ancestors in the afterlife - the ultimate family reunion. We miss them all and give thanks to them for
their efforts in making the Naples Chapter an entity that will continue on. Until we meet again...
Grover Stanley Higginbotham - 08 July 2007
Robert Coleman Gresham - 17 August 2005
Mark Eugene Tull - 07 July 2005
J. Doyle Robbins - 14 April 2005
Walter Earl Marlin - 18 March 2005
Samuel Maurice Young - 27 February 2005
Charles Radcliffe Rhoades, Jr. - 11 December 2004
Warren Edwards Emly, Jr. - 24 August 2004
John Worz Achor - 03 June 2004
Leland Pirtle Boyd - 01 March 2004
James S. Hogg - 12 April 2003
Frank M. Ellis - 13 September 2002
Robert W. Kolb - 11 April 2002
Dennis E. Modesitt - 06 April 2001
Marvin R. Hoover - 19 February 2001
George G. Woodman - 01 October 1998
James R. Farrall - 26 February 1998
Loran F. Kelley - 21 December 1997
William B. Douglass - 15 November 1997
Robert Bruce Burleig - 06 October 1997
Robert B. Wightman - 26 April 1996
Jesse L. Perry, Jr. - 11 January 1996
Donald Darlington Dillworth - 05 March 1995
Richard C. Crockett - 20 February 1995
Matthew M. Gouger - 15 June 1994
Porter Feary - 24 May 1994
James S. Rhoades - 23 January 1994
Samuel R. Bayne - 16 January 1994
William H. Morse - 29 December 1993
Charles W. Montgomery - 04 September 1993
James Madison McGarity, Jr. - 06 June 1993
Pressly L. Stevenson - 11 May 1993
John E. Beebe, Jr. - 23 January 1993
Edward Lee Montgomery - 19 June 1992
George G. Huntoon - 18 February 1992
Robert O. McCloud - June 1991
John William Taylor - 22 November 1990
James R. Cox - 05 September 1990
John K. Wise - 18 May 1990
Carroll P. Faulkner - 28 April 1990
Charles Edward Towne - 22 February 1988
Floyd H. Fradenburgh - June 1987
Robert L. Davidson - December 1986
Edwin Backus Thomas - November 1985
Addison B. Miller - October 1985
Richard Gentry Estill, Jr. - 13 September 1985
Clarence F. Van Glahn - 1985
Melvin W. Crook - 27 February 1984
George Julian Leovy - 10 November 1983
Benjamin Hooke Anderson - 21 August 1983
James M. Smith - 07 December 1982
Loren D. Hynes - 07 October 1982
Talbott Denny - 26 December 1981
Donald Sherman Flynn -13 February 1981
Beverly Hastings Lapham - 27 October 1980
J. Nathanial Davis - November 1979
Norris L. Rhodes - 21 September 1979
Holcombe A. Jones - 20 July 1979
Homer A. Goddard - 19 June 1979
Maurice E. Miller -24 May 1979
John W. Collins - 18 May 1979
Wallace E. Kerr - 1979
Dr. David Palmer - 24 May 1978
John M. Wellman - 05 November 1977
John C. Windsor - 27 August 1977
Lyndon Brown - 18 April 1977
Dudley Eden Jacobus - 15 June 1976
Henry D. Ferguson - 06 February 1976
Joseph Heber Bishop, Jr. - 21 October 1975
Edwin C. Hacklemann - 26 January 1975
Joseph Wiggs Hart - 28 December 1974
Col. Horace W. Lanford, USAF (Ret.), Ph.D, 88, son of the late Dr. H. W. Lanford and Mattie West Lanford of Atlanta, GA, died
September 21, 2007 at his home in Naples. Col. Lanford was the original squadron commander of the 741 Bomb Squadron 455
Bomb Group, flying missions out of Cerignola, Italy during WW II. Col. Lanford flew 30 combat missions, was hit by AA fire
over Brux, Czechoslovakia, parachuted from the disabled and outof-control B-24 south of Ljublijana, Yugoslavia, was rescued by
the Slovene Partisans, was MIA for four days and returned to Allied control by South African C-47 in a night pickup from
Slovenia. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three clusters, the Purple Heart, Group Citation
badge with cluster and various Theatre ribbons. He served in Japan in the Army of Occupation. He retired from the Air Force with
over 26 years service. While on active duty as the Director of Electronics Production Resource Agency (DoD), Col. Lanford was
given written delegation of authority by the Honorable Perkins McGuire, Asst. Secretary of Defense, Supply and Logistics, to
collect upon a mandatory basis, jointly with the Business and Defense Services Administration (Dept. of Commerce) and to
compile and process data relating to the production and distribution of electronic components and related items, in cooperation
with Electronic Industries Association members and the three military departments, Army, Navy and Air Force. Professor Lanford
attended Georgia Tech, graduated from University of Georgia (BA), George Washington University (MBA) and Ohio State
University (Ph.D) He authored two books, one of which was translated into Spanish language, combined with a book by B.C.
