Bonnie Faye White Coon
July 13, 2016
Bonnie Faye White Coon, 73 of Atmore, passed away July 8, 2016, in Atmore. She was born to the late Robert and Vivian Smith Little on April 23, 1943, in Lottie, AL.
She was a charter member of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church and owner of Diamond Gasoline Stations. She is preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Roy W. White, Sr. and Buford Coon; brothers, Glenn Little, Winston Little and Bobby Little.
She is survived by her children, Roy W. (Shelly) White, Jr., Tommy (Jennifer) White, and Mitch (Gina) White, all of Atmore, and Pamela (Eric) Hawn of Alexandria, VA; and one sister, Delores (Lon) Johnson of Citronelle; 11 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Monday, July 11, 2016, from the Atmore First Assembly of God with Bro. Kevin Fralick, Bro. Don Davis and Bro. J. T. Guyton officiating.
Burial was in Oak Hill Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Nolan White, Jackson Breckenridge, Clay White, Noah White, Ethan Dawe, and John Brantley.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
James Vernon Phillips
July 13, 2016
Mr. James Vernon Phillips, 75, passed away on Sunday, July 10, 2016, in Atmore.
Mr. Phillips was a native and lifelong resident of Walnut Hill. He was retired from Monsanto with 36 ½ years of service. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and gardner.
He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and he loved his family. He is preceded in death by his parents, J.E. and Virgie Phillips; and brother, Junior Phillips.
He is survived by his wife of 43 ½ years, June Phillips of Walnut Hill; two sons, James Shannon Phillips of Walnut Hill and James Scott Phillips of Pensacola; one daughter, Kenda DeAnn Parker of Pensacola; one brother, Douglas Phillips of Walnut Hill; and one grandson, William Blake Edgar of Pensacola.
Funeral services will be Thursday, July 14, 2016, at 10 a.m. at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Rev. Paul Enfinger officiating.
Burial will follow at the Walnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Curtis Chavers, Anthony Lamb, Brian Robbins, Leon Chavers, Greg Forbes and Robert McCullough.
Honorary pallbearers will be Elmo Flinngim and Richard Kohen.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Anna Marie Gilbert
July 13, 2016
Anna was born in Pensacola on February 18, 1988. Anna passed away on July 7, 2016, at the age of 28 after many years of a physical battle with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Annabelle was a very pretty little girl and hid her suffering well through her pretty face and big beautiful smiling eyes.
She is preceded in death by her grandpa, Elden Dean Peterson; and papa, John Thomas (Tommy) Oglesby. Anna has moved on to a happy place in heaven to reunite with her dearly missed papa (Tommy).
She is survived and will be deeply missed by her six year old daughter, Isabelle. Anna is also survived by her parents, Ruth Patterson and John (Randy) Oglesby; brother, John R. Oglesby II; grannie great, Kathryn Thomas, grannie, Shirley Oglesby; grandmother, Pearl Johnson; granddaddy, Jimmy Johnson; grandma, Dede Peterson; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Anna was a member of Harvest Christian Center in Cantonment.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, July 13, 2016, at Faith Chapel Funeral Home North.
Pallbearers were David Oglesby, Adam Johnson, Leslie Peterson, Richard Smolik, Jake Middleton and Tommy Hennessey.
Honorary pallbearers were Dalton Oglesby and Jared Clarke.
Faith Chapel Funeral Home North is in charge of arrangements.
Robert Harold Sells
July 13, 2016
Mr. Robert Harold Sells, 66, passed away on Saturday, July 9, 2016, in Poarch, Alabama.
Mr. Sells was a native of Atmore and resident of Poarch for most of his life. He was a member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and the Poarch Community Church. He is preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Roberta Sells; two brothers, Jason Sells and Dewitt Sells; and one sister, Annie Bell Ellison.
He is survived by his son, Jordan Cooper of Brewton; four brothers, Garvis (Catherine) Sells, Tony Sells, Julius (Tonya) Sells and Jerry (Sue) Sells, all of Poarch; one sister, Gloria (Gerald) Krafka of Poarch; 18 nieces and nephews; and numerous great and great-great nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, July 13, 2016, at the Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Home with Bro. Walter Lee Rolin and Rev. Treavor Daughtry officiating.
Burial was at the Judson Creek Indian Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Ellis Martin, Danny McGhee, Jack Allen McGhee, Ricky McGhee, Nathan Martin and Don Jackson.
