John N. Sherouse
PALATKA - John N. "Doc" Sherouse died Thursday at home after a short illness. He was 86.
Mr. Sherouse was born in Campville and moved to Palatka in 1946. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Palatka, a U.S. Air Force veteran of World War II, a postal clerk and a member of Masonic Lodge 34.
Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Clyde C. Sherouse; two sons, John Neil Sherouse Jr. of Gainesville and Craig Alan Sherouse of Lakeland; a sister, Alice Rozier of Campville; and three grandchildren.
Arrangements by Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home of Palatka.
Virginia Lee Sims
Virginia Lee Sims died Friday in Hospice House. She was 59.
Mrs. Sims was born in Cleveland and moved to Gainesville in 1957. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and did graduate work at the University of Southern California at Santa Barbara. She was administrative assistant for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission research lab in Gainesville and a member of the American Association of University Women. She was an Episcopalian.
Survivors include her mother, Evelyn R. Sims of Gainesville; three brothers, Roger W. Sims of Winter Park and George R. and Jeffrey F. Sims, both of Gainesville; and fiance Walter Golston of Gainesville.
Morris E. Starling
GRAHAM - Morris E. Starling died Friday at Shands at the University of Florida. He was 71.
Mr. Starling was born in LaCrosse and moved to Graham from Miami. He was a farmer and owner of a heavy-equipment business. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was a member of Graham Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Janet Starling; daughter Sherie Starling Carver of Graham; two stepdaughters, Carol Criswell and Rhonda Hearn, both of Lake City; one brother, J.W. Starling of Melrose; three grandchildren; eight step-grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Archie Tanner Funeral Home.
Jennie H. Umphenour
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS - Jennie H. Umphenour died Friday in Shands at Starke. She was 80.
Mrs. Umphenour was born in Warsaw, Poland, and moved to Keystone Heights from Jacksonville 34 years ago. She was a homemaker, a clerk for the city of Keystone Heights, a volunteer for Hospice of North Central Florida, a member of Order of Eastern Star chapter 279, and a member of St. Anne's Episcopal Church and the Church Women.
Survivors include her daughter, Wilford L. Umphenour; son William L. Umphenour of Grand Junction, Colo.; daughter Christie Mach of Keystone Heights; two grandchildren; and a great-grandson.
Arrangements by Moring Funeral Home.
Frances Elizabeth Bass
LIVE OAK - Frances Elizabeth Bass, a lifelong resident of Live Oak, died Sunday following an extended illness. She was 71.
Mrs. Bass retired from Alltel Phone Co. after 37 years. She was a member of the First Baptist Church of Live Oak.
Survivors include sons Theron Bass Jr. of Hobe Sound and Clifford Bass of Live Oak; daughters Kathy Leigh Rollins of Dallas and Melissa Brinson of Live Oak; a brother, Clifford Bullock of Keystone Heights; and five grandchildren.
Arrangements by Daniels Funeral Home.
Joe A. Bell
INGLIS - Joe A. Bell died Sunday at his residence. He was 72.
Mr. Bell was born in Newberry and moved to Inglis 10 years ago. He was a heavy equipment operator.
Survivors include daughters Connie Deranger of Port Orange and Linda Davidson of Reno, Nev.; sons Brad Bell of Orange City and Byron Bell of Oak Hill; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Hiers Funeral Home.
Bette Jo Brey
MELROSE - Bette Jo Brey died Sunday at her residence. She was 88.
Mrs. Brey was born in Empire, Mich., and moved to Melrose two years ago.
She was a Realtor and a teacher. She was a Methodist.
Survivors include daughters Ingrid K. Brey of Grosse Pointe Park, Mich., and Sonya Y. Stanz of Maple City, Mich.; a brother, Charlie Johnson of New Port Richey; and a grandchild.
Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.
Charlie J. Clemons
OLD TOWN - Charlie J. Clemons died Saturday. He was 68.
Mr. Clemons moved to Old Town from Branford 45 years ago. He was a member of Scrub Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Lillian Clemons of Old Town; sons C.J. Clemons of Germany and Jeff Clemons of Old Town; daughters Kelly Whitby of Cross City and Mary Cain of Bulgaria; brothers Willie and Roy Clemons, both of Branford, a sister, Lillie Mae Hodge of Brooker; 11 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Rick Gooding Funeral Home.
