Milam Funeral Home, Inc.

07/11/2026

With hearts full of gratitude and sorrow, we announce the passing of Carolyn Marie Kessler Hoelle on June 30, 2026, in Gainesville, FL, at the age of 77.

Born May 7, 1949, in Canton, OH, she spent her life giving her time, heart and smile to make the world a better place. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Chris Hoelle; their children Robyn Hoelle, Stuart Hoelle, Daniel Hoelle, and Michael Hoelle Marshall; as well as her siblings Bill, Ken, Marty and Chris. She is preceded in death by her father and mother, Francis and Margaret Kessler, and sister-in-law, Carol Kessler.

Surrounded by a musical family, Carolyn developed a deep love of the violin and song. Of note she was a member of Glenwood High School’s A’ Capella Choir and concert mistress of the Canton Youth Symphony. She graduated from the University of Dayton in 1971 with degrees in Mathematics, Physics, and Latin.

Carolyn and Chris married in Canton, OH in 1972 and resided in Stockton, CA, then moved to Florida where they began their family. They spent several years as foster parents; and joyfully grew their family in 1985 when they adopted Daniel and Michael.

Carolyn loved the mission of the Y and volunteered at the Northwest YMCA (now the Bob Sierra YMCA), then joined the staff as Office Manager. She retired after 25 years of service. She then found herself working at Lutheran Services Florida (LSF), another non-profit, assisting migrant workers throughout the state.

Carolyn will be remembered for her kindness, her generosity and her love of card games, quilting, coffee and chocolate!

A private service will be held at Prairie Creek Conservancy Cemetery on July 17, 2026. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in memory of Carolyn.

Carolyn was born on May 7th, 1949 and passed away on June 30th, 2026 at the age of 77

07/08/2026

Shirley Ann Shealy, age 75, of Gainesville, FL, passed away on Saturday, July 4, 2026. Mrs. Shealy was born on September 16, 1950, in Jacksonville, FL, to John and Velma Rigdon.

Shirley devoted her life to caring for others. She proudly retired from Shands Hospital after many years of service as a Registered Nurse in the NICU, where her compassion and gentle hands brought comfort to countless families.

She was preceded in death by her parents John and Velma Rigdon, her brother Ronald, her sons Ronald Micheal and John Christopher, and her husband Larry Sr. She is survived by her sister Patsy, brothers Donald and Jimmy, her son Larry Jr., daughter in law Lisa, grandchildren Patricia, Ashley, Jamie, and Micheal Cullen, great grandchildren Peyton, Kyley, Audrie, Whitley, Easton, Marlie, Averie, and Liam, and her two beloved chihuahuas, Biscuit and Chico.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 10th, 2026, at the Milam Funeral Home chapel. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery. For those who wish, arrangements may be sent to Milam Funeral Home, 311 S. Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32601.

Shirley was born on September 16th, 1950 and passed away on July 4th, 2026 at the age of 75

07/06/2026

Virginia Brooks, affectionately known as Ginny, was born on August 1, 1962, in Seymour, IN. She was a loving, humble, supportive, and empathetic woman whose zest for life and kind-hearted spirit echoed in everything she undertook. Her life was a testament to the saying, “Family is not an important thing. It's everything.” For Virginia, family was indeed everything. She made her transition on June 16, 2026, leaving a legacy of love and compassion behind.

Virginia spent most of her life in Indianapolis, IN, before finally settling in Spring Hill, Florida, which she called home for the last ten years. She was a gifted massage therapist, her supportive and empathetic nature making her a natural in her chosen profession. She held a special fondness for the art of massage, and she was recognized for her skill and dedication in the field. Her love for her work was only second to her love for her family. Virginia was also an ardent football fan, finding joy in the camaraderie and excitement that came with each game.

Virginia is survived by her children, Amber and Jason Brooks, her daughter-in-law, Polly Brooks, her grandchildren, Eli, Michael, Sammy, and Emma Brooks, her brother, Terry Dawson, her sister, Tereasa, and sister-in-law, Bridgette McNeal. She was preceded in death by her father, Ralph McNeal, her mother, Anne Miskell, and her brother, Scott McNeal.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 10:30 am EDT at the Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery, County Road 234, Gainesville, Florida, 32641. Services are under the care of Milam Funeral and Cremation Services at 311 S. Main Street.

Virginia's life was a celebration of love, kindness, and resilience. Her legacy will continue to inspire her loved ones and all who were fortunate to know her. We invite you to share your cherished memories and photos of Virginia on her memorial page. It is in these shared moments of remembrance that her spirit will continue to live on.

https://milamfh.com/obituaries/virginia-brooks-2026

06/28/2026

Mark D. Williams, 71, of Panama City, Florida, passed away on June 19, 2026. He was born on March 26, 1955, in Hayti, Missouri, to Leonard Cameron Williams and Connie Feazel Williams.

Whether he was sailing, playing guitar, or hitting the open road on his motorcycle, Mark embraced every moment of his life.

He is survived by his wife, Catherine Williams; his children, Mason, Jake (Kristin), and Jessica; and his grandsons, Calvin and Owen Williams, who brought him immense joy. He also leaves behind a sister, Victoria Ring, as well as many nieces, nephews, and extended family members, and his devoted dog, Barkley.

He was preceded in death by his parents, as well as a sister, Lana Beckham, and a brother, Cameron "Matt" Williams.

In accordance with Mark’s wishes, a private burial will be held.

