Saturday ObitsCoyote |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1556 Location: NE Florida | Subject: Saturday Obits https://www.facebook.com/ussvi.eternalpatrol/ https://ussvi.org/membership/eternal-patrol (USSVI members only) The above link goes to the USSVI (United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.) Facebook page where their members who have gone on “Eternal Patrol” are noted. I’ll keep my work here going, trying to get others who were not USSVI members. You’re encouraged to look there as well as here! Obviously, there’ll be some I miss and some I duplicate. MCWILLIAMS .. .. .. It is with heavy hearts and cherished memories that we announce the passing of Donnis Wayne McWilliams, who left us peacefully on October 22, 2026, surrounded by his family. Born July 5, 1950 in DeRidder, Louisiana, Donnis was the beloved son of Martin Luther and Effie Mae McWilliams. He had a roguish personality…he was mischievous, funny, a little ornery, and charming in his own way, leaving many of those who knew him with colorful memories to reflect on. Donnis graduated from DeRidder High School in 1968. He carried a lifelong pride for his brief tenure at Bible College in Fort Worth, Texas. He was a veteran, and proudly served his country in the US Navy from 1970 to 1972 during the Vietnam War. He was eager to share that he attended military training in "Rotten" Groton, CT and served aboard the USS Wahoo (SS-565), a diesel submarine, where he earned through intense study and dedication his "Dolphins" (Submarine Warfare) Qualification. Donnis continued to maintain close ties with his service connections and community veterans throughout his life, remaining an active member of the VFW, Masonic Lodge, and Shriners. In 1973, Donnis married the love of his life, Florence. Their 53-year marriage was a testament to enduring love, partnership, dedication, and Flo's tolerance. They were blessed with three wonderful and caring children: Donnis McWilliams (Rachel), Jessica Edwards (Derek) and Amanda Cantrell (Marty). Together, they raised their family with strong values, humor, and warmth. Donnis's quirky sense of humor and boundless enthusiasm for life left an indelible mark on all who knew him. Donnis embarked on a diverse career path, initially joining his father in the insurance business for 20 years. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to various odd jobs and the ownership of local DeRidder convenience stores before finding his true calling as a traveling salesman. Donnis had an innate talent for connecting with people and never met a stranger. His family recalls one of his catchphrases, "I'll buy if you fly," always finding joy in the simple act of running errands, and sharing stories. Donnis was a man of many interests, delighting in crossword puzzles, car and game shows, and weekend card games with friends who became like family. He was a jack of all trades, applying low-budget and practical fixes that seemed to defy logic, yet always held strong. His life was a mosaic of unforgettable moments, and his legacy will be cherished by those who knew him. He is survived by his devoted wife, their loving children, and a legacy of grandchildren: Jacob, Daren, Lucas, Katelyn, Evan, Jack, and Samantha, along with his great-grandchildren: Aaliyah, Kaia, Rustin, and Dawson. He also leaves behind his cherished nephew, Chad McWilliams. Donnis was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Linza Harold McWilliams. ROSS .. .. .. Ken Ross, 82 of Lakeport died in hospital in San Francisco on Sunday, October 19, 2008. Ken was born in Kelseyville, on May 26, 1926 to Joseph Joaquin Ross and Anna Santos Ross. He grew up on the Ross ranch outside of Finley with his four younger sisters. In 1961 he met his future wife, Alva, a young registered nurse from Illinois. They married and had three children who were also reared in Lake County. He was an alumnus of Clear Lake High School and Santa Rosa Junior College. Ken enlisted in the U.S. Navy at a young age, made the military his career, and served during World War II and the Korean War. He served on the USS Randall APA-224 and the USS Scamp SSN-588, a nuclear submarine. After naval service, Ken returned to Lake County and worked as a peace officer for over sixteen years in the Lake County Sheriff’s Department where he was affectionately known as “Doc”. Ken loved to laugh and was known for his wonderful sense of humor. He was