BY Susan K. Lamb. Special to the News

The mother of a 2-year-old girl found dead in January has been arrested, along with the mother’s boyfriend, and charged in conjunction with the case. The boyfriend was with the child when paramedics and police arrived at the apartment off Walker Street in January and found the child dead.



Marion Cason, 24, 2667 167th Road, was arrested by Third Circuit State Attorney’s (SAO) Investigator Chris Nelson Nov. 6 and charged with child neglect. The charge is a second degree felony, according to Live Oak Police Chief Nolan McLeod.



The boyfriend, Fredrick Stegall, 41, 30079 81st Place, Branford, was arrested Nov. 6 by Nelson and SAO Investigator Lisa Long on one count of aggravated child abuse. Stegall’s charge is a first degree felony, McLeod said.



Cason’s daughter, Serenity Nichole Miller, died Jan. 2 at Shands at Live Oak after a 911 call brought Suwannee County EMS paramedics to the home. Live Oak Police and Suwannee County EMS got the call at about 11:10 a.m. that a child at 638 Washington St. was not breathing.



Stegall, who lived at the house with Cason, took the child next door and told the woman there the child was not breathing. While 911 was being called, the neighbor’s daughter attempted to revive the child, police said. When EMS arrived at the location, a neighbor was giving Serenity Nicole Miller mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.



“This death is being investigated as a homicide, ” Live Oak Police Chief Nolan McLeod said at the time of the child’s death. “There is evidence that strongly suggests that foul play was present,” McLeod added.



Nelson, who was a captain with the LOPD at the time, was the lead investigator in the case and continued to work on the case after going to work for the SAO. A joint investigation into the child’s death involved the LOPD, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the SAO as is the custom with all suspicious deaths in Suwannee County.



The victim’s one-year-old brother was at the home when his sister died, but Cason was not at home, police said. The little boy was taken into state child welfare custody.



Cason posted a $5,000 bond and was released from the Suwannee County Jail after her arrest. Stegall, remains in the jail in lieu of a $15,000 bond, according to jail officials.

Obituaries for the Suwannee Democrat, Nov. 12, 2003 issue



Leon Leslie Page Sr.



Leon Leslie Page Sr., 84, of Day passed away November 6, 2003. Born March 10, 1919 in Day, he was the son of Ollie Williams Page and James Garfield Page. He was a member of Brewer Lake Baptist Church, Day, a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, a retired heavy equipment operator and an avid fisherman.



Survivors include: his wife of 65 years, Mary Edith (Toby) Hill Page, Day; children, Atha Ellerker, Chiefland, Leon Leslie Page Jr., Blue Ridge, Ga., Liz Lemmon, Gainesville, Jimmy Page (deceased), Elaine Murray, Palatka, Sherry Page, Charlotte, N.C.; Ricky Page, Fitzgerald, Ga. and Ritchie Page, Mayo; 20 grandchildren; and 25 great-grandchildren.



Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Nov. 8, at Brewer Lake Baptist Church, Day. Burial followed at Day Cemetery, Day.



Beggs Funeral Home, Madison was in charge of all arrangements.



Carmen C. Cole



Carmen C. Cole, 89, of Live Oak passed away Nov. 9, 2003 at the Lake City Medical Center in Lake City after a lengthy illness. He was born on Oct. 19, 1914 in Springfield, Tenn. to the late Luther P. and Coantha Powell Cole and had lived in Hahira, Ga. and Bartow before moving to Live Oak several years ago. Mr. Cole was a Freewill Baptist and a retired farmer.



Survivors include: his wife, Ruth Cole of Live Oak; seven children, Joyce Williams and Calvin Cole both of Bartow, Gerald Cole of Ft. Myers, Andrew Cole of Live Oak, John Draper of Ft. Mead, Ronald Draper and Patricia Seger both of Bartow; 15 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren; three sisters, Hazel Parker of Bartow, Janie Burtoft of Cocoa and Kitty Agner of Madison. He was preceded in death by: a daughter, Sarah Amanda Cole; three sisters, Geneva Drew, Velma Stalvey and Zelma Cole; five brothers, Willie P. Cole, John L. Cole, Frank Cole, Russell Cole and Jack Cole.



Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Nov. 12, at Friendship Primitive Baptist Church in Hahira, Ga. with the Rev. Ronald Draper officiating. Burial will follow in Friendship Cemetery.



Martin/McLane Funeral Home of Hahira, Ga. is in charge of all arrangements.



Arthur R. Bass



Arthur R. Bass, 79, of Branford, passed away suddenly Nov. 7, 2003. A native of Fort White, he resided all his life in Branford. He retired from Suwannee County School Transportation Department with 26 years of service and was of the Baptist faith.



