Bruce Buchanan, 78, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Saturday, April 6, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Francis Dominic Hairston, 55, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Saturday, April 6, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Doyle M. Houghton, 78, passed away April 9, 2019.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Donald F. Watson, 90, of Yulee, Fla., passed away April 8, 2019.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Francis Dominic Hairston, 55, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away at his home Saturday, April 6, 2019.

He was born in Norfolk, Va. and raised in Virginia Beach.

He leaves behind his parents, William and Barbara Hairston; his stepdaughter, Jill Terry; his sister, Sue Galloway her husband, Paul; brothers, Chris Hairston and his wife, Alecia, Pat Hairston and his wife, Gin, and Tony Hairston and his wife, Doria; two nephews; six nieces; four great-nephews; and two great-nieces.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, April 12, 2019 at Roselawn Memorial Gardens, 1451 Compton Bridge Road, Inman, S.C.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard .com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Julia Marie McKendree, 73, of Waverly, Ga., passed away April 10, 2019 at Hospice House of the Golden Isles in Brunswick, Ga. 

Born August 14, 1945 in Fernandina Beach, Fla., she was a daughter of the late William and Anna Hammock McKendree.

She graduated from Fernandina Beach High School and was primarily a homemaker for most of her adult life. She had lived in Waverly for the past 19 years.

Julie was a tender-hearted lady who was a wonderful and loving mother.

In addition to her parents, she was predeceased by her sister, Ruthie Parrish, and her brother, Charles McKendree.

She leaves behind her daughter, Lisa Ferguson and her husband, Keith, of Yulee; a sister, Joy McKendree of Yulee; a grandson, Todd Watson and his wife, Serey, of Callahan, Fla.; a great-granddaughter, Cali Watson and her longtime companion, Frenchie Cutuil, of Waverly.

The family plans a private service to remember her life at a later date.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Donald F. Watson, 90, went home to the Lord on Monday, April 8, 2019 at his Yulee, Fla. residence while surrounded by his family.

He was born April 30, 1928 in Philadelphia, Pa. and moved to Yulee in 2008 from Clifton Heights, Pa.

Mr. Watson was a devout Catholic all his life and was a member of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Mission Church in Yulee. He was a retired sales representative for Frank W. Winnie Rope and Twine Co. of Philadelphia. He was a Korean War veteran who had served with the U.S. Army.

Above all, he was a family man and wonderful role model. He dearly loved his family and was a devoted husband to his late wife, Patricia, and a devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Mr. Watson was an avid follower of all Philadelphia sports teams and Notre Dame.

He was predeceased in 2012 by his wife of 55 years, Patricia M. Watson.

Survivors include his 10 children, Patti Longo (Anthony) of Yulee, Maggie Watson (Bruce Erickson) of Mendocino, Calif., Theresa Lord (Tom) of Wilmington, Del., Donald F. Watson Jr. (Peggy) of Fernandina Beach, Fla., Anne Ford (Mark) of Yulee, Marty Watson (Stacey) of West Chester, Pa., Mazzy Brown (Bobby Cavanaugh) of Secane, Pa., Lor Onorato (Mark) of Hockessing, Del., John Watson (Chris) of Brigantine, N.J., and Jimmy Watson of Yulee. He is also survived by his 25 grandchildren, Ricky Osgood, Erin Lord, Mike Ford, Ryan Watson, Tommy Lord, Don Watson III, Stephen Brown, Jason Lord, Mark Onorato, Danielle Ford, Julian Erickson, Mathew Brown, Kelly Longo, Katie Lord, Timmy Brown, Joey Brown, David Watson, Melanie Watson, Lauren Lord, Stephan Onorato, Gabby Watson, Zachary Watson, Christopher Watson, Tyler Watson, Avery Watson, and nine great-grandchildren, Brysin and Beckham Osgood, Joey, Lucy, and Frankie Lord, Aiden Torbush, Noah Longo, Colin Watson, and Cooper Stubits.

There was a private family viewing. A celebration of his life and Memorial Mass will be held at a later date.

