Obituaries for October 10, 2006

Published 10:27 pm Monday, October 9, 2006

‘Kitty’ Spinks

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Mary Kathleen “Kitty” O’Neal Spinks, 89, died Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2006, at her residence.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. today at Milam Funeral Home Chapel, 311 S. Main St., Gainesville, with burial to follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Gainesville.

Flowers are welcome, or expressions of sympathy may be made to the Alachua County Library or Friends of the Library.

Mrs. Spinks was born July 26, 1917, to J.W. O’Neal and Kathleen Malloy in Tifton. She was a homemaker. She graduated from Georgia State Women’s College, Valdosta, in 1938 with a bachelor of arts degree.

Mrs. Spinks was an avid reader and lover of nature. She loved living on her farm, and all aspects of caring for the farm.

Mrs. Spinks was previously married to Daniel O. Spinks, former dean at the University of Florida, 1947-1981. Her parents; a son, David Anderson Spinks, and a brother, James Wooten “Jimmy” O’Neal, predeceased her.

She is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Kathleen (Leslie C.) Spinks Morss of Edinburgh, Scotland and Alison (Harold C.) Spinks McClarrie of Hilliard, Fla.; and one grandson, Thomas Leslie Morss, also of Edinburgh.

Milam Funeral and Cremation Services, Gainesville, is in charge of arrangements.



Jay Deason

TIFTON — Robert Jay Deason, 27, of Tifton, died Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, at Tift Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services were held at 4 p.m. Monday at First Baptist Church of Tifton, with Dr. W. Wayne Roe officiating. Burial followed at Oakridge Cemetery.

Andrew Matulich, Beau Flowers, Bert Ponder, Brian McNabb, Courtney Howell, Jeremy Doss, Lee Powell, Michael Hammond and Russ Flowers served as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers were Burt McKellar, Chip Flowers, Curt Scott, Jamie Patrick, Jason Cottle, Jason Overstreet, Kirk Law, Matt Tays, Nate Branch, Pate Kincaid, Shaun Courtoy, Will Anderson, Matt Lovett and Dusty Chandler.

Born Nov. 7, 1978, in Tifton, Mr. Deason was a member of First Baptist Church, Tifton. He was an employee of Longhorn Steak House. A 1997 graduate of Tift County High School, he attended Abraham Baldwin College, studying to be a teacher. At Valdosta State University, he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. He was a certified scuba diver, a dedicated Auburn University fan, and enjoyed golf, hunting, fishing and playing paintball. Mr. Deason loved his family and friends.

He was preceded in death by grandparents, Jay and Christine Flowers, Peggy Deason, Peggy Frampton and Ferd and Grace Lewis.

Survivors include his parents, Beth and Joe Lewis of Tifton and Orrin and Luann F. Deason of Brookfield; brothers and sisters-in-law, Nate and Jessica Branch of Moultrie and Alan and Cindy Lewis of Tifton; sisters and brother-in-law, Joan and Walt DeLoach of Ellaville and Blair Branch of Atlanta; grandparents Nell and Loran Riggins of Valdosta, Robert Jay Deason of Mount Pleasant, Texas, and Ben and Barbara Frampton of Valdosta; great-grandmother, Inez Deason of Dadeville, Ala.; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to the Tift County Child Abuse Council. In addition, a memorial fund to benefit children is being established in Jay’s name. For more information, please contact thejaydeasonfund@gmail.com.

Albritton-Beaumont Funeral Directors was in charge of arrangements.



Ellen M. Kightlinger

TIFTON — Ellen Marie Montgomery Kightlinger, 87, of Tifton, died Monday, Oct. 9, 2006, at Tift Regional Medical Center.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday in the chapel of Albritton-Beaumont Funeral Directors, with the Rev. Mike Toluba and Dr. Glenn Martin officiating. A graveside service will be held Saturday in Eastlawn Memorial Gardens, Tucson, Ariz.

Members of the Christian Covenant Sunday School Class of First United Methodist Church, Tifton, will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The family will receive friends from 7 to 9 tonight at Albritton-Beaumont Funeral Directors.

Born April 15, 1919, in Taylorville, Ill., to the late Lloyd I. Montgomery and Eleanor Charlotte Krucheberg Montgomery, Mrs. Kightlinger was also preceded in death by her husband, Roscoe “Roc” Kightlinger, and one sister, Lorene A. Miley.

Formerly of Tucson, Ariz., Mrs. Kightlinger had lived in Tifton for six years and was a member of First United Methodist Church of Tifton. She had retired as an Extension home economist with more than 30 years of service with the University of Arizona Extension Service. She was a graduate of Blackburn College and Iowa State University and earned a master’s degree from Colorado State University. Mrs. Kightlinger was a 4-H leader and a seamstress; she enjoyed gardening, walking and exercising, and she loved the Southwest area (Arizona).

Mrs. Kightlinger is survived by one son and one daughter-in-law, Keith and Carolyn Kightlinger of Tifton; two grandchildren, Catheryn Kightlinger and Ross Kightlinger, both of Tifton; one brother, Loren L. Montgomery of Taylorville, Ill.; one sister, Myra M. Critz of Tulsa, Okla.; one sister-in-law, Edith Hawk of Marion, Ohio; and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church, Tifton, building fund.

Albritton-Beaumont Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements.