Shelmerdene Pruett Folsom
May 2, 2021
Mrs. Shelmerdene Pruett Folsom, age 89 of Loxley, AL, formerly of Flomaton, AL, passed away on Tuesday, April, 27, 2021 at the home of Kenny and Sharon Folsom in Loxley. She was predeceased by her husband of 68 years John Lewis Folsom, Sr and her brother, Gerald W. Pruett.
Mrs. Folsom was a native of Uniontown, AL, and a member of the Flomaton community for 60 years. She was a dedicated educator for 30 years in the state of Alabama with the majority of her years at Flomaton High School teaching senior English, serving as school librarian, and advisor for the yearbook. Community involvements include singing in the choir at Flomaton First Baptist Church, an active member of the Research Club, and an officer on the Library Board where she was instrumental in raising funds for the construction of a new public library building in downtown Flomaton. In their early retirement years Mr. and Mrs. Folsom were very active in Campers on Missions. In 2007 the Town of Flomaton honored John and Shelmerdene as Citizens of the Year.
Mrs. Folsom is survived by sister, Luverne Ratliff of Demopolis, AL; brother, Eddie Pruett of Uniontown, AL; sons, John L. (Betty Ann) Folsom, Jr of Columbus, MS; Michael T. (Rita) Folsom of Clayton, NC; Kenneth L. (Sharon) Folsom of Loxley, AL; Stephen Christopher (Tina) Folsom, of Helena, AL; thirteen grandchildren and twenty great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at 2:00 P.M. at Flomaton First Baptist Church with Rev. Earl Lee officiating. Interment will follow at Flomaton Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Flomaton First Baptist Church on Saturday from 1:00 P.M. until service time at 2:00 P.M.
Pallbearers: Ken Folsom, Austin Folsom, Carter Folsom, Bryan Gross, Chris Morrow, and Joey Braswell.
Honorary Pallbearers: Craig Aarhus, Wes Buchta, Pat Donnelly, Jeff Craven.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Flomaton Public Library or to Fervent Fire Ministries at https://www.ferventfire.org
David R. Senn
April 30, 2021
David R. Senn passed away peacefully at home with family and loved ones by his side on April 27th in Barrineau Park, Fla.
David was born in LaCrosse, Wis., to Robert and Annabelle Senn in 1947. He graduated from the University of Georgia in 1974 with a PhD in Analytical Chemistry, leading to a long career at Monsanto. Throughout his life, his diverse ambitions led him to many passions, including his most recent project completing a custom hand-built 1931 Plymouth hot rod with a 426 super charged Hemi. He was a self-taught banjo player with a deep love for Catahoula leopard dogs, a HAM radio operator who also enjoyed clogging and was well-known as an award-winning pistol shooter.
David’s parents and brother Tommy preceded him in death. He is survived by his daughter Emily Benner, his sisters Mary Vieth (Jim) and Ruthie Reising, a nephew Brian Lilly, and four grandchildren Chaz, Matthew, Tanner and Faith who brought him immense happiness. David also leaves behind many cousins and family in Wisconsin and Minnesota, whom he visited often at family reunions.
David’s close friends and family will remember him for his tenacious spirit and strong opinions, on some occasions referred to as stubbornness, as well as a kind heart and wonderful sense of humor. He was a great friend to many, and will be missed by all he knew. Please join us in a celebration of David’s life at the Barrineau Park Community Center on May 2nd at 1 p.m. (6055 Barrineau Park School Road, Molino, Fla.).
Covered dishes are welcome but not expected, and musical friends are invited to bring instruments for a jam session, as he was known to host in his home often. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Barrineau Park Historical Society in David’s name.
Mike Carter
April 30, 2021
Mike Carter of Cantonment, FL, one of the truest heroes of the faith and a beloved husband, father, and friend to many, was born on February 27, 1958 in Bloomington, IN and passed away on April 24, 2021. Married for 43 years to his darlin’, Lori. Mike had a deep and abiding love for his family, his church family, vacations with his grandchildren, the Great Smoky Mountains (his home away from home) and more than anything else – his God. Mike loved his family deeply and was incredibly proud of him and Lori’s children, and grandchildren. He had a special way of encouraging and witnessing about the goodness of God to anyone he came in contact with. All he met were impacted and encouraged by his great faith and trust in the Lord.
