Obituaries

Oct 13, 2019

Mrs. Louise Durden age 86, passed away Sunday October 13 in North Okaloosa Medical Center. She was born January 24, 1933 in North Walton County, the daughter of Reverend Curtis James Nobles and Jessie Lee Bodiford Nobles. After attending school in Hacoda and completing her formal education she began a career in nursing, a great deal of the time...

Sep 19, 2019

Mrs. Dorothy Claire Fontaine Ferris, age 70 passed away Thursday, September 19, 2019 in Healthmark Regional Medical Center.  She was born July 31, 1949 in West Warwick, Rhode Island the daughter of Joseph Francis Rosaire Fontaine and Diolinda Fernandes Fontaine.    Dorothy was educated in West Warwick public schools and eventually ended up in a small Southeast Georgia town where...

Sep 15, 2019

Mr. Bradford Lee Russell, age 66 passed away in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 15, 2019 at the family residence on Piney Grove Church Road.  He was born November 17, 1952 in Lowell, Massachusetts the son of Harry and Helen Ribett Russell.  Brad was trained in auto mechanics and worked in the field as a mechanic/technician for...

Sep 12, 2019

On Thursday September 12, 2019, LaVonne Whitney, loving wife, mother and grandmother passed away at the age of 96.  LaVonne was born April 2, 1923 in Dell Rapids, SD to Anton and Agnes Kopren.  She grew up in Sioux Falls, SD where she graduated from Washington High School and subsequently worked at Lewis Drug .  During WWII, she met...

Sep 7, 2019

An angel by the Earthly name of Brantley Kole Lawson, was brought into the realm of Heaven before sin or temptation could ever enter his life.  Safe in the arms of Jesus, this innocent child was the son of Summer Cheyenne Layton and Michael Allen Lawson.  He died in Fort Walton Beach Medical Center Saturday, September 7, 2019.

Aug 22, 2019

Patricia Gatlin Maxwell, a mother, grandmother, sister, daughter, friend, teacher, counselor, mentor, loved by so many passed peacefully on August 22, 2019 surrounded by family in Norcross, Georgia where she was living in assisted living. Her delightful and bubbly personality will be remembered by those who knew her as a native of DeFuniak Springs, Walton County, Florida and a...

Jul 25, 2019

Mr. Benjamin Davis Grant, age 72 passed away Thursday, July 25, 2019 in a Crestview healthcare facility.    He was born March 28, 1947 in DeFuniak Springs the son of Juston Witt Grant, Sr. and Lola Doris Davis Grant.  Ben attended Walton schools but completed his last two years in Niceville being a member of the first graduating class from...

Jul 23, 2019

Sharon Ward, age 71, a resident of Chautauqua Health and Rehabilitation Center passed away Tuesday, July 23, 2019.  She was born in DeFuniak Springs and attended school in Walton County.  She was the oldest daughter of Sherman and Inez Ward of the Red Bay Community.  Sharon was a member of Westside Baptist Church.  She is predeceased by her father...

Jul 17, 2019

SMSGT Ronald Lee Johnson, age 57 of Choctaw Beach passed away Wednesday, July 17, 2019 in 96th Medical Group, Eglin AFB Hospital, Eglin AFB, Florida.  He was born  February 11, 1962 in Landstuhl, Germany, the son of Donald Lee Johnson and Renata Ida Kieser Johnson.   He moved to the United States when he was one and a half years...

Jul 16, 2019

Reverend Rod Curry, age 77 of DeFuniak Springs passed away Tuesday evening, July 16, 2019  in Chautauqua Health and Rehabilitation Center. He was born April 11, 1942 in Mobile, Alabama the son of Adrian Roderick Curry, Sr. and Clara Elizabeth Duffee Cury. Rod was ordained as a minister with the United Methodist Church, South Alabama/Northwest Florida Conference and served...