Twiss, an English author, and published as part of a six volume business encyclopedia by Duesto. He authored or co-authored
articles in international journals, e.g. International Marketing Management, Long Range Planning, Technological Forecasting,
Business Horizons, Manage, Air University Review, and other local, regional and national journals. He planned, staffed and directed
six three-day seminars on Technological Forecasting Techniques for the American Management Association, three in Chicago and
three in New York. He presented another such series to the Bureau of Naval Personnel in Washington, DC. He retired as Emeritus
Professor of Management, Wright State University, after a 22 year teaching career. Horace Lanford belonged to the Sigma Xi
scientific honorary, was a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, member of International Men's Club of Florida, Quiet
Birdmen (QB), Order of Daedalions, Ohio State University Alumni Club, Moorings Presbyterian Church, S.A.R. and the Grazer's
Men's Lunch Bunch. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Joyce (nee White) Lanford of Doncaster, England; two sons,
Michael Sean Lanford of Naples and Ward Fraser Lanford of Ft. Lauderdale, FL; two daughters, Ina Lynn Lanford of Tampa, FL
and Lorna Lanford of Murfreesboro, TN; four grandchildren; and one greatgrandchild. A celebration of Horace's life will be held
at Fuller Funeral Home, 1625 Pine Ridge Road, Naples, 2:00 p.m. Thursday September 27, 2007. A time for fellowship will be
held an hour prior from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Interment will be held in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers,
the family requests donations be sent in Horace's memory to Hospice of Naples, 1095 Whippoorwill Lane, Naples, FL 34105 or to
the Alzheimer's Support Network, 660 Ninth Street North, Naples, FL 34102. Fuller Funeral Home Pine Ridge Road 592-1611.
Funeral Announcement as it appeared in the Naples Daily News.
Grover Stanley Higginbotham, 92, of Edina, MN and Naples, FL, died on July 8, 2007. He is deeply missed by his wife, Vivian;
children, Chris Slaven and Ken (Ava); grandchildren; and greatgrandchildren and numerous other relatives and friends around the
country. He was preceded in death by his brother, Willard "Pete"; father, Grover and mother, Christine. He was a member of
Sons of the American Revolution, Naples Council on World Affairs and United States Naval Academy Alumni Association. He
was born in Amherst County, VA. He was Valedictorian at Buena Vista High School in Virginia. He was one of the youngest
graduates at the United States Naval Academy, Class of 1935. He had a distinguished 29year career as a United States Naval
officer. His first ship was the battleship U.S.S. Arizona (BB39) from 1935 to 1938 where he served in the gunnery and
engineering departments. In WW II, he served aboard the battleship U.S.S. Texas (BB-35) and was promoted to commanding
officer of the destroyer U.S.S. Albert W. Grant (DD-649) in the Pacific where he received the Bronze Star. After the war, he
attended the Army Guided Missile School in Ft. Bliss, TX and graduated from the Naval War College in Newport, RI. Later
notable career assignments included staff officer to the Chief of Naval Operations in the Pentagon, Chief of Staff to Commander
Cruiser Division Two, United States Sixth Fleet, commanding officer U.S.S. Ponchatoula (AO-148), Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the
then largest oil tanker in the Navy, commanding officer Destroyer Squadron 25 "The Pineapple Fleet", Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, the
then largest destroyer squadron in the Navy and Chief of Staff to Commander United States Seventh Fleet in Yokosuka, Japan.
