First Baptist Obituaries

Dr. Thomas Roy King, 76, died Monday, October 25, 2010 at Big Bend Hospice after a long battle with Hepatitis C. 

 

The service will be at 3pm Thursday, October 28th at First Baptist Church, Tallahassee with the burial at Roselawn Cemetery on Piedmont Drive. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8pm on Wednesday, October 27th at Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home on Timberlane Road.

 

Tom, who was born in Selma, Alabama, was the son of Roy and Corinne King. Tom received a BA from Howard College (Samford University) and a MA in Speech and Dramatic Arts from Florida State University. Tom received his Ph.D. in Speech from Louisiana State University. Tom was happily married to Mary Lois King for 44 years. 

 

A published scholar, Tom was a leading proponent of and helped develop the concept of contract learning as it applied to public speaking. He was active in the National Communication Association, especially its Legislative Assembly, and in the Southern States Communication Association and the Florida Communication Association.

 

Tom spent the bulk of his teaching career at FSU. He served in many capacities, including debate coach and as a member of the University Grievance committee. Tom was active in the United Faculty of Florida, working with the union grievance process, until his retirement. He served as Faculty Senator for the Department of Communication until his retirement. He directed numerous doctoral dissertations and Master's theses. 

 

Tom was a wonderful mentor and friend to new faculty at FSU. He had a Graduate Fellowship within the College of Communication established in his honor by former student, Dr. Lawrence Rifkind.

 

A passionate FSU sports fan, Tom was a long-time season ticket holder for FSU football and basketball. Tom was active in and served on the board of the Capital City Kiwanis Club. He was also a long standing member of Capital City Tiger Bay Club. Tom was a 50-year member of First Baptist Church.

 

Tom is survived by his son Kent and his wife Stephanie King and a grandson, Miles King. 

In recent years, Tom enjoyed spending time with his wife of seven years, Jackie Rennick King, and her children, numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren whom he dearly loved. 

 

Tom and Jackie enjoyed the Tallahassee Symphony, traveling, FSU tailgating, serving Meals on Wheels, and feeding the homeless.

 

Those who wish may send memorial contributions to Big Bend Hospice House Capital Fund, 1723 Mahan Blvd., Tallahassee, FL 23208; America's Second Harvest of the Big Bend, 110 Four Points Way, Tallahassee, FL 32305; or Capital City Kiwanis Foundation, 497 Stonehouse Rd., Tallahassee FL, 32301.

 

Ted R. "PaPa" Arrowood, Age 70, surrounded and sustained by his family during a valiant struggle with cancer, died peacefully at home, escaped his body and ascended to heaven on Wednesday October 13, 2010 in Tallahassee, FL. He was born in Weaverville, NC, reared and educated in Tennessee, and served his country in the United States Army. He carved out a successful career in banking and lived a happy life of service and generosity to God, family, friends, church and his fellow man, and he was a Mason. He was formerly employed by TransAmerica, Sun Trust Banks, PFIC, and then retired from Regions Banks. He was an active member and a deacon of First Baptist Church of Tallahassee and a faithful member of his Sunday school class. He was passionate about his work for the improvement and enlargement of his church and loved his church family dearly. He is survived by his wife of 12 years, Sue, their children, Susan Goracke and her husband Larry, Mike Brusca, Jr. and Mandy Lantigua and her husband Carlos. His grandchildren, Jordyn, Julia and Jenna Goracke. His brothers, Lloyd and his late wife Wanda, Joseph "JL" and his wife Bobbie and Bill and his wife Peggy, many nieces and nephews and other loving family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd F. and Ella M. Arrowood of Johnson City, TN. A memorial service will be held Monday, November 1, 2010 at 10:00 AM, at First Baptist Church of Tallahassee, the family will receive friends following the service at the church and the interment will be held at a later date in Johnson City, TN. Bevis Funeral Home (850) 385-2193 is in charge of the arrangements. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32308 or Dawn of Hope, P.O. Box 30 Johnson City, TN  37605.

