Obituaries

Ben Bussey, a depression era child, was born on January 4, 1926, in Jacksonville, Florida, and was raised in St. Mary, Georgia.
He began working at the age of 9 as a school janitor for $8 a month, and then contracted to run the school furnaces. When his family moved to Waycross, Georgia, he had a paper route until he entered the Navy at the age of 17. As a member of “The Greatest Generation,” he served in the United States Navy during WW II as a radioman first class on a light aircraft carrier, the USS Monterey, and a destroyer escort, the USS John M. Bermingham.
As A WW II veteran, Ben attended FSU on the GI Bill and lived in the Dale Mabry barracks and earned a Bachelor of Science degree. While attending FSU, he met Violet Bateman of Bristol, Florida, whom he married in 1949. This 46-year marriage was blessed with four sons: Charles (Stephanie) of Mobile, Alabama; Karl of Houston, Texas, Wayne (deceased); and Paul (deceased). Violet and Ben had three grandchildren: Neal Bussey, Ross Bussey, and Tara Bussey Jennings (Joshua); and two great-grandchildren, Joshua Wilson and Kayleighanna Jennings.
Ben loved motorcycles, watching golf, and fishing on the Tom Bigbee River. In the fall, Saturdays were dedicated to FSU football, and in the summer, to the Atlanta Braves. His passion was following the stock market.
Ben worked as an accountant and retired from the State of Alabama after working as an administrator in the state hospital system. Upon his retirement in 1980, he and Violet relocated to Calhoun County where he was a faithful member of the First Baptist Church of Blountstown, serving as a Deacon, Sunday school teacher and choir member. He was a founding member of the Grumpy Old Men’s Club, a community service group dedicated to service of the elderly. He was a Lions Club officer and member for many years.
Violet passed away unexpectedly in 1994. In February 1995, he married Shirley Johnson Stone. Through this marriage he gained three step-daughters: Janice Kirkland (Dennis), Patsy Parker (Joe), and Linda Arrant (Steve); and became Papa Ben to six step-grandchildren and sixteen step-great-grandchildren.
In his twilight years, Ben enjoyed smoking a pipe, spoiling Sassy cat and eating Babe’s (Shirley) cooking.
The family wishes to express gratitude to family friend Darryl Taylor for his faithful visiting.
At his home on Sunday, January 13, Ben returned to his Heavenly Father.
Services will be held Tuesday, January 15, at 10 a.m. CST at Peavy Funeral Home and interment will follow at the Lake Mystic Cemetery. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at Peavy Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Convenant Hospice.
Peavy Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements (ph. 674-2266).

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).

Mr. James Paul Thomas, 95, of Altha, FL, passed away Tuesday, December 25, 2012, at his home in Altha.
James was born on December 14, 1917, in Altha and lived there all of his life. He was a retired farmer and store keeper and was an avid hunter and fisherman. Mr. Thomas was of the Pentecostal Holiness faith.
James was preceded in death by his wife, Georgia Thomas; daughter, Georgia Faye Scheon; two grandsons, James David Henderson and Michael Allen Thomas; and great-granddaughter, Kaitlin Ann Thomas.
Survivors include a daughter, Gail Mears, and her husband, Tim, of Altha, FL; sons, Larry Thomas and his wife, Sharon, of Trenton, FL; Gene Thomas and his wife, Barbara, of Altha, Roger Thomas and his wife, Gidget, of Altha; a sisters, Lucille Mears, of Altha; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Friday, December 28, at 11:00 am (CST) at Sunny Hill Pentecostal Holiness Church in Altha with Reverend Larry Broome officiating. Interment will follow in Sunny Hill Cemetery. The family will receive friends Thursday, December 27, from 6:00 pm (CST) until 8:00 (CST) at Peavy Funeral Home.
All arrangements are under the direction of Marlon Peavy at Peavy Funeral Home in Blountstown (ph. 674-2266).

Shirley Hornsby Weeks Whited Williams, 65, of Hosford, Florida passed away Sunday, December 23, 2012 in Tallahassee, Florida.
Shirley moved to Hosford in the early 80’s and attended Rock Bluff Assembly of God Church. She was a Liberty County High School graduate and was retired from the Department of Agriculture as an accountant in 2000. She liked cruising and being with her grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her previous husbands, James "Buddy" Whited and George Dallas Williams, Jr; her father, Howard Hornsby; two sisters, Joann Hornsby and Margie Matthews; and a grandchild, Juston Brown.
Survivors include her mother, Eddie Mae Hornsby; three daughters, Angela Weeks-Samanie and her husband, Lawrence, of Tallahassee, Sheri Creel and her husband, Chris, also of Tallahassee, and Teresa Vinson and her husband, Kevin, of Grand Ridge, Florida; five grandchildren, Chelsea, Victoria, Rebecca, Kimberly, and Kevin Wayne; a brother, Eugene Hornsby and his wife, Margie, of Tallahassee; and a sister, Betty Wargo and her husband, Bill, of Columbus, Georgia.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. (ET), Saturday, December 29, at Rock Bluff Assembly of God Church with Reverend Mitchell Taylor officiating. Interment will follow in Rock Bluff Cemetery. The family will receive friends 6:00-8:00 p.m. (ET), Friday, December 28 at Adams Funeral Home in Bristol, Florida.
Adams Funeral Home in Bristol is in charge of the arrangement (phone 674-5449). Online condolences may be made at adamsfh.com.