Upon retirement from the Navy as a Captain, he worked for 15 years in management for Sperry Univac at their offices in Salt
Lake City, UT, Los Angeles, CA and St. Paul, MN. In Salt Lake City he earned a Master's degree in Engineering Administration
from the University of Utah and was made a member of Phi Kappa Phi honorary society. While in Los Angeles, he headed the
development of the onboard computer system for the S-3A carrierbased anti-submarine aircraft built by Lockheed. He continued
to provide consulting services to Univac after his retirement. He and Vivian traveled extensively with destinations to China,
Europe and an around-theworld cruise. Our family lost a loving husband and father, our communities lost a dear friend and our
country lost an honored patriot and a wonderful ambassador. Private internment in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery in Minnesota.
Funeral Announcement as it appeared in the Naples Daily News.
Robert Coleman Gresham of Naples, died peacefully in his sleep at 4:25 p.m., Tuesday, August 16, 2005 at Encore Senior Village.
He was born November 12, 1917 in Booneville, MS, a son of the late Jackson Files and Pearl (Bellamy) Gresham. Bob was also
preceded in death by his sisters, Maggie P. Bryan and Betty Anne Hopfgarten; and a brother, Richard A. Gresham. He is survived
by his wife, Katherine (Kathy) Wootten Gresham of Laurel, MD, whom he married on October 8, 1955 in Washington, DC; his
son, D. Jackson Gresham (Sandy); three grandchildren, Lynn G. Crummitt (Jay), Julie G. Beach (Gary), Robert C. Gresham II
(Christine); two great-grandsons, Jacob and Joshua Crummitt; two nieces and four nephews. Bob was graduated from Grenada
High School, Grenada, MS, Sunflower Junior College, Morehead with honors, Southeastern University, Washington, DC with
honors and George Washington School of Government, Washington, DC with honors. Bob proudly served as a Special Agent of
the FBI, Washington, DC from 1938 to 1953 and then as Assistant Director of Research, Council of State Chambers of
Commerce from 1953 until 1965, as Republican Staff Director, House Appropriations Committee, 1965 to 1969, Appointed by
President Nixon as Commissioner, Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), 1969 to 1975, Reappointed by President Ford to the
same position 1975 to 1982 and ViceChairman of the US Railway Association 1982 to 1987. Bob spent most of his career,
spanning some 50 years, in Washington, DC, traveling all over the world with the FBI and the House Appropriations Committee.
He and his wife Kathy, resided in Silver Spring, MD until his retirement in 1987 and then moved to Naples, FL. He enjoyed his
home, gardening, cooking and square and round dancing. After retiring he enjoyed the beach, playing golf and fishing with his two
best buddies. Of great importance to him was being an ELK for over 21 years, serving as Trustee and on many committees and
working “Bingo”. Bob always had time to help friends and to advise and counsel young people on starting their careers. He was
devoted husband, father and grandfather, doting on his two new great-grandsons. He loved life and started each day with a prayer,
thanking God for the “Rest of the past night and the Light of a beautiful New Day.” Bob made a great impact on the lives of many
and will be lovingly remembered by his family and a host of friends all over the world. His memberships include, Life member of
the Republican National Committee, Society of Former Special Agents, FBI, Sons of the American Revolution, Naples Benevolent
and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 2010, Naples Loyal Order of Moose No. 1782, East Naples Civic Association, Delta
Theta Phi Law Fraternity, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and Naples Lakes Country Club. The family expresses their deepest
gratitude to the “Loving family” at Encore Senior Village and to Hospice of Naples for their tender care. Memorial services will be
held on November 12, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family
suggests contributions to any of following, Hospice of Naples, 1095 Whippoorwill Lane, Naples, FL 34105; St. Paul’s Episcopal
Church , 3901 Davis Blvd, Naples, FL 34104 or to Florida Elks Youth Camp, c/o Harry-Anna Trust Fund, P.O. Box 49, Umatilla,
FL 32784. Naples Memorial Funeral Home and Cemetery 597-3101.
Funeral Announcement as it appeared in the Naples Daily News.