 

 

Beulah Marie McGlon, 80, of Tallahassee Florida, went peacefully surrounded by family on Monday October 11, 2010. Born in Winston-Salem she made her home in Tallahassee with husband Jay in 1967. Because of Jay's aviation career they were able to call many places home such as Miami and Berlin, Germany for a few short years. However Tallahassee was their permanent home where they chose to raise their children. Beulah's love of the Lord showed through in her everyday life. She had a wonderful eye for all things good. She would add a dimension of elegance whenever she walked into a room. She made all those around her feel loved and cared for with her majestic smile. As she was gracious and selfless, she immersed herself in our community in many ways. 

 

She was a long time member and former President to the Woman's Club of Tallahassee. She participated in many events to raise funds and awareness to this community's needs. She was a member of the Tallahassee Iris Garden Club, Tallahassee Glass and Antiques Club, former president of the Lemoyne Art Foundation, member of the St. Andrews Scottish Society and a member of the Theater Guild to name a few. She joined the Home Extension Group in 1967 which gave light to her Tuesday Lunch Group, an amazing collection of Tallahassee's finest women. As a devoted Christian she found much joy from the bible study class that she and Jay were a part of. Jay and Beulah joined the First Baptist Church community back in 1968. 

 

Her true love for mankind could be felt in all the ways she and her family participated over the years at First Baptist. She was preceded in death by a daughter, Vicki Neal McGlon. She is survived by her husband of almost 62 years, Jay C. McGlon. Her surviving children are her son, Mike McGlon (Rita), daughters Connie Marie McGlon, and Melanie McGlon Schrowang (John), her loving former son-in-law, Max Ketterman, Grandchildren, Jennifer Caroline McGlon (Chris Jackson), AlIison McGlon Varga (Adam), Tyler Jay Ketterman, Chelsea Rose McGlon Webster (Cole), Dante McGlon Erba, Andrew Augustus, Austin Michael, Spencer Neil, and Sophie Marie Schrowang. Greatgranchildren Jake and Henry Jackson and Rowen Varga. 

 

Please join us as we celebrate the joyous life of an amazing woman. The family will welcome guests for visitation on Saturday, October 16, 2010 from 5:30 EDT until 7:30pm at Culley's Meadowood Funeral Home at 700 Timberlane Rd. Funeral Service will be held on Sunday 2pm, October 17, 2010, at the First Baptist Church on College Avenue in downtown Tallahassee. Graveside will follow at Culley's Meadowood Memorial Park. 

 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Woman's Club of Tallahassee at 1513 Cristobal Drive, Tallahassee, 32303 or to First Baptist Church, 108 West College Ave, Tallahassee, 32301

 

 

Dr. Eutiquio Chua (E.C.) Young, 78, of Tallahassee, FL, went peacefully to be with our Lord on October 4, 2010, after bravely battling multiple myeloma for four years. 

 

Dr. Young was born July 17, 1932, in Del Gallego, Philippines, the fourth son of 10 children. His parents had emigrated from mainland China to the Philippines. He went to Manila for his early education. It was there, during the beginning of World War II and at 9 years of age, that an aunt first told him about his Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. That very evening he prayed and received the Lord with indescribable peace and joy that never left him, a faith tested and confirmed during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines and throughout his life.

 

After the war, he resumed his education. He graduated summa cum laude from Far Eastern University in 1954 with a degree in electrical engineering. He then taught engineering and physics at Far Eastern University. One of his students, for one day before he transferred her to another class, was the former Nena Te. They became engaged on Valentine's Day in 1958. Later that year, he came to the United States to study Mathematics at the University of Maryland. He studied there on a Smith-Mundt Fulbright Scholarship and was the first Filipino citizen to be awarded that prestigious scholarship. In 1961, he received a Master's and Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Maryland. In that year, he also married the love of his life, Nena Te. He spent the 1961-62 academic year teaching at the University of Connecticut before returning to Manila to teach at De La Salle University from 1962 to 1965. In 1965, he received an offer from Florida State University for a joint appointment in the Computing Center and the Department of Mathematics. Tallahassee had been his home ever since. 

