All Tributes

On Saturday, September 23, 2023, Betty Jo Leitherland Bouley passed away peacefully in Ft. Walton Beach, Florida after succumbing to complications from an injury. On June 24th in 1937, Betty was born in a rural community outside Selma, Alabama to Luman Gates Langford & Lena Mae Langford. She was the 4th of 10 children. After her mother’s death in 1948, Betty and the older siblings became the primary care givers for the younger ones during some very hard times. Then, in 1956 she...

David Herman Melton, Jr., 77 of Niceville, Florida - husband of Shirley Melton for 57 years, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, September 23, 2023. Mr. Melton was born September 3, 1946, in Baltimore, Maryland to the late Herman Melton and wife Hilda Melton. He was a long-standing member of Generations United Church in Niceville, Florida. He proudly served in the United States Air Force.  He was a man of many skills and talents – he was a heavy equipment operator, worked...

Raymond Purka, 65, of Niceville, Fla., passed away peacefully on Sept. 20, 2023. He was born in New York on Feb. 1, 1958 to Joseph W. and Elizabeth (Cichanowicz) Purka, Sr. and lived in Brooklyn, Jamaica and Hicksville, N.Y. before moving to American House in Niceville in 2017. A graduate of Francis Lewis High School in Queens, he worked for the Federation of the Handicapped for 33 years. During “superstorm” Sandy in 2012, he worked 16-hour days at New York’s Penn Station,...

Thomas Eugene Ockunzzi, 78 years old, of Niceville, Florida, passed away on September 14, 2023, of natural causes. Thomas was born on April 21, 1945, to Janet and Lloyd Ockunzzi in Euclid, Ohio. After graduating from Euclid High School, he went on to study Geology at Kent State University where he met his wife, Tedra Ockunzzi.   After graduation, he and Tedra married, he joined the US Air Force, and served from 1970 to 1990. They later went on to have two children, Stacey McFarlin and...

We are saddened to announce the passing of Dinah L. Covey, age 74, of Niceville, Florida.  No public services are scheduled at this time.  The family appreciates your thoughts and prayers.

Loretta “Gail” West, age 87, a long-time resident of Niceville, Florida, passed away peacefully on August 29, 2023.  After marrying her high school sweetheart, she moved with him to different base assignments in the U.S. Air Force, all the while, raising the family.  When the family moved to Niceville, she began her business, Gail‘s Hairstyles, which she operated well into the 90s. In her spare time, she enjoyed crafting, gardening, volunteering at church, and was...

Our beloved Husband, Father and Brother, Lawrence Joseph Howard, 76, of Niceville, FL, sadly passed away on Sunday 20 August 2023 and is now at peace with Jesus, looking down on us and guiding our family. Lawrence (Larry) Howard was born on September 9, 1946 in Brooklyn, NY to Frank and Katherine Howard where he grew up with his brother Frank and sisters Eileen and Kathy.  After graduating High School, Lawrence enlisted in the U.S. Army and was soon stationed in Bavaria Germany where...

Mary Alice Sbarbaro Watson (M.A.) aged 90 years 4 months 20 days passed away Wednesday 16 August 2023 at home surrounded by family in Niceville, Florida where she resided with her daughter, Maryann, and family. Mary Alice was born in Washington D.C. on the 27th of March 1933 to Mary Robinson Barrow (Forest Hill, MD) and Giovanni Giacomo Giorgio Sbarbaro (Jack) (NYC, NY). The cause of death is complications of dementia. She is preceded in death by her husband Joseph Levi Watson Sr., her...

Thomas James Kennedy, Jr., age 75, of Niceville, Florida, passed away on Friday, August 11, 2023.  Mr. Kennedy was born in 1948 in Chicago, Illinois to Thomas James & Miriam Cunat Kennedy.  He retired from Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. as a senior construction superintendent.  His career took him to many places both domestically and in many foreign countries.  He enjoyed sailing, playing golf, traveling, water aerobics, and trivia nights.  Mr. Kennedy...

Ms. Johnnie Maude Beamon, age 91, of Niceville, Florida, passed away on Friday, August 4, 2023.  Ms. Beamon was born in 1932 in Scanlon, Florida to John & Katy Page.  She is preceded in death by her husband, Richard Lee Beamon.  She is survived by her daughter, Phyllis (Alan) Daniel; son, Mont Beamon; grandchildren, Andrea Perez, Kristin Daniel, Richard Daniel, and Sarah Montero; great-grandchildren, Theodore Daniel and Robert Daniel; family friends, Wayne Campbell and the...