John C Raffield 07/29/1936 -2/13/2008

 It is with great sorrow that we report the death of JOHN CHARLES RAFFIELD, 71 years old, of Jacksonville, TX. He passed away on Wed Feb 13, 2008 at Mother Francis Hosp in Tyler, TX. Visitation will be held at Autry Funeral Home, on Monday Feb 18, 2008 from 6 to 8pm. All friends are welcome. The body will be flown to Panama City, FL where services will be conducted on Thursday Feb 21, 2008 by Wilson’s Funeral Home, and burial in the Raffield Family plot in the Greenwood Cemetery. His parents, Charles F. and Vera P. Raffield lived in Panama City, but due to his mother’s special medical problems, he was born in Dothan, AL, but grew up in Panama City. He started attending Gulf Coast Military School in Gulfport, MS, following the death of his mother in 1944. He transferred to Bolles Military School, Jacksonville, FL, in 1950. He came home his senior year due to his father’s severe medical problems and graduated from Bay High School in 1954. Over the years, he worked in commercial printing, and dry cleaning and laundry. (married Annette Cowart, 1958-1960 and one daughter, Joni Lynn) // (married Joy Taylor in 1964 and one daughter, Carla, and son, John Robert) In 1962, he returned to college at Gulf Coast Jr. College, graduated, and attended Florida State University to earn his Bachelor’s degree in Nursing. He and family moved to Denver, CO in 1967 where he was a Nursing Supervisor at Colorado Psychiatric Hospital and later Denver General Hospital. They moved to Jacksonville, TX in 1970 when he was employed by Rusk State Hospital, where he retired after 25 yrs. He worked in home health, and in 2001 went to work the Smith County Jail for five years as the Nursing Supervisor, Correctional Healthcare Administrator under the Univ of Texas Health Center-Tyler. In 2005 and 2007, he authored two books about the seventy-four year history of the United States Coast Guard in Panama City. At the time of his death, he was writing a history of the Raffield family of North Florida, who were one of the family’s instrumental in settling the areas of North Florida known today as Panama City to Apalachicola Florida. He is survived by his wife, Joy T. Raffield, daughter, Carla Raffield Batton of Jacksonville and son, John Robert Raffield of Rusk. Grand children Cayla Batton and Cassie Batton of Jacksonville, Sherron Parker, Blake Parker, Jessica Parker of Rusk, and Johnathan Taylor Raffield of Lindale, TX. Great grand children are Jayden Driver and McKenna Driver of Rusk. His daughter Joni Lynn Suggs and grand children Michelle Suggs and Patrick Suggs, all of Panama City, FL.

Information from Autry Funeral Home

 JOHN CHARLES RAFFIELD

Funeral for John Charles Raffield, 71, of Jacksonville will be Thursday at the Wilson's Funeral Home in Panama City, Fla. Burial will be in the Raffield family plot in the Greenwood Cemetery. Visitation was held Feb. 18 at Autry Funeral Home.

Mr. Raffield died Feb. 13. His parents, Charles F. and Vera P. Raffield lived in Panama City, but due to his mother's special medical problems, he was born in Dothan, Ala., but grew up in Panama City. He attended Gulf Coast Military School in Gulfport, Miss., Bolles Military School, Jacksonville, Fla. and graduated from Bay High School in 1954. Over the years, he worked in commercial printing, and dry cleaning and laundry. He married Annette Cowart in 1958 and they had one daughter, Joni Lynn. He married Joy Taylor in 1964 and they had one daughter, Carla, and a son, John Robert.

In 1962, he returned to college at Gulf Coast Jr. College, graduated, and attended Florida State University to earn his bachelor's degree in nursing. He and family moved to Denver, Colo. in 1967, where he was a nursing supervisor at Colorado Psychiatric Hospital and later Denver General Hospital. They moved to Jacksonville in 1970 and he was employed by Rusk State Hospital, where he retired after 25 years. He worked in home health, and in 2001 worked at the Smith County Jail for five years as the nursing supervisor, correctional healthcare administrator under the University of Texas Health Center-Tyler. In 2005 and 2007, he authored two books about the 74 year history of the United States Coast Guard in Panama City. At the time of his death, he was writing a history of the Raffield family of North Florida. His family was one of those instrumental in settling the areas of North Florida known today as Panama City to Apalachicola, Fla.

Survivors are his wife, Joy T. Raffield; two daughter, Carla Raffield Batton of Jacksonville and Joni Lynn Suggs of Panama City, Fla; a son, John Robert Raffield of Rusk; grandchildren Cayla Batton and Cassie Batton of Jacksonville, Sherron Parker, Blake Parker and Jessica Parker of Rusk, and Johnathan Taylor Raffield of Lindale, Michelle Suggs and Patrick Suggs, of Panama City; and great-grandchildren, Jayden Driver and McKenna Driver of Rusk.

Information from The Cherokeean Herald