 

He became active in the International Department at First Baptist Church of Tallahassee. It was there that he nurtured his love of the Bible and was ordained as a deacon. In 1970, he began a home bible study which has since grown into the Tallahassee Chinese Christian Church. He served and preached regularly there until his death. In addition to an active church life, he was active in the American Mathematical Association, the North Florida Chinese Association, the Taiwanese Association, the Big Bend Filipino-American Association, and the US Tennis Association. He loved to play tennis and played regularly until being diagnosed with cancer in 2006.

 

Dr. Young was a faculty member and professor in the Department of Mathematics at Florida State University from 1965 until his retirement in 2003. In his retirement years, and despite his cancer diagnosis, he started taking piano lessons and traveled extensively to visit his grandchildren and see the world. His final trip, a month-long vacation in August and one of his life's dreams, was a family reunion with his seven remaining siblings to visit their birthplace. Returning to Del Gallego for the first time since 1948, they were able to relive their childhoods together.

 

He is survived by his wife Nena of 49 years, his children Dr. Jacob Young, a neurosurgeon in Charlottesville, VA, daughter-in-law Sharon, Dr. Carolyn Young, a pathologist and the Medical Director of the Rhode Island Blood Center in Providence, RI, son-in-law Dr. Arthur Wong, and Daniel Young, a construction lawyer in Fort Lauderdale, daughter-in-law Laura, grand-children Rebecca, Christina, Madeline, Daniel, Sarah, Gracie Li, Anna Sophia and Lydia, two brothers, five sisters and many nieces and nephews. 

 

A memorial service celebrating the life of Dr. Young will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, October 9, 2010, at First Baptist Church of Tallahassee, Florida. The family requests that donations be made in the memory of Dr. Young to the First Baptist Church (International Department), 108 W. College Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32301 (www.fbctlh.org) or the Tallahassee Chinese Christian Church, 8801 Centerville Road, Tallahassee, FL 32309 (www.tcccfl.org).

 

 

Miriam "Mickey" Brewton Ashcroft died August 23, 2010 in Tallahassee. She was born June 18, 1924 in Mobile, Alabama to Bettie H. and Wilmer T. Brewton. The family moved to Tallahassee in 1925. She graduated from Leon High School in 1942 and married Murden "Mert" Morgan Ashcroft in 1943. Mickey was an active member of First Baptist Church and a Realtor for many years. She was predeceased by her husband; son Michael David Ashcroft; her parents; and sisters Lila B. Guerry and Jane B. Turner. She is survived by sons Thomas Brewton Ashcroft, Bainbridge, GA, and Franklin Huff Ashcroft and wife, Anne Ashcroft; grandchildren, Thomas Combs, New York City, NY, Michael, Jeffrey, and Allison Ashcroft; and niece, Betty Willard,and Terese, Tom, David, and Andrea Combs. Funeral service will be held Thursday, August 26, at 10:00 a.m. EDT at First Baptist Church, with burial at Oakland Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday, August 25, 2010 from 6 to 8 pm in Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home, Riggins Road Chapel (850-877-8191). Memorial contributions may be made to Big Bend Hospice, 1723 Mahan Center Boulevard, Tallahassee, FL 32308, or to First Baptist Church, 108 West College Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32301. 

 

 

Karyn Sue McCarty Green, 58, entered into rest June 13, 2010 surrounded by her loving family. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. EDT Thursday, June 17, 2010 at Thomasville Road Baptist Church, with burial at Culley's MeadowWood Memorial Park. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. EDT at Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home-Timberlane Road Chapel (850-893-4177). In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Thomasville Road Baptist Church Music Ministry Fund or Big Bend Hospice. Karyn was born in Batesville, Indiana and was a longtime resident of the Tallahassee area. She served as a Ministry Assistant at First Baptist Church-Tallahassee for the past twenty years. Karyn had served as a Civic Center Usher. She was an active member of Thomasville Road Baptist Church where she sang with Heart Song, the Praise Team, and the church choir. She was a member of the Florida Baptist Singing Women. Survivors include her husband of 40 and a half years, who was her high school sweetheart, Paul Green; one son, Aaron Green; one daughter, Kelly Harrington and her husband Milton; one granddaughter, Sarah Harrington; all of Crawfordville, and one brother, William McCarty of Plainfield, Indiana. 

