By Staff
Lewis D. Packer
ATMORE - Mr. Lewis D. Packer, 79, of Atmore, former Golden Gloves Boxing Champion from 1949 to 1955, exited into external existence on Aug. 17, 2008 at Atmore Community Hospital.
He was a native of Perdido and was a graduate of Mobile County Training School. He was a member of Morning Dove Baptist Church in Perdido. In addition to his boxing career, he was a retired Quartermaster with Exxon Corp. and a Merchant Marine.
He leaves to cherish his precious memories, his wife, Betty Packer of Atmore; two daughters, Lynn Johnson of Pensacola, Fla. and Phyllis Dottery of Clarksville, Tenn.; one son, Woodrow “Rusty” Johnson of Atmore; one brother, Joe Lee Packer of Mobile; six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008 at Morning Dove Baptist Church in Perdido with the Rev. Stanley Cox, pastor, officiating. Interment was held in Mt. Shiloh cemetery.
Visitation was be held from 2 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 22, 2008 at the Funeral Home and his body lied instate at the Church one hour prior to the Funeral service time with Turner Funeral Chapel, LLC. of Atmore directing.
Thomas House
ATMORE - On the morning of Feb. 28, 1958 the sun rose with the birth of a baby boy, Thomas, born to Leo and Mary Lee House in Atmore and on Aug. 18, 2008 the sunset around midnight with his death.
Thomas was educated in the Escambia County School System graduating from ECHS in 1976. He was employed with CSX Railroad until his health began to fail. He accepted Christ as his personal savior and united in marriage with Annie Banks of Frisco and to this union a son was born, Tyson Terrell House.
His parents; siblings, Monolia, Cleveland, Leo, Eddie, Gerome and Booker T., preceded him in death.
His memories will be cherished by his children, Tyson House, Owen Williams, Latisha Lawson and Evelyn Riley; grandchildren, Alexis Lawson, Alyson Lawson and Gabriel Johnson; sisters, Lizzie Kennedy, Alice Marvell Marshall, Dorothy O’Neal, Barbara Ann McGhee, Margaret Lightfoot and Willie Mae Sharpe; brothers, Robert House and Clarence House; a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends and one devoted friend, Yvette Riley.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008 at the Mt. Gilead Baptist Church in Freemanville with Pastor Robert Davis officiating. Burial followed in Fairview Cemetery. Pallbearers and flower bearers were family and friends.
Public viewing was held from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Christian Memorial Funeral Home.
Christian Memorial Funeral Home was in charge of all arrangements.
Ben Steadham
McDAVID, Fla. - Mr. Ben Steadham, 78, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008 at his residence.
Mr. Steadham was a native and lifelong resident of McDavid, Fla., a retired construction worker, a member of the local union #991 and a member of Ray’s Baptist Church.
His parents, Wallace and Della Steadham and a brother, Bob Steadham, preceded him in death.
Survivors include, his wife, Dorothy Steadham of McDavid, Fla.; three sons, Roy Steadham of Ottawa, Kan., Nathan Hardy of Conroe, Texas and Dalton Steadham of McDavid, Fla.; two daughters, Mary and Ray Cranford of Guyton, Ga. and Sandra and Mack Morris Jr. of McDavid, Fla.; nine grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren; a brother, Dudley and Clara Steadham of McDavid, Fla. and two sisters, Mattie Mae Driver of McDavid, Fla. and Margaret Kimmons of Jay, Fla.
Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008 at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with the Rev. Phil Enfinger officiating. Burial followed at Ray’s Chapel Cemetery.
Pallbearers were, Jeff Steadham, Daniel Steadham, David Steadham, Jeffery Steadham, Lee Jernigan and John Godwin.
Visitation was held from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Gladys Lillian Ruiz Lester
BROOKHAVEN, Miss. - Mrs. Gladys Lillian Ruiz Lester, 90, died Aug. 19, 2008 in Brookhaven, Miss.
She was born on July 22, 1918 in New Orleans, La. to George Ruiz and Florence Guerra Ruiz. She was a homemaker all of her adult life, much loved by all who knew her and the absolute center of her family. She had seven grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and five fifth generation great-great grandchildren.
