Floyd Cone

Funeral services for Floyd Hartford Cone, Sr., (82) of Baldwin, Florida will be held 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 12, 2008 at the First Baptist Church of Baldwin (97 Center Street in Baldwin, Florida) with Rev. Chris Drum and Rev. Ray McKendree officiating. Interment will follow in Brandy Branch Cemetery, Bryceville, Florida with Military Honors. The family received friends Tuesday, March 11, 2008 at the funeral home. Mr. Cone was born May 7, 1925 in the family home located near Baldwin, Florida, the son of the late Jesse Cone, and the former Clara Thomas-Cone and went home to be with the Lord March 9, 2008 in that same home. He was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Baldwin, Florida that his grandfather Frank Thomas founded. He was a graduate of Baldwin High School Class of 1943, where he played football on the very first team that Baldwin had. SSgt. Cone entered the Army Air Corps on February 22, 1943 and was wounded in combat over Germany on February 22, 1944, earning him the Purple Heart one year to the date from his enlistment. He flew combat missions over Ardennes, the Rhineland, and throughout Central Europe as a tail gunner on the B-26 Bomber with the 586th Bomber Squadron until leaving the service highly decorated on December 8, 1945. He worked for the Florida Department of Transportation (DOT) as a Supervisor in the Engineering department, retiring with 30 years of service. He had a love for fishing, and sports, and played baseball for the Downing Brothers in the Jacksonville City League, and later for the MacClenny Blue Sox, a minor league team in the 1950's – 1960's until he was 42. Mr. Cone is survived by his wife of 60 years Harriette Brown-Cone, the love of his life. His children; Elaine Whitmire, and Larin (Teresa) Cone, grandsons; Sean Whitmire, Justin Cone, and Timothy Cone, and his brother, William Glenn Cone, Esq. His sister in law, Mae Treadwell; caretaker Rosie McCauley, nieces and nephews, his church family, and many friends. Mr. Cone was predeceased by two sons, David A. Cone, and Floyd H. Cone, Jr. Pallbearers will be: Ernie Crawford, Kenneth Hallicy, Jr., Bill Waller, David Ryan, Wendell Bryan, and Joe Hagan, and honorary pallbearers will be Mr. Cones Sunday School Class.