Mike owned and operated a successful excavation business that he started in 1984. This business has provided him an opportunity to leave a lasting impact on so many. He loved to play the bass guitar and sing praises of worship in his favorite room “the music room” at home as well as in the worship band where he attended church at First Pentecostal Church in Pensacola. Without a doubt, when God called Mike home, he left this world with a song of praise in his heart and is now part of the most beautiful heavenly choir. While he will be missed so dearly by those left behind, it brings us so much peace and joy to know he is healed and whole, and walking the streets of gold. He received the gift of his final transplant “a brand new body”. We are forever thankful for the 15 years given to us by the families who chose organ donation and blessed us with his first two livers.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert & Sylvia Carter and his sister Donna Carter Richardson. He is survived by his wife, Lori Carter; son and daughter-in-law, Joe & Rachael Carter; daughter and son-in-law, Amy & Ben Cawby; son and daughter-in-law Wesley & Ashley Carter; and six beautiful grandchildren as well as a host of other family and friends who loved him dearly.
Visitation for friends and family will be on Tuesday, May 4, from 12 to 2 pm with a home going celebration following at 2pm at First Pentecostal Church, 6500 North W Street, Pensacola, Florida.
Martha Louise Knowles
April 30, 2021
Mrs. Martha Louise Knowles, age 75, passed away on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at a Pensacola hospice facility.
Mrs. Knowles was a native and life-long resident of Century, FL. She had worked as a Teachers Aide for the Escambia County School Board. She loved to garden and work with her flowers. She enjoyed helping people and loved her family very much. She was a member of Byrneville United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Knowles was preceded in death by her parents, Curness Bolen and Irma Bolen; and an infant brother.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Wesley Knowles of Century, FL; two sons, Tommy (Rachael) Knowles of Flomaton, AL, and Timothy (Tosha) Knowles of Century, FL; two daughters, Cindy (Marcus) Mathis of Century, FL, and Martha Knowles of Century, FL; two brothers, Neal Bolen of Century, FL, and Henry (Betty) Bolen of Georgia; grandchildren, Cody Mathis, Anna Knowles, Heather Knowles, Lori Knowles; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. from the chapel of Flomaton Funeral Home with ro. Mitch Herring and Bro. Fred Stallworth officiating. Interment will follow in Byrneville Community Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Flomaton Funeral Home on Friday from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M.
Pallbearers will be Cody Mathis, Adam Bolen, Andrew Bolen, Larry Knowles, Jason Blackwell, and Josh Northrop.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Gail Clary, Betty & EJ Deubler, Sandra & Bobby Holland, Clinton & Ann Killam, and Jimmy Wilson.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Byrneville Church Cemetery Fund 1351 Byrneville Road Century, FL 32535.
Margaret Ellafayr Presley Helms
April 30, 2021
Margaret Ellafayr Presley Helms, age 90, of Molino entered eternal life on Saturday, April 24, 2021.
Preceded in death by her parents Daniel and Marjorie Presley and her sister Edna Richards, she is survived by her husband of 72 years Thomas F. Helms, Sr.; her children Marjan Helms, Thomas F. Helms, Jr., and Kathy Starkey (Ron); her grandson Brian Starkey (Trish); her nieces Bonnie Ging (Jake), Jeanie Nowlin (Bill), Becky Carlsen (Kurt), Ann Helms and Jeff Helms.
Margaret truly loved life and lived her ninety years with grace and dignity, gentleness,generosity, and good humor. She loved others deeply and was passionately devoted to her family and friends, to her students and those with whom she studied. To create and maintain a beautiful, welcoming home filled with music and laughter and sustained by compassionate listening was her lifelong joy. She thrived on being outside in the natural world, especially
sitting beside the Gulf, watching the waves and sky. She adored animals and delighted in having her hands deep in the soil—tending her plants, working in her greenhouse, pruning her roses and coral vines. Margaret will be missed terribly and yet celebrated for years to come by those who knew her and were blessed by her fiercely loyal friendship and warm heart. Second only to her family was her love for her church—first Molino Methodist, then Aldersgate, and finally, for the last forty-five years, her beloved community at First Church in Pensacola. This church symbolized and exemplified all that she held most dear—love of God, joy in service to others, rigorous study and intellectual nourishment, artistic refinement, and, above all, peace and blessing in the communion of faith. May the angels welcome her to Paradise.
