Obituaries

Jul 23, 2020

Msgr. James J. Heslin, a retired pastor of Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Jacksonville, and a diocesan leader died Thursday morning, July 23, 2020. He was 89.

He retired as pastor of Holy Spirit on June 30, 2006, where he served for more than 20 years. His long and distinguished service began with his ordination at St....

Jul 22, 2020

Marie C. (Smith) Ruffalo, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother passed away at the age of 89 on July 22, 2020, in Jacksonville, FL. Marie was born in Evanston, IL on May 3, 1931, the youngest of three children to Philip J. Smith and Rose M. (Fish) Smith. Her paternal grandfather, John P. Smith, was a prominent Chicago-area...

Jul 22, 2020

Anita Louise Flynn, born on November 12, 1923, passed away at the young age of 96 on July 22, 2020 in Jacksonville, Florida. She was full of beauty, had a fantastic memory and a contagious laugh. She credited her full life to starting the day with oatmeal, enjoying people and dance. She was preceded in death by her devoted...

Jul 20, 2020

JoAnn Walton, 87, died peacefully in her sleep at home, July 20, 2020. She was born in Beatrice, AL and moved with her parents to Pensacola, FL soon thereafter. After graduating from Pensacola High School she attended business school and graduated in 1951. Her first job was a receptionist for American Airlines. She was married at age 19 to...

Jul 19, 2020

Marjorie Stone, 98, of Jacksonville Beach passed away July 19, 2020.

Full obituary will be published at a later date.

Jul 18, 2020

John Zesis, 90, passed away Saturday, July 18, 2020. He was born October 1, 1929 in Ambelohorion Kastoria, Greece to Sotirios and Olga Zissopoulos. John became a U. S. Citizen in 1962.

He leaves behind his loving wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Joanne Zesis Ferguson.

A private graveside service was held.

Jul 18, 2020

Ryan Rory Thomas, 38, passed away Saturday July 18, 2020, unexpectedly in his sleep. He was born on September 5, 1981 in Racine, Wisconsin.

Ryan enjoyed life and had an abundance of friends that shared many of his interests such as traveling to renaissance festivals, gaming, listening to a wide variety music genre and collecting comic books....

Jul 18, 2020

Ann Simmons Tillis, 90, of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL passed away July 18, 2020. She was a longtime Jacksonville resident, owning Canterbury House Antiques in Avondale. She later moved to Amelia Island where she spent 25 years enjoying the beach lifestyle.

She loved sports, golfing and was an avid Florida Gators fan.

Ann was a...

Jul 18, 2020

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Frank Martin Ebitz, 95, of Jacksonville, FL passed away July 18th, 2020. He is survived by his wife of 71 years Evelyn; daughter Marie Grimes (Larry) of Jacksonville, FL; sons Frank Ebitz Jr. of Newburg, Oregon and Ken Ebitz (Susan) of Dacula, GA; 3 grandchildren Dan Grimes (Sheila) of Jacksonville, FL; Jennifer Ebitz of Lawrenceville, GA;...

Jul 18, 2020

Charlotte Hatton Courson passed away Saturday, July 18, 2020 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.  Charlotte was born in Jacksonville, Georgia to Emma Sue Walker Hatton and James Ira Hatton.  She resided in Douglas, Georgia before moving to Tallahassee, Florida in 1962. She moved to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida in 2018.

She is predeceased by her parents and...

Jul 18, 2020

Dustin Alan Cassill, passed away on July 18, 2020.    He was predeceased by his father, William A. Cassill and grandfather, Oliver B. Bomar.  He is survived by his mother, Debra S. Cassill (Fred Pollitt); brother, Bryan C. Gometz; grandmother, Mary M. Bomar; aunt, Kathy Ritter (Larry); uncle, Larry Bomar (Betsy); aunt, Janet Crumpler (Frank); aunt, Sheryl Stewart; aunt, Sandi...

Jul 17, 2020

Joan “Elana” Ann (Williams) Straw died peacefully on July 17, 2020. The coronavirus ultimately ended her long fight with dementia.  Elana was born in Tacoma Park, Maryland, on July 2, 1939.  She met the love of her life, Allan, in Washington, D.C.  They married after a short courtship and began their adventure with the Air Force.  Together with their...

Jul 14, 2020

Donald Chester Mikush, Sr. passed away at his home in Jacksonville, FL on July 14, 2020 at the age of 85. He was born February 8, 1935 in Wilkes-Barre, PA to the late Chester Sylvester Mikush and Elizabeth Yurgatis Mikush. A basketball scholarship took him to Concord College, where he played three sports and was leading scorer on the...

Jul 11, 2020

Gloria Amelia Deiboldt, age 93, passed away peacefully on July 11, 2020, with her family by her side in Jacksonville, Florida. She was born September 5, 1926 to William and Amelia Stadelman in Buffalo, New York.

Beloved wife of the late George Charles Deiboldt Jr. (2014), they were married 67 years and had three sons. Gloria was...

Jul 5, 2020

Joyce L. Phillips, 86, a lifelong resident of Jacksonville, passed away July 5, 2020. She was born September 24, 1933, one of three children to Eugene and Lucretia Peeples.

Affectionately known as Nanny, she was a homemaker and worked in the hotel business for years as a Connoisseur.

Joyce truly lived life to the fullest...

Jul 4, 2020

James L. “Larry” May, CAPT USN (ret), Ponte Vedra Beach, FL passed away on July 4, 2020 of a prolonged illness incurred after two strokes.  Larry was born December 20 ,1934 in Quincy, Massachusetts.  He attended Stonehill College in North Easton, MA where he played on the basketball team.  He entered the Navy and was commissioned after graduation.

Jul 4, 2020

Walt Carroll passed peacefully on the 4th of July. He is survived by his loving wife, Carol Shovlin Carroll.

Walt was a proud veteran of WWII, having served in the 8th Army Air Force ("the only Air Force") as a P51 fighter pilot. After the war he finished college at Fordham University and married Anita Marie Earle,...

Jul 1, 2020

Dr. James John Sorce, 47, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends on July 1, 2020.  He was born November 28, 1972, in Point Pleasant, New Jersey.  He grew up in Houston, Texas, moving to Jacksonville, Florida, in 1991.

James attended the University of North Florida where he became an active member in the Sigma Chi...

Jun 30, 2020

LT COL Roderick Charles Heath was born February 26, 1938 to Frances K Bouchard and Roderick Bouchard in Hartford, Connecticut.  Raised by his mother Frances and her second husband, Lawrence Heath, Rod took the name of Heath at an early age.  Rod passed peacefully away on June 30, 2020 surrounded by his family.

Rod graduated from Boston College and...

Jun 29, 2020

JoAnn Crawford Forrest, 72, passed away June 29, 2020, in Jacksonville, Florida. She was a 1996 graduate of Duncan U. Fletcher High School.

JoAnn is survived by her husband of 53 years, Wayne; son Bryan (Melissa); daughter Melissa (David); grandchildren Sarah (Randy), Dakota, Ashley, Adrena, Taylor, and Bailey; brother David (Liz); and great-grandchildren, Charlie, Eliza JoAnn, and Mariah....