George “Knot” Ash

George “Knot” Ash, 83, of Live Oak, passed away, May 4, 2004, in his home. The O’Brien native was a wood craftsman retired from Gilman Paper Company after 40 years and a member of Beulah Baptist Church, Live Oak.



Survivors include: six daughters, Mattie Johnson, Mary Moses and Cindy Crews, all of Dowling Park, Elizabeth Wadford, Live Oak, Ethel Galvin, White Springs and Sylvia Kirby, Jacksonville; three sons, Hiram George Ash, St. Louis, Mo., Leon Paul Ash and Herman Ash, both of Dowling Park; 24 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren.



Graveside services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Saturday, May 8, in Johnson Cemetery, Dowling Park, with the Rev. T.J. Santerfeit officiating.



Daniels Funeral Home of Live Oak is in charge of all arrangements.



John William Hampton Jr.



John William Hampton Jr., 89, of Gainesville, passed away Tuesday, May 4, 2004. He was born in Hartford, Mich. and moved to Gainesville from Jacksonville in 2001. Hampton lived in Jacksonville for 30 years, where he worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War, and retired as a lieutenant colonel. Hampton worked as District Soil Conservationist for the USDA in North Florida for over 30 years, retiring in 1978. He was a Unitarian and enjoyed long-distance running. Hampton competed in more than 40 marathons, including Marine Corps Marathons, London and Pike’s Peak, which he last ran at age 81. He was preceded in death by: his wife of 62 years Meta Elizabeth Hampton; brother, Ken Hampton; and sister, Carol Sigel.



Survivors include: daughters, Candace Meta Bowman of Houston, Texas; and Dr. Sue Langham of Gainesville; son, John William Hampton III of Crofton, Md.; brother, Rex Hampton of Colorado Springs. Colo.; sister, Doris Moore of Sturgeon Bay, Wis.; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.



Memorial services will be held in July in Buena Vista, Colo. In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made to the Ronald McDonald House, 1600 S.W. 14th Street, Gainesville, FL 32608.



Williams-Thomas Funeral Home, Gainesville is in charge of all arrangements.