The family thanks Community Hospice and Palliative Care and suggests that memorial donations be made to the organization at 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257.

Green Pine Funeral Home, Cremations & Cemetery

Carol Ann Kolb, 82, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Tuesday, April 9, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Frank Covie, 86, of Amelia Island, Fla., passed away Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Mr. Ronald L. Ratnecht, 71, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Saturday, April 13, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Bruce Proctor Buchanan, 78, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Saturday, April 6, 2019.

Born August 31, 1940 in Pittsburgh, Pa., he was a son of the late Edward and Jeanne McFarland Buchanan.

Bruce was a dentist as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy, serving in North Africa, and later a periodontist in private practice in Marietta, Ga., from 1971 until his retirement in 1996. He was a 1962 graduate of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pa., where he was class president, president of Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, Interfraternity Council president, and captain of the swim team. Bruce received his D.D.S. from the University of Illinois in 1966 and was a member of Delta Sigma Fraternity. After dental school, he served in the U.S. Navy at Groton, Conn., and Morocco, North Africa, honorably discharged with the rank of lieutenant. He went on to Tufts University in Boston, Mass., for specialty training in periodontics. Bruce was active with the Georgia Dental Association as Speaker of the House for five years and a delegate to the American Dental Association. He was vice president of the GDA before being elected GDA president in 1988. Bruce and his wife, Lee, relocated from the Atlanta area to Amelia Island in 2000.

Bruce had a lifelong love of sports. He was an accomplished amateur triathlete who competed in numerous regional and national events over two decades. From 1983 to 2006, Bruce competed in 16 Ironman World Championship races in Kona, Hawaii (2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run), placing among the top five finishers in his age group 13 times and winning his age group seven times. At age 52, Bruce broke his own age group world record and was the first amateur over age 50 to complete the Kona course in under 10 hours. The feat garnered him recognition in the Dec. 22, 1992, issue of Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd.” During his two decades of competition, he was the only person ever to earn overall Triathlete of the Year (1992), Master Triathlete of the Year (1996), and Grandmaster Triathlete of the Year (2001) from USA Triathlon, the sport’s governing body. He was at once a fierce competitor and a cherished friend, mentor, and teacher, freely sharing his time and insights with veterans and newcomers to the sport alike.

Bruce retired from triathlon competition in 2006 but remained active with swimming, yoga, and weightlifting at the local McArthur Family YMCA. He cultivated many close and dear friendships among the members and staff at the YMCA. Bruce’s volunteer work with the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival as a page-turner for visiting pianists reignited his passion for classical music, and he resumed the piano at age 63. He held frequent recitals and loved to play his cherished Yamaha grand piano for friends and guests.

Bruce is survived by his wife, Lee Ann Donelson Buchanan; brother, Edward R. “Buck” Buchanan (Mauri) of The Villages, Fla.; son, Mark Bradley “Brad” Buchanan (Jennifer) and grandsons Dylan and Evan Buchanan, all of Roswell, Ga.; daughter, Stacey Woolley (Ben) of Acme, Alberta; grandson, David Woolley, Vancouver, British Columbia; granddaughter, Jessica Woolley, Calgary, Alberta; and his three beloved golden retrievers, Stella, Opus, and Oliver.

Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. April 26, 2019 at Oxley-Heard Funeral Home, located at 1305 Atlantic Ave. in Fernandina Beach. A reception will follow services from 2 to 3 p.m. at Story and Song Bookstore Bistro, located at 1430 Park Ave. in Fernandina Beach.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations for the aquatics program be made to McArthur Family YMCA, 1915 Citrona Drive, Fernandina Beach, FL, 32034.

Please share your memories and condolence at www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Roger Leslie King, a native of Jacksonville, Fla., passed away peacefully April 10, 2019 in his home in Wake Forest, N.C. after a seven-year battle with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Karen; his two daughters, Tessa Baker and Molly King; his son-in-law, Nathan Baker; and his granddaughter, Chyella Baker, as well as his brother, Randall King; his sister, Betty Marie (“Ree”) Westfahl; and his brother-in-law, Butch Westfahl; and their children and grandchildren.