Survivors include: four daughters, Claire Bass Sanford and June Hardy both of Branford, Inez Lyons of Coppell, Texas and Cheryl page of Walker, La.; one son, Roger Bass of Tallahassee; one sister, Annie Mae Touchton of Branford; two brothers, Alfred R. Bass and Alvin R. Bass both of Branford; and nine grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a sister, Agnes Wilson.



Graveside services were conducted at 2 p.m., Nov. 10, at Santa Fe Cemetery.



Daniels Funeral Home of Branford was in charge of all arrangements.



Robert L. Cathcart Sr.



Robert L. Cathcart Sr., 69, of Live Oak, was called home to be with his Lord, Nov. 1, 2003. He was a native of Zionsville, Ind. where he resided for 43 years. He moved to Yorktown, Va. in 1977 and in April of 2003 he relocated to be with his son in Live Oak. He served in the United States Navy and was a carpenter by trade. He was a member of the Yorkminster Baptist Church in Yorktown, Va. and attended the Westwood Baptist Church in Live Oak.



He is survived by: his wife of 50 years, Martha L. Cathcart of Live Oak; three daughters, Cheryl Turley of Indianapolis, Ind., Vicky Akers of Richmond, Va. and Kimberly Rohman of Okinawa, Japan; one son, Robert L. “Rob” Cathcart Jr. of Live Oak; and nine grandchildren, Jeremy, Lauren, Jennifer, Andrew, Wesley, Daniel, Russ, Rachel and Jarrett.



Memorial services were conducted at 7 p.m., Nov. 4, in the Westwood Baptist Church in Live Oak with Dr. Jimmy Deas officiating.



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



Muriel B. Carroll



Muriel B. Carroll, 90, passed away Nov. 2, 2003 in Dowling Park. She was born in Bridgeport, Conn., lived in Pelham, N.H. for nine years, then moved to Fairfield, Conn. where she lived most of her life before moving to Dowling Park. She retired from General Electric Corporation as a bookkeeper in 1978, volunteered at Good Samaritan Center in Dowling Park, enjoyed knitting and golfing and was a member of the Village Church in Dowling Park.



Survivors include: four cousins, Lois Dow of Alton Bay, N.H., Candace Smith of Putnam, Conn., Sharon Jacobson of Kalispell, Mont. and Terry Thomas of Slocomb, Ala.



Memorial services were held at 2 p.m., Nov. 11, at Bixler Memorial Chapel, Dowling Park.



Beggs Funeral Home, Madison was in charge of all arrangements.



Obituaries for the Suwannee Democrat, Nov. 14, 2003 issue



Doll Curry



Doll Curry, 71, passed away Nov. 9, 2003 in Jensen Beach. She was born in Douglas, Ga. and moved to Florida in 1952 coming from Douglas, Ga. A loving and caring mother and wife, she was loved by all who knew her. She was an active member of the Liberty Baptist Church and was an instrumental part in starting the Indian River Academy.



Survivors include: her husband of 51 years, Leland Curry of Wellborn; daughters, Diane Kops of Douglas, Ga., Marilyn Mercer of Live Oak and Helen Irene Curry of Orford, N.H.; sons, Charles Curry of Kalispell, Mont. and William Leland Curry of Ft. Pierce; sisters, Frankie Litchfield of Sarasota, Lydia Soloman of Douglas, Ga. and Pauline Brantley of Douglas, Ga.; six grandchildren, Kimberly Stewart, Michael Stewart, Valerie Christine Adams, Jeremy Leland Jenkins, Melissa Monterosso and Issac Monterosso; and two great-grandchildren, MacKenzie Adams, and Michael Adams Jr.



Graveside services were conducted at 10 a.m., Nov. 13, at White City Cemetery, Ft. Pierce.



Friends unable to attend may sign the guest book at www.haisleyhobbs.com



Arrangements were under the direction of Haisley-Hobbs Funeral Home.



Jerry Wayne “Doc” Parson



Jerry Wayne “Doc” Parson, 63, resident of Live Oak passed away Nov. 11, 2003, at his home following a brief illness. He was a native of Roanoke, Va., son of the late Ralph Dayton Parson Sr., and had lived most of his life in Ft. Lauderdale prior to moving to Live Oak in 1999. Parson had worked his entire life as a sheet metal worker; he had worked for many years with Latite Roofing in Ft. Lauderdale, and with O’Neal Roofing in Lake City, until his retirement in May of 2003. He enjoyed working with metal as a hobby as well as a career, having crafted many beautiful personal items, along with having been the sheet metal advisor for the recently completed Columbia County Courthouse Annex. Parson was also an avid NASCAR fan.



Survivors include: his wife Carol Ann Parson of Live Oak; three sons, Timothy Wayne (Tammy) Parson, of Vero Beach, Richard Dayton (Shellie) Parson and Ronnie Eugene (Karen) Parson, both of Live Oak; three daughters, Rebecca Ann (Leif) Hunt of Lake City, Waynette Marie Parson, and Peggy Alyce Parson, both of Live Oak; his mother, Mollie Ann Parson of Live Oak; one step-son, Jason Curtis, of Philadelphia, Pa.; one step-daughter, Jamie Lee Curtis of Live Oak; one brother, Ralph Dayton Parson Jr. of Live Oak; two sisters, Ruth McMurtrey of Live Oak and Gail Clappner of Arlington, Texas; nine grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.



Funeral services were conducted at 2 p.m., Nov. 13, in the Southside Baptist Church of Live Oak, with the Rev. Aaron Turner, church pastor, officiating. Interment followed in Live Oak Cemetery.



Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the Suwannee Valley, 618 S.W. Florida Gateway Drive, Lake City, FL 32055 or to the American Cancer Society, Suwannee County Unit, 2119 S.W. 16th Street, Gainesville, FL 32608.



Suwannee Funeral Home, Live Oak, was in charge of all arrangements.





Obituaries for the Branford News, Nov. 13, 2003 issue



Bass, Arthur R.



Arthur R. Bass, 79, of Branford passed away Friday November 7, suddenly. Mr. Bass was a native of Ft. White residing all his life in Branford. He retired from the Suwannee County School Transportation Department with 26 years of service. He was of the Baptist faith.



Mr. Bass is survived by four daughters, Claire Bass Sanford and June Hardy both of Branford, Inez Lyons of Coppell, TX and Cheryl Page of Walker, LA; one son, Roger Bass of Tallahassee; one sister, Annie Mae Touchton, Branford; two brothers, Alfred R. Bass and Alvin R. Bass, both of Branford. Nine grandchildren also survive. He was predeceased by sister Agnes Wilson.



Graveside services for Mr. Bass were conducted Monday November 10, at 2 p. m. at Santa Fe Cemetery.



Visitation was Sunday November 9, from 2 to 4 p.m. in Daniels Chapel Branford.



Daniels Funeral Homes of Branford was in charge of all arrangements.



Gregory, Gary “Greg”

Gary “Greg” Gregory, 64, of O’Brien passed away Saturday, November 1, 2003 in the VA Medical Center, Lake City. The Bartlesville, Oklahoma native was a U. S. Air Force veteran serving during the Vietnam conflict and was of Baptist faith.



Survivors include his wife: Eunice Gregory of O’Brien; sons, daughters and their spouses: Don Dee Gregory, Wheat Ridge, CO; Steve Bennett-Gregory, O’Brien; Janice A. and Tony Walker, Batesville, AR; Troy and Michelle Gregory, Aliso Viejo, CA; Samantha Gregory, Klammath Falls, OR; Rob M. and Kristie Gunia-Gregory, O’Brien; and Becci Gregory, Irvine, CA. He is also survived by seven grandchildren.



Daniels Funeral Home, Live Oak was in charge of all arrangements.





Obituaries for the Mayo Free Press, Nov. 13, 2003



Virginia Elizabeth Baker



Virginia Elizabeth Baker passed away on November 8, 2003 at St. John’s Medical Center in Springfield, Missouri. She was residing in Mountain View, Missouri at the time and was a member of the First Baptist Church of Birch Tree, Missouri.



She was born August 28, 1921 in Bluefield, West Virginia but lived in Rocky Gap, Virginia for most of her childhood. She married Charles Edgar Baker in 1940 and was widowed in 1951 when he was killed in Korea. After her husband’s death she moved to Mayo, Florida where she purchased a farm in the Pleasant Grove area. After the marriage of her two daughters, she attended nursing school, graduating in 1962. She worked in Doctor’s Memorial Hospital in Perry, Florida and Putnam Memorial Hospital in Palatka, Florida, retiring in 1984 as a surgical nurse. After retirement she lived in Zellwood, Florida, later moving to Tavares, Florida and Birch Tree, Missouri.



She is survived by her daughters Scarlett Wynona Webb of Howey in the Hills, Florida and Rebecca Elizabeth Kitchens of Birch Tree, Missouri; her sisters Leeda Mae White of Keystone Heights, Florida and Wynona Jean McGuire of Palatka, Florida; eight grandchildren, eighteen great grandchildren, and two great-great grand children.