Myrtle Mongeon Godfrey
BRONSON - Myrtle Mongeon Godfrey died Monday at her home under Hospice Care. She was 90.
Mrs. Godfrey was born in Gladys, Mich..
She is survived by her husband of 72 years, Glenn Godfrey of Bronson; a son, Clifford Godfrey of White Lake, Mich.; daughters Maxine Bell of Ocala and Lois Heathman of Homosassa; sisters Goldie Knott of Plymouth, Mich., and Sylvia Cook of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren
Arrangements by Knauff Funeral Home.
Gertrude Lucille Hinson
CHIEFLAND - Gertrude Lucille Hinson died Saturday at the Hospice House of Gainesville. She was 86.
Mrs. Hinson was born in Lake Charles, La., and moved to Chiefland in 1999.
She worked as a sales clerk for Sears for 23 years.
Survivors include a daughter, Barbara Jean Bullock of Chiefland; a brother, Robert H. Rybiski of Baldwin, La.; two grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Hiers Funeral Home.
Clifton Eldridge Knight
Clifton Eldridge Knight of Gainesville died Saturday at Shands at AGH. He was 55.
Mr. Knight was born in Leesburg and moved to Gainesville in 1968.
He was a heavy equipment operator and a member of the Church of God of Prophecy.
Survivors include daughters Jennifer Mullens of Lake City, Belinda Jenkins of Woodstock, Ga., and Cheryl Armstrong of Clarkesville, Tenn.; the mother of his children, Marley Tarlton of Lake City; sisters Alma Jean Shaw of Umatilla, Rosemary Masters of Hawthorne and Linda Gano of Gainesville; brothers Donald Knight of Williston, Jimmy Knight of Trenton and Chris, Alvin, Larry and Billy Knight, all of Gainesville; and six grandchildren.
Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.
Kay Thomas Parker
STEINHATCHEE - Kay Thomas "Gator" Parker died in a house fire Jan. 3. He was 54.
Mr. Parker was a lifelong resident of Taylor County. He enjoyed fishing and hunting.
Survivors include his wife, Cathy Parker of Cross City; his mother, Donie M. Dykes of Perry; a son, Jeff Parker of Steinhatchee; stepsons Billy Aulwes and Forest Lambert, both of Cross City; stepdaughters Marilyn Aulwes of Cross City and Mary Harvey of Wewahitchka; a brother, Ken Knight of Perry; sisters Ramona Parker, Ola Bryant and Marie Hawkins, all of Perry, Patricia Minor of Naples and Kathy Blanton of Gainesville; and seven grandchildren.
Arrangements by Rick Gooding Funeral Home.
Alma Pope Conyers Porter
Alma Pope Conyers Porter of Forest City, N.C., died Sunday. She was 87.
The former Gainesville resident graduated from Gainesville High School.
She has no local survivors.
Marion Lee West
LAKE BUTLER - Marion Lee West died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center following a brief illness. He was 71.
Mr. West was born in St. Louis and lived in Lake Butler most of his life.
He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He retired from the Department of Corrections' North Florida Reception Center after 17 years.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Edith Griffith West.
Survivors include sons Gayle and Barry West, both of Fort Pierce, David West of Lake Butler and Donald West of Starke; a daughter, Deborah Hamilton of Lake Butler; sisters Leona Hendrick of St. Louis and Faith Gates of Gladstone, Mo.; 12 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Archer Funeral Home.
James John Cerda
James John Cerda of Gainesville died Wednesday in Gainesville. He was 70.
Mr. Cerda was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and moved to Gainesville from Philadelphia 28 years ago.
He was a physician and a Catholic.
Survivors include his wife, Mariana Cerda of Gainesville; two daughters, Deborah Ann Howell of Gainesville and Carla Fairchild of Tampa; a son, James J. Cerda Jr. of Clearwater; a brother, Louis Cerda of Monroe, La.; and five grandchildren.