Roger and Karen’s marriage was a testimony to God’s faithfulness. Their life together, including Roger’s final struggle with Alzheimer's, was a daily demonstration of the love and forgiveness only possible through Jesus Christ.

Roger worked as a draftsman throughout his career and delighted in explaining why buildings were built this way or that. He worked with several engineering firms in Atlanta, Jacksonville, and Fernandina Beach, Fla., as well as at Rayonier Advanced Materials. He was a talented woodworker, sailing enthusiast, and avid bike rider.

Roger and Karen were long-standing members of First Baptist Church of Fernandina Beach, where Roger served as a deacon, nursery worker, and a crew chief on World Changers Mission Trips.

We’ll miss our Roger! This was a man who would lift his daughter on his shoulders to put the star on top of the Christmas tree – even when she was 10 years old! He was an amazing daddy of daughters, allowing his girls as toddlers to fix his hair and dress him up. Even into his final weeks, he delighted in his granddaughter’s laughter. Roger was one of the quietest and most tenderhearted men we’ve ever known. In 1996, Jesus saved that quiet, tender heart, and Roger gave his life to Christ. We know he’s in heaven now and can’t wait to join him there!

The family received friends from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 13, 2019 at their home in Wake Forest. There was also a memorial service at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, 2019 at First Baptist Church in Fernandina Beach.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Barbara Ann Aikens passed away Wednesday, April 17, 2019.

Funerals by T.S. Warden

John W. Aitken, 61, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Wednesday, April 17, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Frank Peter Covie, of Amelia Island, Fla., passed away Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Shirley Graley, 52, passed away peacefully April 9, 2019.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

Richard Hartman, 89, passed away peacefully April 1, 2019.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

Barton Macchiette, 75, Passed away peacefully April 14, 2019.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

Mary Lou McKeon, 85, of Amelia Island, Fla., passed away Wednesday, April 17, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Kyle Volp, 44, passed away peacefully April 2, 2019.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

Jerry Waldrop, 78, passed away peacefully March 26, 2019.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

William White, 90, passed away peacefully March 28, 2019.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

Clifford Bennett Mattox, 88, of Bradenton, Fla., went home to be with this Lord and Savior on April 13, 2019.

Clifford was born March 12, 1931 in Jacksonville, Fla. and was the son of the late Watson H. Mattox and Mary Edith Duncan. He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years, Mary Frances Wall; his son, Robert; two brothers, Roy and Earl; and one sister, Ruby Lutzen.

Clifford is survived by his children, Cliff and wife Becky, Mike and wife Chris, Kathleen Mattox and husband Robert, and Mary Duncum and husband Allen; grandchildren, Gene, Stacy, Mary and husband Alan, John and wife Emily, Alison and husband Aaron, Paige and husband Daniel, Karen and husband Chris, and Alex; and great-grandchildren, Savanah, Brendan, Saria, Robert, Jackson, Mattox, Coraline, and Elizabeth.

Clifford was a loving husband and father and served his Lord as a bi-vocational pastor for most of his adult life. He retired from his final pastoral ministry after serving for 11 years at North 14th Street Baptist Church.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 7 p.m. April 25, 2019 at First Baptist Church of Ellenton, located at 1707 36th Ave. E, Palmetto, Fla. Funeral services will begin with a viewing at 10 a.m. April 27, 2019 at Yulee Baptist Church, located at 85971 North Harts Road, Yulee, and a celebration at 11 a.m. Interment at Green Pine Cemetery will follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Ellenton, 1707 36th Ave. E., Palmetto, FL 34221.

Elmer Norman Knight Jr., 73, passed away April 14, 2019.

He was born November 5, 1945 to E. N. Knight Sr. and Aliff Marshall Knight.

He leaves behind two sons, Normal Jeffrey Knight and Jason and Shannon and Gemma Knight; two sisters, Carolyn Knight Wilkes and Patsy Knight Manning (Frankie); and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

It is his request that there will be no memorial service.

