All Obituaries

Retired Navy Master Chief, Harry L. Kelley, age 80 of Jacksonville, passed away Thursday, January 14, 2021. A longtime Jacksonville resident, Mr. Kelley was born in Kansas to the late Robert and Zelda Kelley. Mr. Kelley was a proud and patriotic United States Navy Veteran, having served in Vietnam during his thirty years of service. At the time of his retirement, he was stationed on the USS Nimitz. He spent over thirty years as a drug and alcohol counselor and touched and encouraged many...

Mr. William Charles “Bill” Dyer, age 69 of Baldwin, went to be with the Lord in Paradise on Tuesday, December 29, 2020. A Jacksonville native, he was born to the late Howard Dyer and Ruth Gray Dyer Werner. Upon graduating from Robert E. Lee High School in 1969, he began a diverse work career, from long haul truck driving to working in the maintenance department at Florida State College at Jacksonville, where he spent twenty-three years until his retirement in 2012. Bill was...

Mr. Willard Ivey Powers, age 87 of Jacksonville, went home to be with the Lord, Thursday, December 10, 2020. Having lived in Jacksonville for most of his life, he was born in Tifton, Georgia to the late Ivey and Emma Evors Powers. Mr. Powers was a United States Air Force Veteran and after completion of his service he spent many years as a truckdriver. He was a longtime member of Edgewood Full Gospel Church and loved attending there. Mr. Powers also enjoyed attending camp meetings and...

Ms. Carolyn Hodges Martin, born October 26, 1944 to the late Ruby and Wyllie B. Hodges Sr., passed away Friday, November 20, 2020 in Baldwin. Carolyn worked at the Federal Bureau of Investigations for several years before her forty-three-year career with the United States Postal Service; most of those years being spent in Daytona Beach. She lived life to the fullest, had great adventures, and did it her way. Carolyn had three great loves during her life: Jimmy Dominy (deceased), John Martin...

Ms. Carolyn L. Williams, age 71 of Jacksonville, passed away Saturday, November 7, 2020. Born in Jacksonville to the late Arthur L. and Myrtis Thomas Williams Sr., Ms. Williams was a lifelong resident. She was a faithful member of Otis Road Church of God where she enjoyed the fellowship of friends and other members. Ms. Williams loved spending time with her family and enjoyed cooking all their favorite meals. She loved crafts and decorating for holidays and was an avid Florida Gator fan. She...

Mrs. Marjorie J. Crews, age 88 of Ocala and formerly of Baldwin, passed away Friday, October 9, 2020. A Baldwin native, Ms. Crews was born to the late Joseph and Mildred Ryan Newsom. A longtime resident of Jacksonville, she retired after twenty-six years of service with the Duval County Board of Education. She was an active member of Biltmore Baptist Church in Jacksonville for over thirty years. Never one to be in the spotlight, she preferred helping in the church kitchen, preparing meals...

Ms. Gladys Mattlee Perpall, age 88 of Callahan, passed away Tuesday, September 15, 2020. She was born in Bryceville to the late Jeffery Albert and Ruby Estell Greene Batten. Ms. Perpall, along with her husband, owned Perpall’s Sinclair Service Station and Automotive Service in Callahan for many years. She also worked at various other businesses throughout Nassau County during her life. She loved raising her children and later, spending time with her grandchildren and great...

Mr. Ray Drake “Dusty” Touchton, age 72 of Jacksonville, passed away Sunday, September 6, 2020. A Jacksonville native, he was born to the late Alonzo and Eloise Harrison Touchton and was a 1968 Baldwin High School graduate. Mr. Touchton was a decorated United States Army veteran having received three bronze stars and several other medals and commendations for his service in Vietnam. Upon return from service he became a firefighter and served twenty-five years at Cecil Field Air...

Mr. Joseph “ J.L.” Lafayette Henderson, Jr., of Middleburg, Florida passed away at the age of 85 on August 21, 2020. He was born May 14, 1935 to Joseph L. Henderson Sr. and Anna Elizabeth “Betty” Paff Henderson in South Bay, Florida. He grew up in Jacksonville, Florida and graduated from Lee High School in 1953 and was on the track team and cross country. He met and married Shirley Ann Sweat in 1954. They were married for 48 years before her passing away in 2003. He...

Ms. Martha Virginia “Jimmie” Benzing, age 88 of Jacksonville, passed away Thursday, July 30, 2020. She was born in North Carolina to the late Mallie K. and Euna J. Aldridge Putnam. Ms. Benzing was a very sentimental woman who loved the simple things in life. She was an outdoors enthusiast and loved gardening and animals and spending time in nature. Having so many good memories of going fishing with her father, she enjoyed taking her grandchildren fishing as often as...