A memorial service will be held Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 2 PM, in the Abbey of First United Methodist Church. In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made to Ruth’s Kitchen at First United Methodist Church of Pensacola.
John (Johnny) Thomas Winfree
April 30, 2021
John (Johnny) Thomas Winfree left this world to live eternally with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Monday, April 27, 2021, at the age of 69. Johnny was a loving son, brother, husband, father, uncle, Pop Pop, and friend.
Johnny was born in Wilmington, NC to Darlene Dowell Bryant on June 14, 1951. As a teenager he and his family moved to Panama City, FL. Johnny was a 1969 graduate of Rutherford High School, where he was a talented football player. He worked a fulfilling career as a heavy equipment operator with Gulf Power Company – Plant Crist before retiring; however, his most revered accomplishment was marrying the love of his life, Helen (May) Winfree on May 9, 1987. After several years of prayer, God blessed them with a son, Bryan Lee Winfree. Together with his wife, Johnny led a life of devotion to their community, church, and family. They volunteered with North West Florida Panhandle Search and Rescue for many years and have been dedicated, long time members of CrossFaith Church in Molino, FL. Enjoying the simplicity of life, Johnny was a devoted family man, a proud dad and a doting Pop Pop to his beloved grandchildren. He literally beamed with excitement and joy when he spoke of Levi, “his buddy” and Kynlee, “his baby girl”.
First and foremost, Johnny was a man of honesty, integrity and genuineness. One of his most endearing qualities was that he was always true to himself. You never had to wonder how Johnny felt about something because he would not mind sharing his views on anything. One of the special things about Johnny was that he “beat to the sound of his own drum.” Blessed with the ability to make others laugh, Johnny was also one to lend a helping hand or listen to someone who simply needed his unconditional love or wisdom. Johnny loved working with his hands and was masterfully skilled at many things, including woodworking, building, working on automobiles, and working in the yard. He was rarely idle and thrived on staying busy.
He was the treasured husband of Helen May Winfree, the loving father of Bryan Winfree (Heather Winfree), the adored Pop Pop of Levi and Kynlee Winfree, the cherished brother of Lee Bryant and Lisa (Bryant) Sears, and the loving uncle of Amanda Sears and Ashley (Bryant) Whitham. Johnny was preceded in death by his mother and step-father, Darlene and Willis Bryant, who loved him dearly.
Johnny’s legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him. Please join Johnny’s family and friends as we all share our memories of him and celebrate his life at CrossFaith Church 5701 Hwy 29 North Molino, FL on Monday May 3, 2021. Visitation will start at 9:30 A.M. with the service to follow at 10:30 A.M. Interment following the service will be held at the Milton Historic Cemetery 6683 Berryhill Road Milton, FL 32570.
Carol L. Gunn
April 30, 2021
Carol L. Gunn (73) passed away April 28, 2021 after a long battle with cancer with her family by her side.
She was born on August 16, 1947 to Delmus and Alena Lewis in Cantonment, Florida. Carol was one of ten children. She retired from Gulf Power after many years of service.
Carol is preceded in death by her brother, Omer Carnley, and sisters, Mertice Summerlin, Shirley Campbell, and Betty Hall.
She is survived by her husband, Ramon; daughters, Denise Ray (Gary), Cynthia Weaver (Bryan), and Barbara Ray (Ray); grandchildren, Chris Norton, Kevin Bullard, Timothy Norton, Taylor Norton, Robert Ray, William Ray, Chase Lowery, and Briar Norton; eight great-grandchildren; brothers, Leon Carnley and Ronnie Lewis; and sisters, Elsie Carnley, Maralyn Zylstra; and Penny Bird.
A visitation will be held on Friday, April 30, 2021 at Faith Chapel North. The family will receive friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 2:00 p.m. at Chumuckla Community Church with Pastor Tom Sharron and Pastor Earl Harrison officiating. Chumuckla Community Church is located at 8008 Chumuckla Hwy, Pace, FL 32571.
Pallbearers will be Chris Norton, Timothy Norton, Kevin Bullard, Robert Ray, Chase Lowery, and Briar Norton.
A heartfelt thank you to Covenant Care Inpatient Hospice at Sacred Heart Hospital for all the care you gave to Carol.
Martha Louise Knowles
April 29, 2021
Mrs. Martha Louise Knowles, age 75, passed away on Tuesday, April 27, 2021 at a Pensacola hospice facility.