Any gifts can be given to Community Hospice & Palliative Care’s Warner Center for Caring in Fernandina Beach, Fla.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

Barbara Ann Williams Aikens was the third of six children born to the late Blanche Beatrice Hardy and Perry McKinley Williams Sr. on February 8, 1944 in Jacksonville, Fla. She attended Peck High School. Barbara joined First Missionary Baptist Church at a young age. She married her high school sweetheart and became a military wife. She traveled to many locations during their 29-year marriage. Three children were born to that union. Upon returning to Fernandina Beach, she united with First Baptist Church of Yulee, Fla., where she was an active member and served as an usher, a deaconess, and member of the Mission Ministry. Barbara faithfully attended Sunday school and Bible study until her health began to fail. She loved to read, garden, frequent the movies, and spend time with her family and grandchildren.

Barbara was employed as a bookkeeper with stocks and bonds at the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington, D.C. She later worked for 20 years as a logistics operator for the Sears Distribution Center at Imeson Park in Jacksonville. Barbara also worked as a general merchandise manager and cashier with Winn-Dixie for more than 20 years before retiring.

Barbara’s lifelong fondness for travel began when she married and the couple headed to Cannon AFB in Clovis, N.M. From there, the young family journeyed to the RAF (Royal Air Force) in Mildenhall, England. The next place they called home was Andrews AFB in Washington, D.C., followed by Patrick AFB in Cocoa Beach, Fla. Once Barbara was introduced to National Baptist Convention, she decided that attendance at convention was important to both her spiritual and personal growth. For a number of years, Barbara attended the Convention wherever it was being held, including Washington, D.C., New York City, and Philadelphia, Pa. So committed was she to this annual renewal of her faith that Barbara made sure her vacation time coincided with the National Convention dates each year.

Barbara is survived by her son, John Aikens III (Gloria) of Aurora, Colo.; daughters, Brenda A. Aikens-Walker (Clarence) and Jerelynn Natasha Aikens (Brad) of Fernandina Beach; five grandchildren, Ashley Cookes of Denver, Colo., Alyson Cookes of Aurora, Alysha Aikens of Winnsboro, La., and Jaedynn Aikens-Lee and Taj Aikens-Lee of Fernandina Beach; three great-grandchildren, Joseph Cookes-Campbell, Anaiyah Campbell-Williams, and Xavian Fuller.

Also left to mourn her passing are her beloved siblings, Sandra Palmer (Hosea) of Yulee, Willa Clarice Williams of Fernandina Beach, Woodrow Bruce Williams (Drena) off Capital Heights, Md., and Regina Gilbert of Miami, Fla., sister-in-law Eunice Williams (Perry Jr., deceased), and Godson Jamaal Benjamin, along with a host of cherished nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends.

The funeral service for Barbara Ann Aikens will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, April 27, 2019 at the First Baptist Church of Yulee, 86584 Pinewood Drive, Yulee. The visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, April 26, 2019 at the First Baptist Church of Yulee. Interment will be in Bosque Bello Cemetery.

Please sign the family guest book and view the video tribute at www.tswarden.com.

Funerals by T. S. Warden

Joanne Kathryn Cain passed away April 19, 2019 in Tallahassee, Fla., just days after her 90th birthday. 

She was a resident of Fernandina Beach from 2000 to 2016 and an active member of Memorial United Methodist Church. Jo was the middle of the three daughters of Wallace and Violet Parke and grew up in Kirkland and DeKalb, Ill., where her father worked as a teacher, principal, and school superintendent. She married Kenneth Cain, her high school sweetheart, in 1950, and the Cain family moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1956 to escape the winters of Illinois.

Although her main occupation was raising five children on a schoolteacher’s salary, she did work at times as a substitute teacher, kindergarten teacher, and similar positions. Her higher education was interrupted by her early and frequent contribution to America’s Baby Boom, but she completed her college degree in home economics at the age of 50. Throughout her married life, she and her family traveled and camped extensively around the U.S., and in 1983, she and her husband drove and camped from Fort Lauderdale to Alaska and back in their biggest adventure. In later years, she also traveled to Europe, Asia, and Africa.