an outdoorsman all of his life and greatly enjoyed fresh and salt water fishing, hunting, camping and golfing. A voracious reader, he had a fondness for spy novels, Native American history and military history. Ken was also an avid gardener and an accomplished chef. He is survived by Alva Ross of Lakeport; their three children, Jacquelyn, Maria and Joseph Ross; and his step-daughter, Debra Burak. He is also survived by sisters Leona Newman, Lois Thorne, Joanne Campbell and Judy Davidson. The family is deeply appreciative of the many friendships and kindnesses that sustained Ken over a long life well-lived. KIEFER .. .. .. JAMES (JIM) KIMBLE KIEFER, JR. 1946 – 2026 Not everyone's obit should read like a Hallmark card. This one doesn't. No kids. No grandkids. No wife. No choking tether to a corporation that could have tainted the best years of his life. Some would murmur, "selfish" or "loser". That's okay. Those who knew him would not. From all accounts, Jim was generous to a fault, always on hand to help his neighbors (well, those who didn't mess with him anyway). He used his exacting carpentry skills to improve people's everyday existence, to renovate, to turn common wood into something useful and pleasing to the eye. His sister is an accomplished artist, but she knows he was the real artist of the family; the one with the runaway imagination, the one with an innate sense of innovation and skill. In the '60s, complete with Beatle boots and Nehru shirt, he formed a neighborhood R&B cover band, playing sax and guitar and singing . In his early teens, he outfitted his boyhood cronies with sweatshirts decorated in hand-painted wild, bizarre and hilarious images. Jim Kiefer, the "hood", was a master graffiti artist at a time when it was solely regarded as "vandalism". But by his late teens, he abruptly turned his back on any future in the art world. He wasn't one of them. A job at Radio Shack turned his head toward electronics and, ultimately, computers. Straight from graduation at Center High School in Kansas City, he enlisted in the Navy, serving as a sonar technician on the USS Queenfish nuclear submarine when the country was still in serious cold war mode, spending weeks at a time deep under water in the Arctic and other unreachable parts of the world. He loved his country, he respected his mates, he learned and practiced the true meaning of interdependence. He loved his mother most of all, dedicating his life to making her proud -- and she most definitely was. After his five-year term on the Queenfish ended, he returned home, fell in love and married. A few years later, after his mother died, an opportunity to work with computers arose in Santa Ana, CA. He and his wife packed up and fled to the promise land in the late '70s -- pre PC, when computers were a mystery to most. But after a while, the relationship with both his wife and the corporate world went sour, as it does. It was a clear turning point for Jim. He turned to a simpler, quieter life in Williams, OR, buying a house in the foothills of the beautiful Grayback Mountains and setting up shop on his property to serve the area with his woodworking skills. He had earned the fresh air. Shortly after, he took in his aging father, James (Kim) Kiefer, Sr., whom he nurtured (as best he knew how) until his dad's death in 2010. On August 23, 2026, Jim Kiefer, Jr. turned 80, beset with back problems and other age-related issues. He turned to NASCAR, his dogs, friends and Amazon for comfort. Two months later, his dear friend and former neighbor, Barbara, asked their mutual friend, Marty, to do a wellness check, concerned that Jim hadn't returned her calls. Marty walked into the house and found Jim sitting up on the couch in his PJs, facing the TV, peacefully passed away. Jim Kiefer touched many lives. He shared a laugh. He shared his skills. He understood interdependence. He was not quite Hallmark material, but then who really is? BYRNE .. .. .. Christopher E. Byrne, a dedicated Environmental, Health, and Safety professional and proud U.S. Navy Submarine Service veteran, passed away on October 3, 2025. Christopher devoted his career to protecting people and the environment through his work with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the St. Louis County Department of Health, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. His commitment to service, both in uniform and in civilian life, reflected his deep sense of