Mrs. Knowles was a native and life-long resident of Century, FL. She had worked as a Teachers Aide for the Escambia County School Board. She loved to garden and work with her flowers. She enjoyed helping people and loved her family very much. She was a member of Byrneville United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Knowles was preceded in death by her parents, Curness Bolen and Irma Bolen; and an infant brother.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Wesley Knowles of Century, FL; two sons, Tommy (Rachael) Knowles of Flomaton, AL, and Timothy (Tosha) Knowles of Century, FL; two daughters, Cindy (Marcus) Mathis of Century, FL, and Martha Knowles of Century, FL; two brothers, Neal Bolen of Century, FL, and Henry (Betty) Bolen of Georgia; grandchildren, Cody Mathis, Anna Knowles, Heather Knowles, Lori Knowles; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. from the chapel of Flomaton Funeral Home with Bro. Mitch Herring and Bro. Fred Stallworth officiating. Interment will follow in Byrneville Community Church Cemetery.
Visitation will be held at Flomaton Funeral Home on Friday from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M.
Pallbearers will be Cody Mathis, Adam Bolen, Andrew Bolen, Larry Knowles, Jason Blackwell, and Josh Northrop.
Honorary Pallbearers will be Gail Clary, Betty & EJ Deubler, Sandra & Bobby Holland, Clinton & Ann Killam, and Jimmy Wilson.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Byrneville Church Cemetery Fund 1351 Byrneville Road Century, FL 32535.
William Garland Byrd
April 28, 2021
William Garland Byrd passed away on April 22, 2021 at his home in Molino, FL.
Garland (as he was called by close family) or Bill (as he preferred and was known to friends, neighbors, and co-workers) enjoyed a long and rich life. He will be remembered as a faithful and devoted husband, a loving dad, a proud Pa Pa, an avid Alabama fan, and a humble Christian man, content to enjoy the simple pleasures of life.
He was born at home in Frisco City, AL on October 22, 1932, an only child to Lamar and Lola Mae Byrd. Life was more difficult after his father died at Bill’s young age of 13, but he and his mother continued to build a life for themselves in Frisco City. A football and basketball player for Frisco City High School, he met an Excel High School cheerleader, Bobbie Dove, and the two were married on August 9, 1953.
Soon after his 1950 high school graduation, Bill joined the United States Air Force. His four-year military service took him to Korea during the Korean War, as well as assignments at Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio, TX, at Chillicothe Business School in MO, at Robins AFB in Macon, GA, and at Bolling Air Force base in Washington, D.C. He received an early discharge to attend college at the University of Alabama where he majored in mechanical engineering. Daughter Selinda was born during Bill’s final college term in May of 1958.
Bill accepted a job at Chemstrand in Pensacola, FL soon after college graduation and his family of three relocated from Tuscaloosa, AL to the panhandle of Florida. In October of 1964, their family grew to four as they welcomed son Scott. The ensuing years were filled with family life and vacations, fishing, occasional scuba diving excursions, reading, remodeling their house, and his job at Monsanto (formerly Chemstrand). Bill and Bobbie purchased a beach cottage on East Bay where the family enjoyed weekends and summers for many years.
Work took Bobbie and Bill to Guntersville, AL in the fall of 1977 for four years until the Sand Mountain plant closed. Bill was then sent to school at Washington University in St Louis, MO for a year, but chose to settle near Pensacola, FL when the opportunity arose after his schooling was complete.
In 1982, Bill and Bobbie bought their current house and property out in Molino, FL. Bill retired from Monsanto in 1985, after 27 years of service. Post-retirement years were filled with travel, especially drives cross-country to Oregon to visit their daughter’s family. When at home, Bill spent happy hours doing projects out in his shop, while listening to his beloved country music and tunes from the 1940’s & 1950’s. He cherished his role as loving Pa Pa when his two grandchildren visited from the west coast. When his health declined and mobility became a struggle, he spent more time indoors, reading, watching TV, & enjoying peaceful country living.
For a number of years, Bill was an active member of Aldersgate United Methodist Church. He held various positions of service such as Chairman of the Trustees and Chairman of the Building Committee during the building of the church’s Sunday school wing. He attended the men’s club. Sadly, as he got older and could not hear well or move around as easily, his participation decreased.
