Luther Myers Bellamy and Gladys Louise Bellamy

Published 6:00 am Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Luther Myers Bellamy, 86, and his wife of 62 years, Gladys HoyleBellamy, 82, died as a result of injuries sustained in anautomobile accident on Nov. 17, 2005. Mr. Bellamy was born inWillowbar, Okla., and Mrs. Bellamy was born in Handsboro, Miss.

They met in 1941 at Keesler Field in Biloxi and married on May29, 1943. Mr. Bellamy, a member of the Army Air Corp., served 18months of his four-year tour in New Guinea, the Phillipines, andLuzon, attaining the rank of staff sergeant. Mrs. Bellamy continuedto work at Keesler.

Upon his discharge Mr. and Mrs. Bellamy moved to Blountville,Tenn., where they remained 21 years before moving to Rockville,Md., where he continued to work in the bookbinding business, whileMrs. Bellamy continued as both homemaker and governmentemployee.

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In 1977, upon retirement, they moved to Sunny Hills, Fla. Alwaysactive in their church, they were instrumental in the building ofSunny Hills Community Church, Presbyterian USA. Their dedicationwas acknowledged when, in 1983, Mr. Bellamy was selected to turnthe first shovel of dirt in the ground-breaking ceremony. Bothserved as Elders at various times, and Mrs. Bellamy served as Clerkof the Session for several years. They were further honored in Oct.1998 by their church leaders and fellow members, when the gardenadjacent to the church was named Bellamy Gardens in honor of thetwo people who put heart and soul into the development of thechurch.

Possessing a strong commitment to serve his community, Mr.Bellamy joined the Sunny Hills Volunteer Fire Department where heserved 20 years, 10 of those as chief. He continued to assist thefire department as a fund-raiser. In 1997, he was honored forraising over $5000 through his re-cycling efforts. In 1986, theWashington County Chamber of Commerce honored Mr. Bellamy asDistinguished Volunteer of the Year in recognition of his serviceto the chamber and the community as a whole. Mr. Bellamy was anavid fisherman for years and had caught several trophy largemouthbass. Both were active in bowling leagues for as long as they wereable.

Mr. and Mrs. Bellamy are survived by son, Franklin ArthurBellamy and wife, Johnnie Ruth, of Columbia, Tenn.; two daughters,Mary Ellen Baker and her husband, Fred, of Hattiesburg, and JaneJarboe, and her husband, Bill, of Hereford, Ariz. Grandchildren ofthe couple are Tammy Baker, of Hattiesburg, Stephen Baker, ofLuftkin, Texas, Peter Jarboe, of Hereford, Ariz., and MatthewJarboe and his wife, Stephanie, of Sierra Vista, Ariz.

Mrs. Bellamy is survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Wendelland Betty Sue Hoyle, of Greenville, Miss. They are also survived byextended family including sisters-in-law, Mrs. Jess Bellamy, ofBlountville, Tenn., and Mrs. David Hoyle, and several fine niecesand nephews.

Mr. Bellamy was preceded in death by his parents, John TaylorBellamy and Elizabeth Myers Bellamy, and his siblings, Jess Bellamyand Mary Sumpter Sword.

Mrs. Bellamy was preceded in death by her parents, W. H. Hoyleand Lula Carter Webb, and her siblings, David Hoyle and JimHoyle.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p. m., Tuesday, Nov. 22,2005, at Sunny Hills Community Church with the Rev. Ruth Hempelofficiating. Interment will be at East Lawn Memorial Park,Kingsport, Tenn., with full military honors provided by theTennessee National Guard.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Sunny HillsCommunity Church or Sunny Hills Volunteer Fire Department.

Kent-Forest Lawn Funeral Home, Panama City, Fla. 32405, (850)763-4694, is in charge of the arrangements.