Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 13

FLORIDA TODAY, Monday, April 12, 1999 3B OBITUARIES April 11 by Shellie DeBusk BILL BARNETT MELBOURNE Bill H. Barnett, 74, a former electrician, died Saturday, April 10, at Arbors at Melbourne. Mr. Barnett was born in Mexico, Mo. He came to Brevard County in 1966 from Haines City.

He was retired from Kennedy Space Center and later worked asan electrician at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne. He was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Melbourne. Survivors include his wife, Betty Barnett of Melbourne; sons, Dean Barnett of Banner Elk, N.C., and Dan Barnett of Melbourne; brother, Ralph Barnett of Upland, sister, Mary Harrison of Columbia, and five granddaughters. No calling hours or services are scheduled. Burial will be at Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.

Brownlie and Maxwell Funeral Home in Melbourne is in charge of arrangements. Donations may be made to Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice, P.O. Box 560965, Rockledge, FL 32956-0965 ROSEMARY BATE CAPE CANAVERAL Rosemary L. Bate, 86, a former college professor at Florida Atlantic University, died Saturday, April 10, at Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach. Mrs.

Bate was born in Hiram, Ga. She came to Brevard County 12 years ago from Miami. An author, she had published five books. She was a member of Order of the Eastern Star. Survivors include her daughter, Judith Bate of Cocoa Beach; son, Robert Bate of Miami; two sisters; three grandchildren; and five great -grandchildren.

No calling hours are scheduled. The family will host a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at 104 Roosevelt Ave. in Cape Canaveral. Beckman-Williamson Funeral Home in Cocoa Beach is in charge of arrangements.

DIANE COMEAU INDIALANTIC Diane R. Comeau, 58, a former secretary, died Friday, April 9, at home. Mrs. Comeau was born in Lawrence, Mass. She came to Brevard County in 1955 from St.

Petersburg. She was a member of the Mosquito Beaters. Survivors include her daughter, Angela Como of Indialantic; son, Tyler Smith of Chattanooga, mother, Alma Rinehart of Indialantic; and sister, Sonya McCormick of Winter Park. No calling hours are scheduled. Services will be at 1 p.m.

Tuesday at South Brevard Funeral Home in Melbourne. East Coast Cremation in Melbourne is in charge of arrangements. Donations may be made to Humane Society, 5100 W. Eau Gallie Melbourne, FL 32935. BOBBY DIXON MELBOURNE Bobby L.

Dixon, 66, a former quality assurance control inspector for United Technologies at Kennedy Space Center, died Saturday, April 10, at home. Mr. Dixon came to Brevard County in 1960 from Burlington, N.C., where he was born. He was a member of Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Indialantic. Mr.

Dixon was a Navy veteran. He enjoyed golfing and was an avid fan of boxing. Survivors include his wife, Marilyn Dixon of Melbourne; son, Steven Dixon of Titusville; daughters, Amy Dixon of Melbourne, Robin Richardson of Sanford, N.C., and Jean Reynolds of Rocky Mount, N.C.; brothers, Pat Dixon of Gibsonville, N.C., and Don Dixon and Will Dixon, Brevard Hospice co-founder Berta M. Houdyshell dies By Shellie DeBusk FLORIDA TODAY MELBOURNE Berta M. Houdyshell, 71, a former vice-president of Wuesthoff Hospital in Rockledge, died Saturday, April 10, at Wuesthoff Progressive Care Center.

Mrs. Houdyshell was born in Tampa. She came to Brevard County in 1981 from Jacksonville. Mrs. Houdyshell was a cofounder of the Brevard Hospice and a past president of the Cocoa Woman's Club.

She served in the Navy as an officer and nurse. She also held hospital administration positions in Jacksonville and Atlanta. "In her spare time, she liked to golf and work in real estate," said her daughter-in-law, Tony Houdyshell of Vero Beach. Mrs. Houdyshell graduated from Pinecrest High School in Fort both of Melbourne; and three grandchildren.

Calling hours will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, with services at 7 p.m., at Brownlie and Maxwell Funeral Home in Melbourne. Donations may be made to Hospice of Health First, 1900 Dairy Road, Melbourne, FL 32904. GORDON HOPSON COCOA Gordon H. "Hoppie" Hopson 63, a retired aerospace technician, died Friday, April 9, at home.

Mr. Hopson came to Brevard County in 1959 from Bristol, where he was born. He worked for USBI Co. He was a member of the Eagles in Cocoa. He loved to hunt and fish.

Survivors include his sons, Gordon Hobson Jr. and Michael Hobson, both of Cocoa; daughter, Cathy Hendren of Cocoa and Tiffany Sanchez of Orlando; brother, Mike Hobson of Merritt Island; and four grandchildren. Calling hours will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Brevard Memorial Funeral Home in Frontenac. Services will be at 10 a.m.

Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Riverview Memorial Gardens in Cocoa. Donations may be made to American Cancer Society, 4356-B Fortune Place, West Melbourne, FL 32904. CHLOE HOSKINS TITUSVILLE Chloe S. Hoskins, 91, a homemaker, died Thursday, April 8, at Titusville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Mrs. Hoskins came to Brevard County in 1968 from Lexington, where she was born. She was a member of Temple Baptist Church. Survivors include her daughter, Mary Hoskins- Hursey of Titusville; son, Stanley Hoskins of Titusville; 22 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren. Calling hours are from 2 to 4 p.m.

today, with services following, at North Brevard Funeral Home in Titusville. Burial will be at Brevard Memorial Park in Frontenac. ROBERT O'DONNELL PALM BAY Robert "Bob" O'Donnell, 71, a former automotive inspector, died Saturday, April 10, at Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne. Mr. O'Donnell was born in Hazleton, Penn.

He came to Brevard County in 1987 from Preble, N.Y. He retired in 1988, after 27 years with Chrysler Corp. in East Syracuse, N.Y. He was a Navy veteran and an avid fisherman. Survivors include his wife of 28 years, Irene O'Donnell of Palm Bay; sons, Patrick O'Donnell Homer, N.Y., Jeffery Hay of Melbourne Beach and Sean O'Donnell of Palm Bay; daughters, Linda Lancaster of Wallkill, N.Y., and Roberta Foley of Japan; sister, Jean Jones of Livonia, six grandchildren; and nine great CHELATION FREE SEMINAR at NATUREWORKS! April 14 1 pm 951-7404 TRUMED CHELATION CENTER R53258 Bunches of Beanie Babies Lauderdale at age 16.

She also was a graduate of Emory University. "My mother was a wonderful lady and a hard worker," said her son, Vance Houdyshell of Vero Beach. "She also loved to play bridge. She was a very loving person, very courageous and a great mother." Other survivors include her son, James Houdyshell of Vero Beach; mother, Lucinda Eddy of Vero Beach; and two grandchildren. No calling hours are scheduled.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Rockledge. Burial will be at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Fort Pierce. Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home in Palm Bay is in charge of arrangements.

Donations may be made to Brevard Hospice, P.O. Box 560965, Rockledge, FL 32956-0965. No calling hours or services are scheduled. Palm Bay Funeral Home in Palm Bay is in charge of arrangements. Donations may be made to American Heart Association, 2800 Aurora Road, Suite Melbourne, FL 32935-2099.

SUSIE PIKE PALM BAY Susie Pike, 94, a retired legal secretary, died Friday, April 9, at Integrated Health Services of Palm Bay. Mrs. Pike was born in Manhattan, N.Y. She came to Brevard County in 1987 from Elizabeth, N.J. She was a member of the Organization of Rehabilitation through Training and other organizations dedicated to bettering the lives of the disadvantaged.

She also enjoyed ballroom dancing. Survivors include her daughter, Helen Lerit of Palm Bay, and brother, Zelig Nathanson of Pompano Beach. No calling hours are scheduled. Graveside services will be at 1p.m. today at Fountainhead Memorial Park in Palm Bay.

Fountainhead Memorial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. MARGARET RIVELLESE MERRITT ISLAND Margaret R. Rivellese, 88, a homemaker, died Saturday, April 10, at Wuesthoff Hospital in Rockledge. Mrs. Rivellese was born in New York City.

She came to Brevard County in 1994 from Laurinburg, N.C. She was a member of St. Martin of Torres Catholic Church in Amityville, N.Y. Survivors include her son, Robert Rivellese of Merritt Island, and two granddaughters. Calling hours and services will be in Amityville.

Burial will be in Farmingdale, N.Y. Wylie Merritt Island Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Donations may be made to American Heart Association, 2800 Aurora Road, Suite Melbourne, FL 32935-2099. RUSSELL WOODROFFE MELBOURNE Russell H. Woodroffe, 76, a retired machinist, died Saturday, April 10, at Beverly Oaks Nursing Home.

Mr. Woodroffe came to Brevard County in 1989 from Philadelphia, where he was born. Mr. Woodroffe was an Army veteran in World War II in the South Pacific. He was Methodist.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Woodroffe of Melbourne; son, Robert Woodroffe of Pipersville, daughter, Patricia Atkinson of Morrisville, one brother; four and five grandchildren. No calling hoursare scheduled. Memorial services will be later. Brownlie and Maxwell Funeral Home in Melbourne is in charge of arrangements. Donations may be made to the Harbor City Volunteer Ambulance Squad, 1131 S.

Hickory Melbourne, 32901. Malcolm Denmark. FLORIDA TODAY ALYSSA MALONE, 7, of Melbourne checks out some of the Titusville Holiday Inn. Wide World Ventures of Orlando the collectible critters at the Beanie Baby show Sunday at sponsored the show of more than 1.000 beanies. Landowners want to trade mineral rights for air base spokesman for the families.

"The strategy is to get the environmentalists behind this first. Conservationists oppose the airport plan, saying it would be a source of pollution and a magnet for development at the edge of Biscayne National Park, which stretches from Key Biscayne to Key Largo. They also are reluctant to embrace the Colliers' proposals before studying the effect on the environment. need to see specifics of their plan before we take even a baby step toward supporting it," said Brad Sewell, an attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council. Bill Leary, a top aide to Interior Secretary Bruce Babbitt, said he was trying to gauge interest in the plans and has discussed the land swap with the Colliers and Babbitt.