Too, as he aged, Bill battled health issues, including diabetes, heart problems, and difficulty with mobility. He was severely ill the last six months of his life with a number of random serious conditions that forced him to spend much time in the hospital and multiple Rehab facilities. His final days were spent at home where he was cared for by his wife, Bobbie, with the help of the “earthly angels” of Covenant Hospice. God called Bill home on April 22, 2021.
He was preceded in death by his father, William Lamar Byrd, and his 107-year-old mother, Lola Mae Cohron Byrd Loth.
He is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Bobbie Dove Byrd, his daughter Selinda and son-in-law Dan Smith of West Linn, OR, his son Scott and daughter-in-law Tobbe Byrd of Gulf Breeze, FL, his two grown grandchildren: Ryan Smith of Charleston, SC and Lauren Smith of West Linn, OR,
and his beloved 4-legged canine children, Roxie and Rascal.
A quiet man, not prone to many words and not overly sentimental, Bill was nonetheless a man of integrity and character, who valued honesty and hard work. He loved his family with all his heart, spent his entire life providing well for them, and was loved and cherished in return. He leaves behind a legacy of service to his country, his community, his workplace, and his church. And he leaves behind an even greater legacy of love and pride for his family, as well as a wealth of warm memories that will forever live on in the hearts and minds of those who knew and loved him.
Dr. James “Jim” Elwood Hall, Jr.
April 24, 2021
Dr. James “Jim” Elwood Hall, Jr.
February 21, 1943 – April 13, 2021
On April 13, 2021, Jim Hall was called home after 78 years of good and faithful service to God, his family, and his community. He will be remembered as a loving, funny, wisecracking family man, musician, dentist, dedicated Christian, and proud Florida Gator.
Jim was born to Margaret Jernagan Hall and J. E. “Bud” Hall on February 21, 1943 in Pensacola, Florida. He was the second of three children. Jim graduated from Escambia High School in 1961 where his dad was the principal. He was in the first Hall of Fame class, selected as an outstanding scholar athlete for the state of Florida, and voted “Best All Around” his senior year. Jim attended the University of Florida where he played football as a kicker and quarterback. He then attended Dental School at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. Jim made life-long friends wherever he went and he cared very much for all of them. He also found a way to play music wherever he went playing his guitar with bands locally and in both Gainesville and Birmingham.
While in Birmingham, Jim met the love of his life, Karen Miller, and they were married in 1968. After Dental School he spent 2 years as a dentist in the United States Army. Jim and Karen returned to Pensacola in 1971. Jim kept a dental practice in the Pensacola area from 1972 to his retirement in 2008. In Pensacola, Jim and Karen raised 5 rambunctious boys who were the joy of their lives. Jim loved his family more than anything and he never let them forget it.
Jim’s greatest passion, besides his family, was music. There was always music in the Hall household thanks to Jim. He kept guitars everywhere in the house and he passed his passion for playing music on to all his boys. Some of his happiest times were when his boys played instruments or sang along with him whether it was publicly or just sitting around the house. Writing music was one of Jim’s life-long ambitions. He was known to even make up songs about the ones he loved. He was always taking down notes or talking into one of his many tape recorders, and he enjoyed being a part of a local songwriting community. Music was a big part of his life and he liked to share it with anyone he could.
Jim also loved to play music at church whenever he got the chance. Jim’s faith was central to his life. He was a long-time member of Pine Forest United Methodist Church where his family has been a part of the congregation since its inception. He loved the people there. He and Karen also attended Gonzalez United Methodist Church for several years when the twins were born. While practicing as a dentist, Jim took several medical mission trips to Central America with both churches. He was always ready to help the church in any way he could.
A loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother, Jim will forever be loved and remembered by his wife of 52 years, Karen; sisters Helen Correll (Ward) and Susan Hall; sons Jay (Kim) of Nashville, TN, Jody of Pensacola, Casey of Houston, TX, Kyle and Jacob of Pensacola; granddaughters Ashley, Kiara, and Piper; grandson Alex (Alisha); and a host of other relatives and friends.
A private funeral will be held with his immediate family in the coming days. A public celebration of Jim’s life will hopefully be held at a later date. Jim’s ashes will be interred in the columbarium at Pine Forest United Methodist Church Cemetery.
A special thanks to Emerald Coast Hospice for the care they provided to Jim and his family in his final months. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jim’s honor to the music ministry at Pine Forest United Methodist Church.