Her parents, her husband, Jerome Evans Lester of Walnut Hill, Fla.; her daughter, Dianne Sanders of Walnut Hill, Fla.; her brothers, Edward Ruiz of Tuscaloosa and Buddy Ruiz of Pensacola, Fla.; her sisters, Leona and Florence Hairston of Pensacola, Fla. and her great granddaughter, Shana Marie Sanders of Cantonment, Fla., preceded her in death.
Survivors include, her daughter and son-in-law, Carolyn and Charles Morgan of Monticello, Miss. and her many grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at noon on Friday, Aug. 22, 2008 at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel. Burial followed at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church in Cantonment, Fla.
Pallbearers and Honorary pallbearers were her grandsons and great grandsons.
Visitation was held from 10 a.m. until noon at the Funeral Home Chapel.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home was in charge of all arrangements.
Winford Dewayne Johnson
CENTURY, Fla. - Mr. Winford Dewayne Johnson, 52, passed away on Wed. Aug. 20, 2008 at a Pensacola hospital.
Mr. Johnson was a native and lifelong resident of Century, Fla., a retired CSX Railroad employee, a member of the Century Masonic Lodge #213 and attended the Holiness Church.
His father, Winford Allen Johnson; his grandparents, Roy and Estelle Johnson and Rufus and Katie Campbell and a niece, Wendy Land Johnson, preceded him in death.
Survivors include, his wife, Dianne C. Johnson of Century, Fla.; three sons, Shawn Dewayne (Michelle) Johnson of Beulah, Fla., Derek Edward (Stephanie) Johnson of Cantonment, Fla. and Justin Charles (Nicole) Johnson of Century, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; his mother, Mrs. Dorothy Johnson of Century, Fla.; three brothers, Roy Allen and Wanda Johnson of Century, Fla., Paula Johnson of Jay, Fla. and Tommy Lee and Angela Johnson of Brewton.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008 at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Bro. Tommy Lee Johnson and Bro. Michael Mooney officiating. Burial will follow at McCurdy Cemetery with Masonic services.
Pallbearers will be Shawn Johnson, Derek Johnson, Justin Johnson, Dusty Johnson, Nathan Johnson and Chad Johnson. Honorary pallbearers will be Austin Johnson, Bradley Johnson and Cody Johnson.
Visitation was held from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2008 at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home.
Robert Earl Dean
MOBILE - Robert Earl Dean, 70, of Mobile died Tuesday, Aug. 19, 20008 in Mobile.
He was a retired contractor, with C.P.C. Construction Co., born in New Orleans, La. on April 14, 1938 to the late Jimmie McGraw and Edna Dean. He was a member of Overlook Presbyterian Church of Mobile and also served in the Marine Corps.
His brother, Robert Corner “Buddy” Sadler III, preceded him in death.
Survivors include, his wife, Shelvia Jean Keel of Mobile; two sons, Robert Richard “Ricky” Dean of Atmore and James Earl “Jimmy” Dean and wife Kim of Canoe; one daughter, Jena Duke and husband Perry of Mobile; six grandchildren, Jon Dean, James Dean, Anastasia Duke, Jacey Cooper, Cooper Dean and Anna Marie Dean.
Services were held on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home with Bro. Don Davis officiating. Interment followed in Oak Hill Cemetery with full military honors.
Family received friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2008 at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home was in charge of all arrangements.
Charlene Gill Chess
OAK GROVE, Fla. - Charlene Gill Chess, 60, of Oak Grove, Fla. died Monday, Aug. 18, 2008 in Mobile.
She was an office manager with South Alabama Gas in Atmore, born in Dayton, Ohio on Jan. 14, 1948 to the late Wilbur and Austin and Anna Thompson Gill.
Her brother, Robert Gill, preceded her in death.
Survivors include, her husband, Keith L. Chess of Oak Grove, Fla.; a daughter, Barbara Jo Pendergrass and husband Scot of Englewood, Fla.; two grandchildren, Marina Cay Pendergrass and Bret James Pendergrass; two sisters, Carolyn Thomas and husband Jim of Defuniak Springs, Fla., Barbara Ann Cultice of Fort Myers, Fla. and many other relatives and friends.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 25, 2008 from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home with the Rev. Cornelius Phillips officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Grove cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be, Tommy Abrams, Ricky Luker, Ronnie Lambert, Jimmie Everidge, Randy Albritton and Woody Ash.
Family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. today, Aug. 24, 2008 at Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral home is in charge of all arrangements.