Mark was born on March 26th, 1955 and passed away on June 19th, 2026 at the age of 71

06/18/2026

Our very first "The Last Chapter: Exploring End-Of-Life Options" educational library event was a success! 🌱

This presentation and Q&A topic was green burial. More events will be scheduled for later this year focusing on other disposition options, so please keep an eye out for those announcements here on our page.

We are so glad to have partnered with Heather Grove, Executive Director of Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery who delivered an incredibly informative and engaging natural burial (and other alternative disposition methods!) presentation and discussion. We had a great turnout, and the Q&A session brought up a lot of really great questions to address as a group.

Our goal for this event, as well as future events we have scheduled, aim to educate - not endorse. We want to present the available options for final arrangements to the folks in our greater Gainesville community. We want everyone to make informed decisions and feel comfortable and confident in the funeral providers they choose, and based on the feedback we received from this first event, we feel that this mission has been achieved.

Many, many thanks go to the Millhopper Library Branch for granting us the space to host and the equipment with which to do it. By allowing us to utilize the meeting room, we were able to keep things neutral, accessible, and free of cost for our interested community members. 💚

06/18/2026

Victoria Garcia Ward
March 21, 1932 – June 16, 2026

Victoria Garcia Ward, beloved mother, grandmother, sister, wife and friend passed away peacefully on June 16, 2026, at the age of 94.

Victoria was born on March 21, 1932, in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, to Carmen Jorge and Eusebio Garcia Granados. She was raised alongside her sister, Anna Maria Garcia Jorge, her brother, Jose Garcia Jorge and many beloved cousins. She remained deeply connected to her Spanish heritage throughout her life and carried its traditions wherever she went.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Donald Lee Ward, and her dear younger brother, Jose Garcia Jorge.

Victoria’s greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her beloved sister, Ana Maria Garcia Jorge and her four children: Victoria Maria Ward and her husband, Mark Connolly, and their children, Alex, Isabel, and Nico; Daniel Lee Ward and his wife, Teresa Themides, and their daughter, Sylvia; Carmen Rose Ward and her wife, Joa March; and Michael Pablo Ward and his wife, Neysa Pranger, and their daughter, Lucille.

One of the defining acts of Victoria’s life was her remarkable courage as a young woman to leave Spain. Secretly saving money over time, she purchased passage on a boat bound for Venezuela. With little more than determination and faith in herself, she boarded the ship alone and began the journey that led to her meeting her husband, Donald Lee Ward, a geologist working in Venezuela. Her willingness to face the unknown in pursuit of a brighter future became a hallmark of the resilience and strength that defined her character.

To her family and friends, Victoria will be remembered most for the love she expressed through her extraordinary Spanish cooking. Her kitchen was a place of warmth and togetherness. The meals she prepared brought comfort, joy, and lasting memories to generations of family members and countless friends. Sharing food was her way of sharing love, and she did so abundantly.

Her legacy lives on in the traditions she passed down, the empathy she taught, and the many people who were fortunate enough to know her. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered with love.

Her ashes will be returned to her homeland, Tenerife.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to the Alachua County Humane Society.

Victoria was born on March 21st, 1932 and passed away on June 16th, 2026 at the age of 94

06/16/2026

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Lois Hammonds Forte (85) of Newberry Florida, a devoted and loving mother, grandmother, sister and friend to many, who departed this Earthly life on June 13, 2026. Lois built a life full of love, hope and laughter and was a dedicated public servant for 22 years as a commissioner for the City of Newberry, Florida.

Lois was born December 10, 1940 in Chadbourn NC . Parents Eddie Graham Hammonds and Vernie Mae Strickland Hammonds who predeceased her. In addition, husband James Randall Forte, three sisters Kathleen Hammonds Norton, Gladys Hammonds and Elena Dos Santos.

Lois is survived by her son Stephen F. Hammonds (Fl), Sandra Hammonds Marin (Bryan, TX), and Sophia Helt (Scott) (Hernando FL). Nine (9) grandchildren, Thirteen (13) great grandchildren. Sisters Helen Hawkins (NC), Judy Williams (NJ) and one brother Eddie Graham Hammonds Jr. (NC).

Lois’ heart and passion was to serve the senior citizens and children of Newberry and was a staunch advocate and champion to create a place for children to play which resulted in a park in Newberry named after her (Lois Forte Park). She was honored and happy to see this come to fruition.

Celebration of life and homecoming services will be held on Saturday June 20, 2026 at Milam Funeral home (Newberry location) at 12:00 (visitation) and funeral at 1:00 pm. Internment location City of Newberry Cemetery.

Lois was born on December 10th, 1940 and passed away on June 13th, 2026 at the age of 85

06/11/2026

We are so excited to be joined by Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery for this event and we hope to answer any questions that the community may have about green burial and the role of a funeral home in those arrangements. 💚 We hope to see a lot of you there!

As our hearts turn toward more sustainable ways of living - and leaving - we invite you to join us for a thoughtful exploration of green burial. This presentation and open Q&A offers a space to look beyond traditional practices and discover the quiet beauty of returning to the earth in a way that honors both the individual and the planet.

Led by a passionate group of local funeral and cemetery professionals, this session is designed to demystify eco-friendly options with warmth and transparency. Whether you are beginning your own pre-planning journey or are simply curious about the green burial movement, we welcome you to learn how a simpler farewell can blossom into a lasting, living legacy.

Please join us at the Millhopper Library Branch (Room A) on Tuesday, June 16th, 2026 from 10:30am - 11:30am for a presentation and Q&A session on green burial. Staff from Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery as well as Milam, will be present to offer their expertise and answer questions about the process and options available to you.

Please RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/share/1DyTYiMypc/