The County Record

CALHOUN COUNTY
Dec. 28: Charles Jacobs, non-support; Christopher Walley, grand theft auto
Jan. 2: William Taylor, violation of probation
Jan. 4: Ricky Mitchell, aggravated battery on a pregnant victim; Matthew Sourbeck, non-support
Jan. 6: Adam Davis, failure to appear warrant
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Joseph “Bill” Abbott was born March 29, 1934, at Broad Branch in Calhoun County and was called home Sunday, December 30, 2012.
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Martha Alexander Baggett, 85, of Altha, Florida, passed away Sunday, December 30, 2012, in Altha.
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Charles Franklin Peacock, 98, of Panama City, passed away Wednesday, January 2, 2013.
Mr. Peacock was born December 8, 1914, to the late James Pearson and Georgia Hagan Peacock in Altha, FL. In his earlier years, Charles was a surveyor and taught agriculture with the Calhoun County Extension Agency. He began working as a mechanic at Standard Oil Company in Panama City from 1950 until retirement. Following retirement, he enjoyed welding for a local construction company traveling around the southeast. He was a farmer at heart that showed through in his love for gardening. Mr. Peacock was gifted musically. He wrote songs, played the guitar and the harmonica. He was a member of the Sink Creek Masonic Lodge. Charles was a charter member of Midway Baptist Church in Panama City and later attended Cypress Creek Missionary Baptist Church in Kinard, FL.
Mr. Peacock is survived by his beloved wife of 75 years, Pera Lee Peacock; two sons, Charles S. "Stony" Peacock and wife, Sue Ann, Robert B. Peacock and wife, Kathy; four daughters, Charlotte Davis and husband, Jerrell, Carolyn Prows and husband, Rudolph, Pauline Morgan and husband, Buddy, Roberta Janas and husband, Bob; 14 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren, and one great great grandchild; numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held at 11:00 A.M. Monday, January 7, at Southerland Family Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Jim Hankins and Chaplain Virgil Tillman officiating. Burial followed immediately in Chipola Cemetery Altha. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to Covenant Hospice.
Condolences may be submitted or viewed at www.southerlandfamily.com. All arrangements were under the direction of Southerland Family Funeral Home, 100 East 19th Street, Panama City.

Mrs. Margaret A. Merwin, 68, of Blountstown, FL, passed away Wednesday, January 2, 2013, in Panama City, FL.
Margaret was born on December 5, 1944, in Hot Springs, SD and had lived in Blountstown for the past 26 years, coming from Tampa. She was a retired CNA from River Valley Health and Rehab Center, formerly Parthenon Health and Rehab Center.
Survivors include two sons, Mark Crellin of Blountstown and Roger Merwin; one daughter, Dede Brown, and her husband, Allen, of Blountstown; one brother, Gene Merwin, of Washington; eight grandchildren, Harry Brown and his wife, Rebecca, Steve Brown, Christopher Brown, Tyler Owens, Breanna Crellin, Amaya Petrantis, Justin Merwin and Lillie Brown.
No services are planned at this time. Memorialization will be by cremation.
All arrangements are under the direction of Marlon Peavy at Peavy Funeral Home in Blountstown (ph. 674-2266).

The County Record is trying to confirm the first baby of the new year for Calhoun County. An Altha baby was born on January 2 at 7:56 a.m. If anyone has had or knows of a Calhoun County baby born between Jan. 1 and this time on Jan. 2, please let us know immediately so we can announce the New Year baby! Call 674-5041 or email news@thecountyrecord.net

West Gadsden High School has forfeited their games scheduled against Blountstown Friday night. As previously reported by The County Record, several incidents occurred the last time the two teams faced each other on the court, resulting in the Blountstown teams being loaded on a bus and leaving the West Gadsden campus out of fear for student safety. West Gadsden was scheduled to play at BHS. The following is a letter from a West Gadsden assistant principal sent to a Florida High School Athletic Association representative:

Dear Justin Harrison,

It is with deep regret that I inform you that a decision has been made to forfeit both the Girls and Boys Basketball games that were scheduled to be played on this Friday, January 4, 2013 with the Blountstown Tigers at 5:30 and 7:00 p.m. respectively.

As you are aware, the previously scheduled games between our schools did not yield positive results for either organization. In an effort to eliminate the potential for further discontent that we feel will be detrimental to the spirit of our students, we are opting to withdraw them from an environment that may not be conducive or harm the integrity of West Gadsden High School Basketball.

We apologize for the timing of this notice, but we feel that we must make the best decision in the interest of our students who deserve to perform their best under the best circumstances.


Sincerely,

Micheal D. Franklin
Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction
West Gadsden High School

Nancy Buchanan Durham, 82, of Blountstown, FL, passed away Wednesday, January 2, 2013, in Blountstown.
Nancy was born on July 6, 1930, in Rich Valley, Virginia, where she grew up in a loving home with five brothers. She received her B.S. Degree in Education from Radford College (then the Women’s Division of VPI) in Radford, Virginia and, in 1953, she made Blountstown, Florida, her home. She received a graduate degree in Institutional Supervision from Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL. She retired from the Calhoun County School System after 30 years of service where she was the Calhoun County Lunch Supervisor for eight years and for 22 years was a classroom teacher. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Blountstown and a loyal member of the Estelle Ramsey Sunday School Class.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Joe F. Durham; daughter, Patty Durham Davis; parents Raymond M. Buchanan Sr. and Lila B. Buchanan; brothers, Richard C. Buchanan, Patrick M. Buchanan and Tate C. Buchanan; and sister-in-law Marcy Buchanan.
Nancy is survived by her son, Joe Ray Durham, and wife, Tanya, of Blountstown; daughter, Lynne Durham Adams, and husband, Carl, of Tallahassee; three grandchildren, Joseph and Sianna Davis of Marianna, FL, and Kelby Durham of Blountstown; two brothers, Raymond Buchanan and wife, Janavee, of Rich Valley, VA, and Preston Buchanan and wife, Arlene, of Cedar Bluff, VA; sister-in-law, Lois Buchanan, of Glade Spring, VA; four nieces, six nephews and their families; and many other relatives and friends who held a special place in her life.
The family extends its deep gratitude to the staff of Covenant Hospice, Marianna, and to the devoted personal caregivers for their kindness, care and attention to Nancy during her illness; to the church family of First Baptist Church of Blountstown, and to the wide circle of extended family and wonderful friends for their loving support.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 5, at 10:00 am (CST) at First Baptist Church in Blountstown, with Reverend Timothy Rhoads officiating. Interment will follow in Nettle Ridge Cemetery in Blountstown. The family will receive friends Friday, January 4, from 6:00 until 8:00 pm (CST) at Peavy Funeral Home. Memorial contributions may be made to Covenant Hospice, 4215 Kelson Avenue, Suite E Marianna, FL 32446.
All arrangements are under the direction of Marlon Peavy at Peavy Funeral Home in Blountstown (ph. 674-2266).

Delicious aromas drifted from the kitchen as the Year 2 culinary classes of Altha School worked on their gingerbread projects. [Full Story »] 

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CALHOUN COUNTY
Dec. 21: Kimberly Melvin, VOP; Luetta Deal, violation of conditional release; Travis Knight, chld abuse
Dec. 23: Adam Richerson, VOP
Dec. 24: Samuel Garrett, refusal to submit
Dec. 26: Robert Raper, violation of community control; Fredrick McCormick, VOP; Tyler Elliot, failure to appear
Dec. 27: Jeremy Horton, failure to appear; Christopher Young, state VOP; Bridgett Stewart, failure to appear [Full Story »]