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and follower of Jesus Christ. Seamstress, volunteer, camper, hiker, tennis player, and bridge player were just some of her hobbies through the years, and she will be missed greatly by her family and friends.

Her husband of 53 years predeceased her in 2004. She is survived by her five children, Kenneth Jr. (Eliza) of Mexico, Gary (Cheryl) of Gainesville, Fla., Richard of Fernandina Beach, Doug of Sandy Ridge, N.C., and Kathy Drake (Dan) of Tallahassee. She is also survived by eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Thelma Dorothy Dew, 92, of Jackson, Tenn. and a longtime resident of Yulee, Fla., passed away February 18, 2019 in Jackson.

She was born August 22, 1926 to the late Thomas and Alice Ferguson McGrath. She wed Loice C. Dew on July 18, 1948 in Miami, Fla., and the couple remained married for 67 years until his passing on January 8, 2016. She was a housewife and stay-at-home mother of four children.

She was preceded in death by her brothers, Thomas and David McGrath; and a sister, Anita Kulisek.

She is survived by her daughters, Jacque McClain and husband Nick, Vickie Dew, and Amy Siler and husband Ted; a son, Thomas Dew and wife Teresa; five grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; brothers, George and John McGrath; and sisters, Rose Culbert and Ruth Nedwetsky.

Alexander Matthias Hopkins Kuffel-Barbanel, 17, of Charleston, S.C., entered into eternal rest 12 days before his 18th birthday on Thursday, April 4, 2019.

His funeral service was held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, 2019 in the J. Henry Stuhr Inc. Downtown Chapel. The family received friends 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, 2019 in the chapel. A reception followed the service at the Circular Congressional Hall in the Upper Lance Hall.

Alex was born April 16, 2001 in Mount Pleasant, S.C., son of Amy Laura Barbanel and Michael Patrick Hopkins Kuffel.

He is survived by his mother, Amy Laura Barbanel of Charleston; father, Michael Patrick Hopkins Kuffel of Charleston; maternal grandmother, Anne Matthias Barbanel of Amelia Island, Fla.; paternal grandmother, Lynda Kuffel Day of Lexington, S.C.; aunt, Amy Belle Isle (John) of Lexington; three cousins, Shepard Bell Isle, Logan Alexander Gordon, and Hailey Sage Gordon; special family friend, Delma Gordon; beloved great-aunts and uncles and their families, and many friends.

He was preceded in death by two grandfathers, Sidney M. Barbanel and Richard M. Kuffel; and his aunt, Bonnie Barbanel Gordon.

Alex had studied at Buist Academy, James Island Charter High School, and Charleston County School of the Arts, where he was enrolled in the creative writing program. He had been accepted into the Capstone Program at the University of South Carolina, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Emerson College, and Lewis and Clark College, where he planned to study journalism. He was an active member of the Charleston Area Justice Ministry.

Alex had a gift for words and had decided to hone this talent into a career as a writer. He was a natural athlete who played youth soccer for many years. A born adventurer, he enjoyed traveling, camping, climbing, and exploring. In addition to a boundless curiosity, Alex will be remembered for his preternatural intelligence and wisdom, a cut-glass sense of humor, and a profound sense of empathy. There are undoubtedly many volumes of his work, yet unwritten, that the world will never read.

Barton Lewis Macchiette, 75, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Sunday, April 14, 2019, lying in Rande’s arms at Community Hospice & Palliative Care’s Warner Center for Caring in Fernandina Beach, Fla.

Bart was born and raised in Quincy, Mass. in 1943 to Albert and Adeline Macchiette. He graduated from Thayer Academy, Nasson College, American University and obtained his Ph.D. from George Washington University. Bart taught business and marketing courses at Towson State College in Maryland and at Plymouth State University in New Hampshire for 30 years. Through college, Bart was a commercial fisherman for many summers, and these experiences provided forever memories and joy. In college and the following decades, Bart was in bands playing a wicked blues piano and guitar. Bart was a fabulous cook, loved tennis, baseball and his 1840s farmhouse and barn with all the chickens, ducks, goats, and his beloved dogs, Nugget and Dante. He married Rande McCollum Macchiette on October 15, 2010 in Plymouth, N.H., and they left the farm in Rumney, N.H. and retired to Amelia Island, Fla. in 2010 to be back on the ocean and enjoy the special offerings an island and special friends can bring.

