Jan. 13, 2004

<p class="bold allcaps">Olga Charles</p> <p><li>Olga Charles of Gainesville died Sunday at North Florida Rehab and Specialty Care Center. She was 81.</p><p>Mrs. Charles was born in Philadelphia and moved to Gainesville from Vero Beach in February. She was retired from Philadelphia Electric Co., where she worked in customer service.</p><p>She was Russian Orthodox.</p><p>Survivors include her husband, Frank R. Charles of Gainesville; a daughter, Debra Charles of Gainesville; a stepdaughter, Jennene Colky of Oak Park, Ill.; sisters Helen Merkel of Philadelphia and Frances Homonay of Hilton Head, S.C.; two grandchildren; and two step-grandchildren.</p><p>Arrangements by Milam Funeral and Cremation Services.</p><h3>James Conner</h3> <p><li>James Conner of Bell died Monday at North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville. He was 53.</p><p>Mr. Conner was born in Bell and was a lifetime resident. He was a farmer and a Baptist.</p><p>He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and enjoyed gardening, playing guitar and singing.</p><p>Survivors include a son, Casey Conner of Fort Hood, Texas; his mother, Dollie Conner of Bell; and sisters Donna Johnson of Phoenix City, Ala., Betty Smith of Branford, Alice Cannon of Bell and Myrlene Hendry of High Springs.</p><p>Arrangements by Watson Funeral Home.</p><h3>James L. Fannin</h3> <p><li>James L. Fannin of Gainesville died Saturday at his home. He was 72.</p><p>Mr. Fannin was born in Glomawr, Ky., and moved to Gainesville in 1972. He was a retired counselor for Alachua County Community Addiction Services. He was a Protestant.</p><p>He was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War. He enjoyed golf and was a past member of Gainesville Golf and Country Club, and also Meadowbrook Golf and Country Club.</p><p>Survivors include his wife, Rena L. Fannin of Gainesville; a daughter, Elizabeth A. Clementson of Gainesville; brothers the Rev. John Fannin of Derek, Ark., and Wilburn Fannin of Plymouth, Mich.; sisters Lucille Haines of Tazwell, Tenn., and Geraldine Lindsey of Monroe, Mich.; two grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.</p><p>Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.</p><p></p><h3>Charles B. Lassiter</h3> <p><li>Charles B. Lassiter of Gainesville died Saturday at Shands at AGH. He was 86.</p><p>Mr. Lassiter was born in Gainesville, and returned here from Dunedin, where he had lived for many years, in 2003. He was a retired lieutenant colonel and pilot in the U.S. Air Force, having served for 27 years.</p><p>He was a 1940 University of Florida graduate, with a degree in civil engineering. After his retirement from the Air Force in 1966, he taught engineering at Pinellas Vocational Technical School. He was a member of the Retired Officers Association.</p><p>Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Betty Lassiter of Gainesville; sons Charles B. Lassiter Jr. of High Springs and Stephen H. Lassiter of Richmond, Va.; and four grandchildren.</p><p>Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.</p><p></p><h3>Kay Frances Osborne</h3> <p><li>Kay Frances Osborne of High Springs died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. She was 67.</p><p>Mrs. Osborne was born in Lake Wales and moved to High Springs from Miami in 1983. She was a retired preschool teacher.</p><p>She was a member of First Baptist Church of High Springs.</p><p>Survivors include a son, Bill Osborne Jr. of Gainesville; daughters Jeri Fenn of Gainesville and Teri Holloway of High Springs; and four grandchildren.</p><p>Arrangements by Evans-Carter Funeral Home in High Springs.</p><p></p><h3>George Charles Rushing III</h3> <p><li>George Charles Rushing III of Alachua died Wednesday at his home after a brief illness. He was 18.</p><p>Mr. Rushing was born in Gainesville and was a student at Sidney Lanier School.</p><p>Survivors include his father, George Rushing Jr. of Gainesville; his mother, Latonya Rushing of Alachua; a brother, Terrance L. Holmes of Alachua; a sister, Lashaunda K. Rushing of Gainesville; and his grandparents, George Rushing Sr. and Shirley Rushing, and Florence Middleton, all of Gainesville.</p><p>Arrangements by Chestnut Funeral Home.</p><h3>Grady Harold Smith Sr.</h3> <p><li>Grady Harold Smith Sr. of O'Brien died Saturday at his home after a brief illness. He was 67.</p><p>Mr. Smith was born in West Columbia, S.C., and moved to O'Brien from Clearwater in 1989. He was a retired truck driver for White Trucking Co., where he worked from 1993 to 1997.</p><p>He was a member of O'Brien Baptist Church, where he was a member of the choir and the Brotherhood Association.</p><p>Survivors include his wife, Ana Marie Smith of O'Brien; daughters Sharon Graves of Simpsonville, Valerie Smith of Safety Harbor and Katherine Smith of Bronson; sons Robert Smith of Seminole, Gary Smith of Clearwater, Richard Smith of Daytona Beach and Grady H. Smith Jr. of Branford; a sister, Louise Cox of Bellview; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.</p><p>Arrangements by Daniels Funeral Home in Branford.</p><p></p><h3>Era F. Williams</h3> <p><li>Era F. Williams of Hawthorne died Sunday at Shands at AGH in Gainesville. She was 85.</p><p>Mrs. Williams was born in Day and moved to Hawthorne from Jacksonville in 1968. She was a retired educational director at Lakeshore Baptist Church.</p><p>She was a member of Eliam Baptist Church in Melrose, where she also taught Sunday school. She was active in Order of the Eastern Star Chapter No. 52 in Hawthorne and was past president of Hawthorne Women's Club.</p><p>She was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Cecil C. Williams, and a daughter, Reba Chessman.</p><p>Survivors include a daughter, Cecilia Bowen of Hawthorne; a son, Richard Williams of Oxford, Miss.; brothers Fred Farnell of Atlanta and Ralph Farnell of Rockwell City, Iowa; a sister, Delores Lee of Gainesville, Ga.; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.</p><p>Arrangements by Williams-Thomas Funeral Home.</p><p></p><h3>Obituaries policy</h3> <p><li><i>The obituaries in this section are considered news and are published free of charge by The Gainesville Sun. Obituaries are submitted by funeral homes and may be edited for style, space and policy. Funeral notices, which appear in this section in smaller print, are paid advertisements and may contain information, such as tributes, not normally included in obituaries. Information on funeral notices may be obtained by calling the classified advertising department Monday through Friday at (352) 338-3136.</i></p>