Published in Tallahassee Democrat on June 15, 2010.  

 

 

Robbie Creel Roche, a resident of Tallahassee for 39 years, passed away Tuesday, June 8, 2010, in Savannah, Georgia. She was 89 years old. Mrs. Roche was born on April 21, 1921, in Bonifay, Florida. She moved to Tallahassee in 1963, where she was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church. She was active in the Sunday school program there. Mrs. Roche was preceded in death by her husband of sixty years, Stephen Justice Roche, who passed away March 1, 2002. She is survived by three children, Stephen J. Roche, Jr., Robert S. Roche, and Renee A. Roche, and their respective spouses, as well as seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. A graveside service will be held on Saturday, June 12, at 10:30 AM EDT at Culley's MeadowWood Memorial Park at 700 Timberlane Road. 

 

 

Florence Taff Moody, 92, a retired state employee, died May 24, 2010. The service will be at 10:00 a.m. EDT, Friday at First Baptist Church, with burial at Roselawn Cemetery. The family will receive friends Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. EDT at Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home-Riggins Road Chapel (850-877-8191). In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church, 108 West College Avenue, Tallahassee, FL 32301, or to Florida Baptist Children's Home, 8415 Buck Lake Road, Tallahassee, FL 32317. 

 

Florence was born March 29, 1918, in Arran (Wakulla County), Florida, the first of five children for the Angus Beaty and Louvenia Tucker Taff family. In 1923 the family moved to Tallahassee. She attended public schools in Leon County. After graduating from Leon High School in January 1935, she entered Florida State College for Women to prepare for a teaching career. In the summer of 1936, she received a two-year teacher's certificate (L.I. Degree) and in August 1940, a four year degree (A.B. Education). In June 1937, Florence and her high-school sweetheart, David Lee Moody, were married. During the years 1936-1941, she taught in the elementary schools of Wakulla and Leon counties. She began working in state government in 1942 with the Florida Industrial Commission. A part of this agency later merged with the Florida Department of Commerce. After 30 years of service with those two agencies, she retired in 1971 as assistant administrator of Research and Statistics, Department of Commerce. Following her retirement, she was associated with her husband in David Moody Realty, as a broker/salesman. First Baptist was her church home for well over 80 years. She started in the Beginner's Department shortly after moving to Tallahassee with her parents in 1923. She and her husband were long-time members of the Couples' Sunday School Class, in which she continued to participate following his death. Other interests included membership in the Woman's Club of Tallahassee, former membership in the Tallahassee Garden Club, and membership in the Florida State University Emeritus Alumni Society. Survivors include two sons and their wives, David Warren Moody and Janice of Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Robert Wayne Moody and Ellen of Quincy, Florida; eight grandchildren and their spouses, David W. Moody, Jr., William (Bill) Moody and Debbie of Grand Rapids, Jennifer Green and Ray of Houston, Texas, Melinda Yarling and Lee Anne Hansard, both of Sarasota, Wayne Moody, Jr. of LaGrange, Ga., Shannon Marshall and Jimmy of Cumming, Ga.,; and Tracy Gibson of St. Marks; two stepgrandsons, Scott Chaires and his wife, Renee', and Todd Chaires, all of Tallahassee; eighteen great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Hazel Taff of Tallahassee; several nieces and nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles, and many other relatives and friends. Florence was preceded in death by her husband of sixty-two years, David; daughter Marcia; sister Helen and husband G.D. Roberts; three brothers, Broward, George and wife, Betty and Charles; and her parents, Beaty and Louvenia Taff. 