Bart leaves his wife, Rande McCollum Macchiette; his sister, Kathleen Marcus of Cazedero, Calif.; his two beloved cousins, Brian McNulty of Plymouth and Berta Macchietto of Clinton, Conn.; and his deeply loved stepchildren, Filip J. M. Thurston of Durham, N.H. and Rachel M. Thurston of Philadelphia, Pa. He also leaves many other cousins and so many friends from every decade of his life.

Bart will be buried at Bosque Bello Cemetery in Fernandina Beach, and a private family celebration of Bart’s life will be held.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau

Mary Lou McKeon, 85, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away Wednesday, April 17, 2019 at Osprey Village.

Born in Macksburg, Iowa, she was one of three children born to the late Ova G. Wallace and Mary Oreen Eyerly. Mary Lou grew up on a farm in Iowa and graduated from Macksburg High School, where she played basketball. For most of her life, she worked as a secretary for the military in different parts of the United States and abroad. In recent years, Mary Lou lived in Colorado Springs, Colo. before settling in Fernandina Beach to be closer to her granddaughter, Christina.

She was known as a very sweet and kind person, yet independent and strong willed. She enjoyed attending her great-grandson’s baseball games even in the hot summer months. Mary Lou had an impressive hummingbird collection, and she loved to crochet Christmas stockings, doilies, and afghans to give as gifts to her loved ones. She enjoyed watching NASCAR and Denver Broncos football, going to the beach, and freshwater fishing at Farish Lake with her husband when she lived in Colorado. Mary Lou’s can-do independent spirit gained her the title of “Rock Star” at Anytime Fitness, where she worked out three days a week.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Melvin Wallace and Gene Wallace; husband, Daniel J. McKeon; and former husband, James V. Dolson.

She leaves behind her children, Gayle Evans of Westfield, Ind., Lori Dolson of Glendale, Ariz., and David Dolson and his wife, Cathy, of Villa Rica, Ga.; grandchildren, Christina McLaughlin and her husband, Clint, of Yulee, Fla., Bryan Evans and his wife, Rachel, of Westfield, Amanda Sullivan and her husband, Michael, of Rockmart, Ga., Neal Evans and his wife, Jill Van Gee, of Sunnyvale, Calif., Lisa Dolson and her husband, Jonas Köhne, of Berlin, Germany, Leslie Hill and her husband, Chris, of Westfield, Ind., and Ryan Dolson of Temple, Ga.; great-grandchildren, Dylan King, Caroline Evans, Jake Hill, Kennedy Howard, Alexandra Hill, Luke Sullivan, Kaelyn Dolson, and Eleanor Köhne.

Services to remember her life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 27, 2019 at Osprey Village Retreat on Amelia Island.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Capt. Franklin Harl Sanders, U.S. Navy, retired, 86, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., a decorated Naval officer and former captain with Midway Airlines, passed away peacefully February 8, 2019. He will be remembered as a dedicated service man and a loving husband and father. He was a leader of men and a consummate family man.

Dad loved his family deeply, we knew that above all else.  

He was the kind of dad who got on the floor and played with the kids until they were tired. He was the kind of dad who gave the keys to his other car after one was wrecked. He was the kind of dad who came to visit his grandkids with his toolbox in the car, ready for home improvement projects his kids desired.

Born and raised in Cardin, Okla., his dreams of flight took him around the world through military service to our country in the U.S. Navy. Dad did amazing things in his naval career, leading squadrons of men and planes on missions during the Vietnam War as well as in times of peace. We will never stop marveling that Dad’s aircraft would be launched into the sky off an aircraft carrier to fly his missions, after which he found his way back to that floating home base in the middle of the ocean landing his airplane on that impossibly tiny surface.