Honorary pallbearers were Billy Glenn Sells, Johnny Moore, Augustin Romas, Kevin Watson, Buddy McGhee, Lamar Martin, Nelson Martin, Charles Wicker, Don White, Ricky Nelson, Guy Wynn Sr., Rodney Taylor, Larry Caraway, Curtis Davis and Cleo McCants.
Petty-Eastside Chapel Funeral Homes is in charge of all arrangements.
Kayellen Dobson
July 13, 2016
Ms. Kayellen Dobson, age 66, of Jay, passed away Tuesday, July 12, 2016, in a Pensacola hospice facility after an extended illness. She was a native of El Paso, Texas and a long time resident of Jay. Ms. Kayellen was a member of the Flomaton Church of Christ and a retired elementary school teacher from the Jay public school system with 26 years of service. She was named Teacher of the Year for Santa Rosa County in 1996 .
She is survived by two brothers, Gary (Patsy) Dobson of Columbia, SC, Rick (Jenny) Lowery of Jay; one sister, Nancy Shivers of Jay; one sister-in-law, Drusilla Dobson; special nieces, Karla A. Shivers and Sydney L. Lowery; special nephews, Bradley Lowery, and numerous nephews and nieces; and special friends, Pat and Linda Jarvis.
Visitation will be held Friday, July 15, 2016, from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home in Brewton.
Funeral services will be held Friday, July 15, 2016, at 1 p.m. at Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home with Minister Pete Davis, Speaker Pat Jarvis, Rev. Larry White, Minister Bryan Cook, and Song Leader Billy Hines officiating.
Interment will follow in Jay Cemetery in Jay.
Pallbearers will be Cary Upton, Mike Scott, Jorey Diamond, Jerry Scott, Ronnie Hammond and Hayden Hammond.
Williams Memorial Chapel Funeral Home directing
Billy Glenn Watford
July 13, 2016
Billy Glenn Watford, 64 of Atmore, passed away Friday, July 8, 2016, in Atmore. He was born in Atmore on July 25, 1951, to the late Carl William and Audrey Inez Sims Watford. He worked for Watford and Sons Inc, for many years, and was currently employed by U.S. Security Associates, Inc.
He is preceded in death by siblings, Carl Ladon Watford and Kathy Watford Gaffney.
Survivors include his daughter, Carla Shane (Mark) Ward of Dublin, GA; one brother, David Edward (Gaile) Watford of Fayetteville, GA; grandchildren, Blake Ward, Cameron Ward, and Logan Ward; many nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Services were held Tuesday, July 12, 2016, from the Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home Chapel with Bro. Mike Grindle officiating.
Interment was in the Huxford Reorganized Latter Day Saints Cemetery.
Active pallbearers were Blake Ward, Cameron Ward, Logan Ward, Danny Hall, Mark Shannon, and Sammy Day.
Johnson-Quimby Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Florida Association of City Clerks Honors Century’s Gonzalez
July 13, 2016
The Florida Association of City Clerks has passed a resolution honoring Century Town Clerk Leslie Gonzalez for serving as their Northwest Florida district director for the past three years. The resolution was recently presented to Gonzalez (pictured left) by FACC’s Linda Bridges. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Wahoos Shut Out Biloxi
July 13, 2016
Pensacola Blue Wahoos starting pitcher Sal Romano walked into the clubhouse Tuesday with a different attitude.
Entering the game 1-9 this season and 1-14 over the past two seasons with the Blue Wahoos, he figured it was time for a change.
It worked. Romano threw seven scoreless innings, allowed three hits and struck out a season-high nine batters to help the Blue Wahoos blowout the Biloxi Shuckers, 9-0, Tuesday in front of 3,323 at Blue Wahoos Stadium. It’s the largest shutout victory in franchise history.
“I came to the ballpark not thinking about anything, or the fact that I was pitching,” said Romano, ranked the Cincinnati Reds No. 15 prospect by MLB.com. “The biggest thing I did tonight was having fun and relaxing. I’m not a heavy guy. That’s not who I am.”
He also changed his walkup song to Jason Aldean’s “Lights Come On” right before the game, instead of his usual rap music that pumps him up. And he changed lockers with Pensacola center fielder Jeff Gelalich storing his gloves in Gelalich’s locker, while Gelalich put his bats in Romano’s locker.
Blue Wahoos manager Pat Kelly said he has to remind himself every day that Romano is only 22. He improved his record to 2-10 and lowered his ERA to 4.45 this season.