Jul 10, 2019

Karen Jones Plunkett Kennedy, age 62 went home to be with her Lord on July 10, 2019 in Gulf Coast Medical Center in Panama City, Florida.  She was born to Carleita and Stanley Jones August 5, 1956 in DeFuniak Springs but grew up in Texarkana, Arkansas.  Karen left Arkansas several years ago and moved to the Panama City Beach...

Jul 1, 2019

Mr. James Randall “Jim” Hayes, age 76 of Santa Rosa Beach passed away Monday, July 1, 2019 in Sacred Heart Hospital Covenant Care in Pensacola.  He was born September 12, 1942 in Boaz, Alabama the son of Bertis Wesley Hayes and Toma Lee Kendricks Hayes.  After leaving school he was employed in the spacecraft industry, Lockhead/Martin and other contractors...

Jun 29, 2019

Glenda Sue Bellamy, age 70 of Gaskin passed away at the family home Saturday afternoon, June 29, 2019.  She was born  October 11, 1948 in Florala, Alabama, the daughter of Mark Williams and Annie Gilley Williams.  She is preceded in death by her son, Donald Earl Bellamy, her grandson Kaleb Bellamy and her brother, Wayne Williams.

Among...

Jun 22, 2019

Hazel Ellen Tidwell Rachels, age 95, of the Glendale Community in north Walton County passed away at her home Saturday, June 22, 2019.    She was born  March 22, 1924 in the Gaskin, Florida community to Cleve and Carrie Tidwell. She graduated in 1942 from Walton High School. Then she worked at the ASCS office, later the Office of Price...

Jun 8, 2019

Mrs. Ouida Davidson Coffey, age 88 passed away Saturday, June 8, 2019 in North Okaloosa Medical Center.  She was born August 24, 1930 in Jay, Florida the daughter of Alonzo Hart Davidson and Ida Eliza Singletary Davidson.  After her father’s passing, the family was blessed with step father, Dan Holland to continue raising them.  Most will remember Mrs. Coffey...

Jun 1, 2019

Mr. William Randolph Ogilvie, Sr. age 77, passed away Saturday, June 1, 2019 just nine days short of his 78th birthday at the home of his daughter, April Rose.  He was born June 10, 1941 in Nichols, Florida the son of William Llewelyn  Ogilvie and Frances Mae Wellborn Ogilvie.  Mr. Ogilvie was a mining superintendent in South, Florida by...

May 13, 2019

Waltrude (Val) M. Newsome, age 79, passed away Monday,  May 13, 2019, in Chautauqua Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was born May 20, 1939 in Osnabruck, Germany, the daughter of Eugne Lothar and Sofie Geskes Florenz.   Mrs. Newsome enjoyed working in the fashion industry and working beside her husband in their independently owned business, New-Tel Communications. Val had many...

May 12, 2019

Mr. William (Willie) Thomas Foreman, Jr. of DeFuniak Springs, FL passed away peacefuly Sunday, May 12th, 2019 at hime home after a brief battle with cancer. He was surrounded by his family as he left this world to join our Heavenly Father. Willie was born May, 18th, 1959, he was a week shy of turning the big 6-0. He...

May 9, 2019

Mrs. Cheryl Ann Harris,age 74, passed away early Thursday morning, May 9, 2019 in a Crestview nursing facility.  She was born November 11, 1944 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the daughter of Eugene Ernest Dick and Agnes Louise Cleary Dick.  Cheryl, while living in Fort Walton Beach met a local boy, from Fort Walton at a Square Dance in the...

Apr 20, 2019

Mrs. Judith Ann Rhoads Smith, age 79 passed away Saturday, April 20, 2019 in North Okaloosa Medical Center.  She was born February 29, 1940 in Middletown, Ohio, the daughter of Paul Earl Rhoads and Lucille Fox Rhoads.  She and her husband   Herb moved to the Santa Rosa Beach area in 1984 after visiting a family  friend “Elrod”.    Herb worked...