saturday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He was 86.
Mr. Whitcomb was born in Manchester, N.H., and moved to Gainesville from Fayetteville, Ark., in 1969.
He was an entomologist at the University of Florida and served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He received degrees from Bates College and Texas A&M; University, and received his doctorate from Cornell University.
During his career, he worked as an entomologist for the agriculture ministry in Venezuela and Shell Oil Co. in Venezuela. He was a professor at the University of Arkansas before coming to UF.
Mr. Whitcomb was also a consultant to the United Nations in Peru and Paraguay and did research in South America, Zaire and Guadeloupe. He is credited with finding the first boll weevil in South America and discovering the homeland of the imported fire ant.
He published 200 articles and bulletins and was writing a book on insect predators at the time of his death.
Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Dorothy Whitcomb; his brother, Howard Whitcomb Jr. of Harwich Port, Mass.; and his sisters, Barbara Brown of Clearwater and Beatrice Olson of Largo.
Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.
Robbie Leon Addison
LAKE BUTLER - Robbie Leon Addison died Sunday at Shands at AGH after a brief illness. He was 78.
Mr. Addison was born in Lake Butler and lived in Miami most of his life. He returned to Lake Butler in 1991. He and his wife owned Sunset Feed and Supply in Miami for 30 years. He loved gardening.
Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Melverna (Bunnie) Addison; daughters Marsha Castellanos of Clewiston and Donna Chase of Miami; sons Mark Addison and Robbie Addison, both of Homestead, and Tucker Townsend of Lake Butler; brothers Don Addison of Providence; Mark Addison, Dewitt Addison, Wilbur Addison and Leroy Addison, all of Lake Butler, and Herman Addison of Avon Park; a sister, Iris Addison of Palatka; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Archer Funeral Home.
Roma Ella Bailey
CHIEFLAND - Roma Ella Bailey died Saturday in Gainesville. She was 83.
She was born in Chiefland and was a lifelong resident. She was a homemaker and attended First Baptist Church in Chiefland.
Survivors include her sons, Brooks Bailey of Gainesville and Gregg Bailey of Zephyrhills; her daughter, Myrtice Scabarozi of Albuquerque, N.M.; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred Bailey.
Arrangements by Knauff Funeral Home.
Ray Potter
Ray Potter died Friday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He was 78.
He was born in Clifton, Texas, and served in the U.S. Air Force for 30 years. Mr. Potter served in North Africa during World War II. His military career also took him to California, Korea, France, Virginia, Alabama, Vietnam and Texas.
He participated in local, state and national bowling tournaments and loved to travel.
Survivors include his wife, Thelma Potter; his daughters, Sandra Johnson and Karrie Potter of Gainesville; sons Steven Potter, Mark Potter and Rodger Potter; his sister, Ruby Totem; and his brothers, Roy Potter and Herbert Potter.
Arrangements by Gonzalez Funeral Home of Tampa.
Ray Waln
Ray Waln, formerly of Gainesville, died Jan. 6 in Claremorris, Ireland, after a short illness. He was 73.
Mr. Waln was born in Davenport, Iowa, and was a novelist, playwright, singer and composer. He studied voice at the Eastman School of Music and attended the University of Virginia and Rollins College.
He lived in Naples, Fla., from 1952-1991, where he was a founding member of the Naples Players, and was active in the Naples Shower Stall Opera Company. He was a soloist with Trinity Episcopal Church and a singer with the East Coast Opera Company.
Mr. Waln moved to Gainesville in 1991, where he continued writing, composing and singing with the First Presbyterian Church. He retired in 1995 and moved to Claremorris.
He was preceded in death by his son, John Waln, and his brother, Hugh Waln.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia; his brother, Nick Waln of Temecula, Calif.; his daughters, Barbara Gideon of Naples, Deborah DesForges, Melissa McCann and Kathy Mildrum of Gainesville, Betsy Kirk of Alpharetta, Ga.; his daughter-in-law, Johna Waln of Naples; 21 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Carl L. Jones
BRONSON - Carl L. Jones, the 5-year-old son of Carl and Mary Jones of Bronson, died in a house fire Thursday.