“I have to remind myself he’s just 22-years-old,” Kelly said. “I have to keep reminding myself of that fact. As he matures, he will be able to refine his stuff.”
Speaking of refining, Romano, who has a mid-90s fastball, relies more and more on his changeup. It allowed him to cruise through the first three innings without allowing a hit and striking out the side in the first inning.
The first hit of the game came when Biloxi right fielder Tyrone Taylor’s double to leadoff the fourth inning. Taylor, the Milwaukee Brewers No. 12 prospect according to MLB.com, also clobbered a two-out triple to the right center gap in the sixth inning off of Romano.
“It has become a really good pitch for me,” Romano said. “I didn’t realize how good it was. I never trusted it in any games.”
Pensacola scored five runs on five hits in the first inning, sending all nine batters to the plate. Blue Wahoos center fielder Jeff Gelalich singled on a ground ball to right field and left fielder Phillip Ervin walked. Pensacola right fielder Sebastian Elizalde tripled deep into the left center gap to drive in both Gelalich and Ervin for a 2-0 lead. Blue Wahoos third baseman then hit a grounder to left field that allowed Elizalde to cross the plate, putting Pensacola up, 3-0.
Blue Wahoos shortstop Zach Vincej then smacked a line drive to center field moving Sparks to second base. Biloxi Jorge Ortega then threw a pitch past his catcher and Sparks and Vincej moved up a bag. With two outs, Pensacola catcher Joe Hudson then lined a single to center to drive in Sparks and Vincej to complete the first inning outburst, 5-0.
Pensacola is 14-1 at home when scoring first and 29-7 overall. The team has now won eight of its nine homestands.
“It’s always nice pitching with some cushion,” Romano said.
Biloxi pitcher Jorge Ortega settled down after Pensacola mugged him for five first inning runs, finishing up his start by allowing just two more hits and getting 10 outs in a row. Ortega allowed eight runs in one inning in his last start against the Jacksonville Suns, giving him an ERA of 19.50 in his last two starts. On the year, he has a 5.06 earned-run average and a 1-8 record.
But Pensacola hitters pounded left-handed submarine Biloxi reliever Brett Lee, who played at West Florida High School in Pensacola and was drafted in the 10th round in 2011. In his hometown, Pensacola hitters lit him up in the seventh inning for four runs and three hits in 0.1 innings.
Biloxi reliever Gage Smith didn’t do much better giving up three hits, including two doubles in 1.2 innings.
The heart of Pensacola’s lineup entered the game 0-26 against Biloxi pitching this series. But they more than made up for that Tuesday, driving in six of the Blue Wahoos’ nine runs and scoring four times. Phillip Ervin, the No. 3 hitter in the lineup, was 0-3 entering the game but went 2-4, scored two runs and drove in three with a double in the seventh inning. He also stole his 26th base of the season.
Sebastian Elizalde, batting in the cleanup spot was 0-9 before Tuesday’s game. He was 1-4 with a triple in the first inning that drove in two runs and he scored once.
Taylor Sparks, the No. 5 hitter had gone 0-11, but was 1-4 with an RBI single and a run scored.
“We’ve staggered the lineup a little bit,” Kelly said. “We’re going to swing and miss but we’re also going to get a lot of hits.”
Atmore Prison Escapee Recaptured
July 12, 2016
An inmate that escaped Monday from the Atmore Work Release program was recaptured early Tuesday evening.
Investigators with the Alabama Department of Corrections and U..S. Marshals apprehended Ridgeway after he was sighted in Atmore.
He was serving a 20-year sentence for a 1998 first degree robbery conviction in Mobile County. Officials said Ridgeway will face additional charges for the escape.
Flipped Pickup Slows Nine Mile Road Traffic; Driver Cited
July 12, 2016
A pickup driver was ticketed by the Florida Highway Patrol after rear-ending a lawn service trailer.
The FHP said 45-year old Timothy J. Louviere of Milton was westbound on Nine Mile Road when he failed to maintain his 2000 Ford F-250 in his lane, ran off the roadway and struck the trailer on an unoccupied F-250 truck belonging to a lawn service.
Louviere’s pickup flipped, coming to rest upside down on Nine Mile Road. He was uninjured and cited for careless driving, according to the FHP.
NorthEscambia.com photos by Kristi Barbour, click to enlarge.