responsibility. Born to the late Christopher and Virginia Byrne, he carried forward the values of hard work, care for the land, and curiosity. He is survived by his wife, Sandra Byrne (née Haverstick); his children, Christopher (Maria) Byrne, and Pamela (Robert) Schmidt; and his brothers, Michael (Yvonne) Byrne, Robert (Cynthia) Byrne, and John (Jenny) Byrne. Christopher was a proud grandfather of Maddi (Zack) Myers, Leo Byrne, Tyler Schmidt, and Maggie (Jason) Frederick, and great-grandfather of Genevieve and Rosalie Myers, and Oliver Schmidt. Dear brother-in-law, uncle, cousin and friend. His quiet strength will be forever remembered. SCOTT .. .. .. U.S. Navy Capt. (Ret.) Thomas Fletcher Scott Jr., age 81, died Sunday, March 9, 2025, at St. Mary's Regional Medical Center. A native of Rockwood, Tennessee and previously honored by the city as a "Hometown Hero" for his service to his country, he served on nuclear submarines — the USS Pollack, USS Alexander Hamilton, and USS Bluefish — and completed numerous missions that remain classified today. Tom moved his family to Russellville in 1979 to work at Arkansas Nuclear One, ultimately retiring from Entergy. An avid reader, jogger, loyal Jeopardy watcher, and crossword puzzle enthusiast, he was a member of Central Presbyterian Church for many years and served in various leadership roles there. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he passionately hated Duke and loved singing the North Carolina fight song to his grandchildren after a Tarheel victory. He also looked forward to a Navy football victory over rival Army every year. He instilled a love of baseball in his two sons thanks to many trips to see the Arkansas Travelers play. His sons also appreciated lunch at Munchies after church on Sundays followed by trips to Shotgun Sam's where they mastered their gaming skills while he wrote his weekly letter to his parents in the corner. They also experienced many trips to hike the "number trail" (Basin Park Trail) at Mt. Nebo State Park, likely to give his wife a break from the constant energy of twin sons. He was appointed to the Arkansas Library Board by Gov. Mike Huckabee and was awarded by St. Mary's Regional Medical Center for his volunteer service there. Tom finished his Navy service as a reservist, doing his military drills in Little Rock while bragging to his children about successfully keeping the Russians away from the Arkansas River. He kept many close friendships among his Navy buddies after retirement that included numerous camping and canoeing trips, and outings that involved trips throughout the state to test and find the best bar-b-que, along with tamales and other food tasting quests. Tom twice fought and defeated cancer, and he and his family greatly appreciated Dr. Thomas Sneed and his staff at CARTI for saving and prolonging his life. His final competition was battling his close friend and neighbor, Wesley McMahan, to see who could retrieve each other's trash cans from the curb first following pick up each week. He greatly appreciated Wesley driving him and honoring him in Russellville's Veterans Day Parade for the past several years. He was preceded in death by his wife of more than 50 years, Judy Scott; a daughter, Katherine Scott; and his parents, Thomas and Mary Scott. Survivors include two sons and a daughter, Pope County Coroner Matthew Scott of Russellville, Mark (Kelsey) Scott of Rogers, and Liz Scott of Fayetteville; 8 grandchildren, Harrison, Heath and Hogan Scott of Russellville, Anna, Emily and Will Scott of Rogers and Katie and Scotty Scott of Fayetteville; and his two sisters, Billie Lou Baker of Athens, Georgia, and Nancy Farmer (Eddie) of Rockwood, Tennessee. | ||
| GaryKC |
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COMSUBBBS Posts: 3924 Location: Kansas City Missouri | Subject: RE: Saturday Obits Born poor and completely naked, over seventy years of sniffing has endowed me with the unique ability to smell words. Currently clothed and warm, nosedives occur more and more as whiffs of folks letting ones and zeros write loved ones last notices. Will AI take over the whole "Surrounded by family" industry? Butt, 'course, prolly ok that they be doing 'em rather than no one at all. Wondering how long it'll take afore they decide to evolve and stop writing any. Dun, Dun, Dunnnn! Heck, reading to much into stuff learned during my term aboard boats. Edited by GaryKC 2026-10-24 6:33 PM | ||