He was 5.
He attended Blackwelder Baptist Church in Worthington Springs.
In addition to his parents, Carl is survived by a sister, Michele Layfield of Bronson; and two brothers, Tony Layfield and Raymond Layfield, both of Bronson.
Walter E. Martin
PALATKA - Walter E. Martin of Palatka died Sunday in Palatka following an extended illness.
He was 97.
The Levy County native was a retired rancher and a member of Red Level Baptist Church.
Survivors include two stepdaughters, Elizabeth M. Brown of Palatka and Lyla Faircloth of Woodbridge, Va.; two stepsons, Angus McIntosh of Homer, La., and Daniel Faircloth of Cleveland, Texas; 13 nieces and nephews; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Deloris Futch Watford
STARKE - Deloris Futch Watford died Monday at her residence in Starke following an extended illness.
She was 82.
Mrs. Watford was born in Macclenny and moved to Starke from Lawtey in 1989.
She was retired from Big Dad Sewing Factory.
Survivors include four daughters, Inez Sauls of Lake City, Barbara Cassels and Louise Cassels, both of Lochloosa, and Lita Johnson of Starke; two sons, Marvin Futch and Lamar Futch, both of Starke; three sisters, Lois Jarman of Jacksonville, and Loma Pierce and Clara Crews, both of Macclenny; 11 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and five-great-great-grandchildren.
Nancy Foerman Enders
LAKE BUTLER -- Nancy Foerman Enders of Lake Butler died Saturday night in Lake Butler Hospital after a brief illness. She was 86.
Mrs. Enders was born in Suwannee County and lived most of her life in Lake Butler and Lake City. She was a homemaker and a member of the Church of God in Lake Butler.
Survivors include three daughters, Mary Stone of Lake City, Evelyn Burt of Lake Butler and Patricia Gates of Ocala; four sons, Roy Earl Foerman of Jacksonville and Butler H. Foerman, Martin Foerman and David Foerman, all of Lake Butler; one sister, Bernice Hudson of Fort White; and 19 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Annie Ruth Grubbs
STARKE -- Annie Ruth Grubbs died Friday in Shands at Starke following an extended illness. She was 73.
Mrs. Grubbs was born in Bowling Green and moved to Starke from Winter Haven in 1981. She attended schools in Bowling Green, was a retired secretary and was a member of the Presbyterian Church of Starke.
Mrs. Grubbs was preceded in death by a son, Alvin Gene Hill.
Survivors include her daughter, Sylvia Porterfield of Starke; one son, John David Hill of North Carolina; one sister, Blanche Sapp of Starke; one brother, Homer Tew of Starke; and four grandchildren.
Willie Lee Jones Sr.
Willie Lee Jones Sr. of Gainesville died Dec. 4 at his home following a brief illness. He was 73.
Mr. Jones was born in Gainesville and was a lifelong resident. He attended the former Lincoln High School and was a truck driver for Central Builders Supply. He was a Baptist.
Survivors include his wife, Blossie Jones of Gainesville; four sons, Booker T. Jones, Willie L. Jones Jr., James A Jones Sr. and Cordell Jones, all of Gainesville; two daughters, Audrey L. Jones and Carla Jones, both of Gainesville; one sister, Alise Brown of Miami; companion Adell Jones of Gainesville; and 10 grandchildren.
William David Lamb
MONTICELLO, Ark. -- William David Lamb of Monticello, Ark., died Thursday in an accident at work. He was 45.
Mr. Lamb was born in Cross City and lived there before recently moving to Monticello.
He attended Dixie County schools, was a boat rigger, a bee-keeper and a licensed minister with Pentecostal Church of God. While in Cross City he attended Calvary Temple Assembly of God.
Survivors include his wife, Karen McFarland Lamb of Monticello; his mother, Mary Cann Cooper Lamb McCall of Cross City; two sons, Joshua Newman and Caleb Mac Lamb, both of Monticello; one brother, Jimmy Ray McCall of Cross City; one sister, Lynn Hamilton of Lake City; and one grandmother, Elvie Newman of Cross City.