 

 

  

Ralph Norton Brown, 89, of Tallahassee, passed away on April 7, 2010, at the Big Bend Hospice House. A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church Tallahassee, on Monday, April 12, at 11 a.m. EST, with burial at Roselawn Cemetery for family only. The family will receive friends on Sunday, April 11, 4-6 p.m., at Bevis Funeral Home. He was born in Blountstown, Fla. on May 21, 1920. He was a veteran of World War II, achieving the rank of Master Sergeant while serving in the United States Army Air Corps. After discharge he attended the University of Florida and was graduated from the School of Pharmacy in 1951. Following graduation he moved to Tallahassee and was a pharmacist at various pharmacies, becoming the owner of Brown's Pharmacy in 1960. He continued as owner until his retirement in 1985. During his retirement he continued to serve as a volunteer pharmacist for the Neighborhood Free Health Clinic, located in the old Lincoln High School on Brevard Street. Brown was a 50-year member of First Baptist Church Tallahassee, serving on the baptism committee and singing in the First Joy Senior Adult Choir, and a member of Jackson Lodge No. 1 F&AM, Marzuq Shrine Temple, Tallahassee Elks Lodge 937, Tallahassee Kiwanis Club, Tallahassee 100 Club and several professional organizations. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Sara Lynn Johnson Brown; two sons, Charles Edward Brown (Carol) and Paul Norton Brown (Barrie) of Tallahassee; one daughter, Laura Brown Potts (Danny) of Marietta, Ga.; one sister, Betty Jane Brown Moore of Tallahassee; and seven grandchildren, Meredith Brown (New York City), Michael Brown (Tallahassee), Brian Potts (Athens, Ga.), Kevin Potts (Statesboro, Ga.), Joshua Brown (Tallahassee), Whitney Brown (Tallahassee), and Caylin Brown (Tallahassee). He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Robert and Alma Johnson Brown; and two brothers, John Wesley Brown of Port St. Joe and Thomas Raymond Brown of Tallahassee. Memorial contributions may be made to Big Bend Hospice or the First Baptist Church Joy Senior Adult Choir.

 

 

Carol Jean Strickland, 51, passed away unexpectedly while on vacation in Key Largo, Florida on Friday, March 12, 2010. The funeral service will be at 11 a.m. EDT Friday, March 19, 2010, at Thomasville Road Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida. Visitation will be Thursday, March 18, 2010 from 4 to 7 p.m. EDT at Culley's MeadowWood Funeral Home on Riggins Road. Burial will be on Sunday, March 21, 2010 at Watermelon Creek Baptist Church Cemetery in Glennville, Georgia. Carol was born in Macon, Georgia and moved to Tallahassee from Milledgeville, Georgia in 1968. She graduated from Leon High School in 1976 and received her AA Degree from Tallahassee Community College in May 1979. One of the proudest moments in her life was when she graduated with honors from Barry University with a Bachelor's degree (Major in Professional Administration) in May 2005. She worked as an interpreter for the deaf and hard of hearing at W.T. Moore Elementary School, Cobb Middle School, and Lincoln High School. In August of 2000 she became a Sign Language Interpreter Specialist at Tallahassee Community College. She has served tirelessly in many positions not only in the school system, but in every aspect of her life for the benefit of the hearing impaired community in this area. Carol was a member of the national and state Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) as well as the Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society - Florida Epsilon Chapter. She was very involved in serving at her home church, First Baptist of Tallahassee and at Thomasville Road Baptist Church. She was working on her 2nd degree black belt in Karate and her 1st degree black belt in Naginata. Carol is survived by her son, Travis Strickland; mother, Deloris Strickland; brothers, Stuart Strickland and Stanley (Jane) Strickland. She is also survived by two nieces, Lauren (Rickard) Akesson and Diana (Luke) Sands; extended family members, Chris, Craig and Michael Turner; and dear friend, Cathy King. Carol touched many lives and she will be greatly missed by all of her friends and family. She was preceded in death by her father, Gene Strickland. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Pioneer Baptist Church Building Fund, 486 Beechwood Drive, Crawfordville, Florida 32327; Deaf Ministry - First Baptist Church, 108 W. College Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida 32301; or to a charity of your choice.