Bishop Reuel H. Anderson Sr.
Bishop Reuel H. Anderson Sr., age 90, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 3, 2018, in Athens, Ga. From his birth on July 2, 1928, until his death on Friday, he nourished the people around him with his love and his faith in God. Reuel was born in Macclenny, Florida, to Ozzie Anderson and Belle Baldree Anderson and was the youngest of five children. He is survived by his brother Oswald Anderson and predeceased by his brother JB Anderson and his sisters, Catherine Smith and Doris Fraser.
Reuel graduated from Macclenny High School (Florida) in 1947. He was a member of Macclenny High’s first football team and kicked the first kickoff of the season for 60 yards and also made the first touchdown for the team.
Between his junior and senior years of high school, Reuel felt the call of God upon his life, and knew he was destined to be a minister. One of the first sermons he remembers was titled, “In the beginning, God.” That became his theme for life believing that if you put God in the beginning of everything, you won’t have to worry about the outcome.
In 1948, he married the love of his life, Hilda Ruth Thomas, at the Florida Church of God State Camp meeting in Wimauma, Florida, with over 3,000 in attendance. The couple served a number of congregations throughout the state of Florida during their life together. They ministered for 46 years and impacted the lives of hundreds of people with their love, their encouragement and their faith in God.
In addition to his brother Oswald, Reuel is survived by his two children Herb (Carol) Anderson and Wanda Anderson, John Rice, seven grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be held on Sunday, August 26, at 3 p.m. at River of Life Christian Center, 6605 Krycul Avenue, Riverview, Florida.
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” I Corinthians 15:58
Margaret L. Holley
Margaret Louise Holley, 98, of Palatka passed away Saturday, August 4, 2018, at Solaris Health Care in Palatka following an extended illness.
Margaret was born in Brantley, Ala., and had been a resident of Palatka for five years coming from Keystone Heights. She retired from Hillsborough County Schools after 33 years of service where she had worked in food service and managed school cafeterias including Chamberlain High School in Tampa. She was a member of the First Methodist Church of Ruskin and had been a member of the Ruskin Woman’s Club. She enjoyed spending her summers in Franklin, N.C., quilting for her church, and volunteering at the Senior Center in Ruskin.
She was preceded in death by her husband Oscar T. Holley and eight brothers and sisters.
Surviving are a son and daughter-in-law, Bill and Phyllis Geiger of Satsuma, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A Graveside Service has been scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, September 24, 2018, at Ruskin Memorial Park in Ruskin, Florida.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be sent to Haven Hospice Roberts Care Center, 6400 St. Johns Ave., Palatka, FL 32177. Messages of encouragement or sympathy may be expressed in her online guestbook at www.themastersfuneralhomes.com.
Masters Funeral Home of Palatka is in charge of arrangements.
William C. Howell
William C. Howell peacefully passed away with his wife Betty at his side on Aug. 9, 2018. Will and Betty were missionaries with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Viewing was held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, at Sun City Center Funeral Home, 813-634-9900.
Benton “Ben” Jones
Ben Jones, born in Raleigh, North Carolina, on July 22, 1935, passed away peacefully on August 2, 2018. Ben was a decorated Army Ranger who served in the U.S. Army and fought in the Korean War, a master gunsmith, a patriot, and a loving husband and father. He was a resident of Ruskin since 1962.
In the early ’70s he opened Ben Jones’ Farm and Ranch Service, where he designed, built and repaired farm equipment. In 1985 the Ranch Service closed and was reborn as Gun Craft Inc. Ben’s passion was designing and creating custom firearms and firearm accessories for both novice and competition shooters, as well as big-game hunters. He also designed, constructed, and patented many firearm parts along the way. Ben was an avid hunter and outdoorsman who traveled the country and the world to hunt exotic game. Although he loved every form of hunting, his favorite type was African safari hunting. As soon as you walk through the front door of Gun Craft and see his many mounts, souvenirs, and photographs, you know right away that Ben loved hunting in Africa. He was an excellent storyteller; you could sit, mesmerized, for hours and listen to his safari stories.
Ben is survived by his wife of 58 years Kay (Burton) Jones; his three children and their spouses, Cole (Cheryl) Jones, Paul (Carolyn) Jones, and Kim Stroud (Bobby Bartling); his granddaughter and her husband Bonnie (Marcus) Shepherd; and two grandsons, Timothy and Zachary Jones. He also touched the lives of too many others to count. Ben was a great man, and he will be missed.
Please come, bring a dish, and share a story with us at Ben’s Celebration of Life to be held on Saturday, September 8, at 4 p.m. at the Ruskin Elks Lodge, 1630 S. U.S. 41, Ruskin, FL 33570. In lieu of flowers, please donate to Lifepath Hospice. Arrangements by Zipperer’s Funeral Home.