Visitation will be held on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church then a graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Joe P.Burns Funeral Home, Mayo Chapel, is in charge of local arrangements.



Leon Leslie Page, Sr.



Leon Leslie Page, Sr. was born March 10, 1919 in Day, Fl. Passed away on Wednesday, November 6, 2003.



Funeral services were held Saturday, November 8, 2003 at Brewer Lake Baptist Church, Day, Fl. Burial followed at Day cemetery in Day, Fl. Family received friends Friday, 4-6 pm, November 7, 2003 at Brewer lake Baptist Church, Day, Fl.



Mr. Page was a member of Brewer Lake Baptist Church, Day, Fl. and was a U.S. Navy Veteran of World War II. He was a retired heavy equipment operator and an avid fisherman.



Son of Ollie Williams Page and James Garfield Page. Survivors included his wife of 65 years, Mary Edith (Toby) Hill Page, Day, Fl. Children are Atha Ellerker, Chiefland, Fl; Leon Leslie Page, Jr., Blue Ridge, Ga; Liz Lemmon, Gainesville, Fl; Jimmy Page (deceased); Elaine Murray, Palatka, Fl; Sherry Page, Charlotte, NC; Ricky Page, Fitzgerald, Ga and Ritchie Page, Mayo, Fl. 20 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren.



Obituaries for the Jasper News, Nov. 13, 2003 issue



Madeline M. Hancock



Madeline McCall Hancock, 86, of Palatka, died Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003 at Palatka Health Care Center after a long illness. She was a native of Jennings and had lived in Palatka for the past 53 years, coming from Mobile, Alabama. She was a member of St. James United Methodist Church, the Westbury Sunday School Class, the Methodist Women’s Society and the Mary Martha Circle of the United Methodist Women. She was also a member of the Palatka Woman’s Club, Alpha Omiron Pi Sorority, and was a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International.



She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Frank M. Hancock, Sr. of Palatka; son, Frank M. Hancock, Jr. of East Palatka; two daughters, Frances Madeline Hancock of Tallahassee and Patricia Ann Whitaker of Jasper; ten grandchildren, W. Matt Prather, Robert W. Prather, David W. Prather, M. Joel Prather, Madeline Christina Whitaker, Joseph Douglas Whitaker, II, Jason Mathew Whitaker, Margaret Ann Whitaker, Jodie Frances Hancock, and Frank M. Hancock, III; and nine great-grandchildren.



Funeral services were held on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003, at the St. James United Methodist Church with Rev. Hardy B. Sandlin, III officiating. The Rotary Club of Palatka served as honorary pallbearers. Burial followed in Palatka Memorial Gardens. Memorial donations can be made to: The St. James United Methodist Church Capital Improvement Fund, 400 Reid Street, Palatka, Florida 32177.



Johnson-Overturf Funeral Homes, Inc. served the Hancock family.



Dorothy Davis Fennell



Dorothy Davis Fennell, 73, of Jasper, passed away Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003, at Suwannee Valley Nursing Center following an illness of some time. Mrs. Fennell was a lifelong resident of Hamilton County and retired after 27 years teaching for the Hamilton County School System. She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. Mrs. Fennell was preceded in death by her husband Jimmy DeWitt Fennell.



Survivors include: two sons, Terry Fennell (Judy) and Ricky Fennell (Charlotte), all of Jasper; one daughter, Cindy Mode (Gary), Lake Park, GA.; her step-mother, Bertie Davis, Statenville, GA.; one sister, Ann Kinsey, Lake Park, GA.; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Graveside services were held Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003 at Evergreen Cemetery with Rev. Wendell Hill officiating.



Harry T. Reid Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.



Randolph Eugene “Randy” King



Randolph Eugene “Randy” King, 63, of Jasper, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2003 at Shands at Lake Shore Hospital in Lake City. Randy was a farmer and retired purchasing agent in Hamilton County and in California where he was a former resident. Mr. King was a member of Oak Grove Church of Christ.



Survivors include one son, Randolph Eugene King, Jr. (Nicole), Corona, California; one daughter, Sabrina Brinkley (Tracy), Lake City; his mother, Mattie Lou King, Jasper; two brothers, David King (Dorothy) and Derryl King (Gayle), all of Jasper; four grandchildren, Tracy Brinkley Jr., Travis Brinkley, Chipper Brinkley and Heather Nicole King.



Funeral services were held Saturday, Nov. 8, 2003 in the chapel of Harry T. Reid Funeral Home with Rev. Charles Johnson officiating. Interment followed in Oak Grove Cemetery.



Harry T. Reid Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.