His 24-year Naval career included multiple tours aboard the aircraft carrier USS Bennington, flying combat missions and serving as a landing signal officer. Some of the high points of his Naval career were becoming a “Plank Owner” four times, commissioning two Naval aviation squadrons, VR-52 and VR- 57.  He served his final tour of duty in the Pentagon.

His awards included the Navy Meritorious Service medal, four Air Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals, a Navy Achievement Medal, National Defense Medal for Vietnam Service, and the Navy Expeditionary Medal.

His service took our family to duty stations across the country. We made dear friends in Hawaii, California, Michigan, Louisiana, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and finally Florida. Of the many gifts Dad gave us, these friendships are among the most precious.

When he retired from the Navy, it was to start another career as an airline captain for Midway Airlines out of Chicago. Flying for Midway afforded him the chance to share his travels with mom. He delighted in showing her the world.

Dad and mom made their last and best home in Amelia Island, Fla. For the past 27 years, they worked together tirelessly gardening their oasis, creating a home his three kids, seven grandkids, and five great-grandkids would walk over broken glass to get to. Dad spent his days in his workshop playing with “good wood” he collected until Alzheimer’s disease prevented him from doing so.

AD is a cruel disease. Robbed of many memories, Dad never forgot what was most important to him – his family. In his lowest moments, he wanted to return to Oklahoma to care for his parents, he wanted to know when his “babies” were coming home and wanted to save his dinner in case they showed up. But AD will only be a footnote in his life. He will be remembered for his deep devotion to family and country.

What did he teach us? Your family is the foundation from which you launch out into the world, and no matter where they are, find your way back to them like our dad and that aircraft carrier.

Rest in peace, Dad. We love you and miss you.

Left behind are his Miami, Okla. high school sweetheart and wife of 66 years, Emma Jo (Jones), their three married children, Paul Sanders of Yulee, Jonita Cerabino of Boca Raton, and Lee Else of Atlanta, seven wonderful grandchildren, and five precious great-grandchildren.

Family and friends will gather to celebrate and memorialize his life at 2 p.m. June 7, 2019 at the Jacksonville National Cemetery, where he will be interred following full military honors.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Charles (Chuck) Maris Tatum Jr., 71, of Fernandina Beach, Fla., passed away April 21, 2019.

Chuck was born October 10, 1947, in Radnor, Pa. to Charles Maris Tatum Sr. and Margaret Ogden Tatum (nee Garrett).

Chuck graduated from Westtown School in West Chester, Pa. in 1965. He earned a bachelor’s degree in organic chemistry from Amherst College in 1969 and a Ph.D. degree in chemistry from Pennsylvania State University in 1976. In 1996, Chuck received an Alumni Fellow Award from the Penn State Eberly College of Science in recognition of his successful career in the chemical industry. After spending three years (1976-1979) as an assistant professor of chemistry at Middlebury College, Vt., Chuck began his career in the chemical industry as a senior scientist at Rohm & Haas in Philadelphia, Pa. Chuck finished his distinguished career as senior vice president and CTO of Rohm & Haas.

Chuck is survived by his wife, Mary M. Tatum; his daughters Rebecca M. Tatum (Dan Ling) and Carrie E. Tatum (Andrew Dunlap); and four grandchildren, Margot Tatum-Ling; and Joseph, M.D., and Tatum Dunlap. Chuck is also survived by his brother, John G. Tatum, and his sister, Margaret O. Tatum.

Chuck will always be remembered by his immediate and large, extended family for his kindness, love, respect, generosity, and wisdom that he extended so freely to all. Chuck was a modest man of many talents who could relate warmly with anyone he met. He will be dearly remembered and missed by many.

A private family service will be held in Fernandina Beach.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in memory of Charles M. Tatum to the Nassau Humane Society, 639 Airport Road, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034, or to the Elwyn Foundation (Wechsler Hall), 111 Elwyn Road, Elwyn, PA 19063.

Please share your memories and condolences at www.oxleyheard.com.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

John Stewart, 71, of Kingsland, Ga., passed away Friday, April 19, 2019.

Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors

Mark James Williams, 59, passed away peacefully April 18, 2019.

Eternity Funeral Homes & Cremations – Nassau