Obituaries

Dec 31, 2018

Mrs. Margaret Sanders, longtime resident of DeFuniak Springs, passed away on December 31st at her home, surrounded by family and friends. She was born Margaret Rose Welch on January 15, 1934 in Thomasville, Georgia, where she spent most of her young life. For reasons unknown, her grandfather gave her the nickname “Mutt” at an early age, and the name...

Dec 27, 2018

Mrs. Faye Kinsey, age 95, widow of the late Edgar Eugene Kinsey passed away Thursday night in Chautauqua Health and Rehabilitation Center.  She was born February 18, 1923 in Mossy Head, Florida the daughter of James Edward Clark and Dora Ann Wilks Clark.   Faye enjoyed many years of embroidery, some china painting and work in oils.  After her husband’s...

Dec 26, 2018

Mrs. Elaine B. Avant, age 90 of DeFuniak Springs passed away Wednesday night, December 26, 2018 in the home of her daughter.  She was born August 5, 1928 in Kinston, Alabama the daughter of James Cummings Bedsole and Linnie Maggie Whigham Bedsole.  After graduation from Kinston schools she attended Troy State Teacher’s College where she earned her Master’s Degree...

Dec 25, 2018

Mr. William Howard Collinsworth, age 88 passed away Tuesday, December 25, 2018 at the families’ hunting lodge.  He was born September 8, 1930 in North Walton County, the son of Mason and Katie Bell McCollough Collinsworth.  Howard was an outdoors man and loved hunting and fishing.  He is predeceased by his wife, Mary VanDenDriessehe Collinsworth.

Among survivors...

Dec 17, 2018

Anita Rae Straughn, age 61 passed away Monday, December 17, 2018 in Sacred Heart on the Emerald Coast Hospital.   She was born February 24, 1957 in Hutchinson, Kansas, the daughter of  Donald Martin Boaz and Claudette June Claburge Boaz.  Anita, being the daughter of a military dad,  was very organized and structured in her life.  After living in Niceville,...

Dec 14, 2018

Mrs. Virginia Burgess, age 75 of the Alaqua Community of Walton County passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, December 14, 2018 at her home surrounded by her family.  She was born May 9, 1943 in DeFuniak Springs, the daughter of Woodrow and Ella Lou Sunday Gillis.   Virginia attended Walton High School, graduating with the Class of...

Nov 28, 2018

Ms. Bertha Williams-Hood, age 71, of DeFuniak Springs passed away Wednesday, November 28, 2018 in the comfort home of her daughter located in Stockbridge, Georgia. She was born on July 15, 1947 in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Bertha is the daughter of late George Henry Williams and Ruby Lee Lacy Williams. She attended Tivoli School graduating with the Class of...

Nov 28, 2018

Mr. Joseph Christopher “Joey” Varney , age 57 of DeFuniak Springs passed away Wednesday, November 28, 2018 in a Pensacola hospital.  He was born April 29, 1961 in White Sands, New Mexico the son of Joe B. “J B” Varney and Ernestene Weddington Varney.   Joey graduated in 1979 from Belfry High School in Belfry, Kentucky.  He was associated for...

Nov 25, 2018

Mr. James E. “Pete” Mitchem, age 91 of DeFuniak Springs passed away early Sunday afternoon at the family residence  surrounded by  family and friends.   He was born April 11, 1927 in Kinston, Alabama, the son of Horace Jerry Mitchem and Zella Mae Paul Mitchem.    Pete moved with his father and brother, Orell to the DeFuniak Springs area and helped...

Nov 13, 2018

Dorothy Mooney, age 94 passed away in her home in Pine Shores Tuesday morning, November 13, 2018 surrounded by her family.    She was born November 22, 1923 in Walton County, the daughter of John and Nora Bell Sullivan Adams.  She was an educator and held a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education.  Countless numbers of first graders were taught, and...

Nov 9, 2018

Betty Louise Parks, age 79 of Panama City, Florida passed away Friday, November 9, 2018 in a Gulf Breeze Nursing facility.  She was born January 20, 1939 in Gary, Indiana, the daughter of Louis Emery and Elizabeth Szabo Emery.  She attended Lew Wallace High School in Gary, Indiana graduating with the Class of 1957.  She found employment in the...

Nov 3, 2018

Mrs. Annette Howell, age 76 of DeFuniak Springs passed away Saturday, November 3, 2018 in  Healthmark Regional Medical Center.  She was born October 8, 1942 in DeFuniak Springs, the daughter of Walker Hamilton and Annie Lindsey Hamilton.  She graduated from high school in Gainesville later moving  back to DeFuniak Springs in 1962. Most will remember Annette in her association...

Oct 31, 2018

January 1, 1932, New Years Day, it was a Friday, and on that day in Birmingham, Alabama the first baby of the year was born, and her parents, Sherman and Johnnie Lambert Coley named her Mary Lois.  Her life began with celebrity and fame and recognition with awards and plaques.  Eighty six years, nine months and thirty days later,...

Oct 10, 2018

Mr, Doyle Richardson, age 88, lifelong resident of the DeFuniak Springs area passed away at the family home late Wednesday night, October 10, 2018.  He, like many children of his generation, dropped out of school to get a job to help support his family.  Later,  he got a job driving a school bus on Eglin Air Force Base.  He...

Oct 4, 2018

Mary Louise Mabry Mancil went to meet the Lord on October 4, 2018 at 2:09 a.m. after an extended illness.  She was born June 3, 1942 in Pensacola, Florida to William Gregory Mabry and Josephine Elizabeth Carroll Mabry. Married to Billy Hugh Mancil for 58 years, Mary was a devoted wife and mother.  Before retiring to Seagrove, they established...

Sep 27, 2018

Mr. Richard Cleveland Schofield, age 72 of Gaskin passed away early Thursday morning, September 27, 2018  at the family residence surrounded by his family.  He was born April 5, 1946 in Gaskin, the son of Benjamin and Annie Ruth Mathews Schofield.  After attending school and helping on the family farm he served his country in the United States Army...

Sep 17, 2018

Mrs. Vera McHenry Peters, age 80, a life long resident of DeFuniak Springs passed away in the early morning hours of Monday, September 17, 2018 under the loving care of  her daughter and nephew.  She was born July 31, 1938 in DeFuniak Springs, the daughter of Christopher Columbus “Lum” McHenry and Minnie Bearden McHenry.

Among survivors are...

Sep 5, 2018

Tom McGee was born and raised in North Louisiana until he was nine years old, when his dad obtained employment in the shipyards of New Orleans during the second World War. Tom quickly adapted to the zany culture of The City That Care Forgot. Tom’s parents were George Oden McGee and Margaret Genevieve Fox McGee.

Tom graduated...

Sep 1, 2018

Jeanette S. Carter passed away Saturday, September 1, 2018 in North Okaloosa Medical Center within a little over three months before her 100th birthday.  She was born December 7, 1918 in Cincinnati, Ohio during  the World War 1 era, the daughter of William and Marion Bartmann Schnider, but was raised in the Bronx, New York.    After her formal education...

Aug 14, 2018

Mr. Joshua Lawayne Evans, age 34 passed away Tuesday, August 14, 2018 as the result of injuries sustained in an automobile accident.  He was born April 16, 1984 in Augusta, Georgia the son of Jack Gary Evans III and Angela Baughman Hall.  Those who knew Josh knew of his helpful nature, always ready and able to help friends and...