"Secretary Babbitt is at best skeptical about the mineral swap," Leary said. "Last year, he told them to go ahead and pursue the oil exploration permits. Associated Press IN FLORIDA mentalists," said David Pearson, MIAMI A prominent family of landowners wants to persuade the federal government to swap the families' mineral rights at Big Cypress National Preserve for the permission to develop Homestead Air Reserve Base. If the government doesn't accept the deal, the Collier families of Naples threaten to expand oil exploration into 825 square miles of federally protected wilderness inhabited by animals such as bald eagles, wood storks and Florida panthers. a limited window of opportunity to do the exchanges," said Roy Cawley, a consultant to the Colliers.

"The window closes at the point where we get the first oil exploration permit. At that point, we'll have invested a lot of capital in the exploration." The public will debate the Colliers' oil exploration permit in May. The permit could be issued within six months if the deal with the government falters. The families' proposal centers on the Homestead base, where environmental concerns have stalled Miami-Dade County's plans for redeveloping the property as a commercial airport. The Colliers are willing to scale back their oil exploration plans if they are allowed to develop the air base.

They propose to remove the runway at the base and turn the site into a housing and commercial development with a series of wetlands and lakes. Blocking the deal with the federal government is a dispute over the value of the families' mineral rights. The federal government says the value is between $200 million and $400 million. The families say it is worth $400 million to $700 million. Also crucial is getting environmentalists to support the Colliers' plans.

"The Colliers have gone back and forth with their planners to get a redevelopment plan for the base that's acceptable to the environ- Miffed passengers refuse to leave plane Associated Press GREENSBORO, N.C. Eastwind Airlines summoned airport police for assistance after passengers refused to get off a flight that had landed in Greensboro. The flight from Orlando to Trenton, N.J., had a planned stopover in Greensboro. Passengers said they were initially told that they would not have to change planes. But when the plane landed in Greensboro about 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, the airline told passengers that their plane was continuing on to LaGuardia Airport in New York City and they would have to get off and wait for another plane. Frustrated by a four-hour delay in Orlando and unsure of the airline's plans, the passengers refused to leave until police were called. The incident is the latest in a series of clashes between customers and the tiny Greensboro-based discount carrier. Passengers have complained to Piedmont Triad International Airport officials about the airline's service. One Eastwind representative at the airport Saturday night refused to answer questions.

Another said she was not authorized to speak for the airline. Last week, Mike Kopay, the vice president of ground operations at Eastwind, blamed recent problems on the airline's new telecommunications system and a lack of personnel. Cpl. F.S. Harris was one of two Piedmont Triad Airport Authority police who responded to the call.

"They were upset," he said of the passengers. "You could tell that." Neither he nor the other officer IN MEMORIAM IN MEMORIAM In Loving Memory Of Dr Jim Sewell April 12.1923 January 18. Is Your Skin Safe? Brevard Eye Center offers a FREE Facial Skin Cancer Screening. Brevard Eye Center Your Trusted Team of Caring Eye Professionals 723-9900 PER OTHER ADIS THE TRIE VIVES TREAT ENT boarded the plane, he said. Instead they stood outside the door while a flight attendant advised passengers to leave.

Police did not know how many people were on the plane, but one passenger estimated that about 100 were on board. Passenger Charles Hamilton said an Eastwind ticket agent in Orlando guaranteed that there would be no more than a 30-minute layover in Greensboro and that passengers would not have to get off the plane. As of midnight Saturday, passengers were still waiting to leave Greensboro. Airport officials said Sunday they did not know if the passengers had left, and Eastwind could not be reached immediately for comment. Harris said this was not the first time airport police have been summoned by Eastwind, but he did not know how many times they had been called.

Nancy Terracciano said her father in New Jersey had tried to reach the airline during the day but had been put on hold. Her motherin-law finally reached the airline at 8:30 p.m., but whoever spoke with her could not give her any information about the flight. Ted Johnson, the airport's executive director, said last week he has received numerous calls from customers complaining that they could not get through to Eastwind. Callers also said that Eastwind personnel at the airport ticket counter were sometime unable to provide information about flight delays. Eastwind has an "unsatisfactory record" with the Better Business Bureau of Central North Carolina, which has had a file on the company since January 1997, bureau President Pauline Morrison said.

Eastwind started in 1995 and moved its offices to Greensboro at the end of 1996. The airline has five planes that fly up and down the East Coast and plans to add more planes this year. Molie-Sadler Titusville FUNERAL HOME Simple, Inexpensive Direct Cremation Compare and Save 269-6000 R74765 CATARACTS? "Your Eyesight Is Worth A Second Opinion" WATCH TWC CHANNEL 19 FOR A SPECIAL PRESENTATION ON CATARACT SURGERY THAT'S A MUST IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE IS HAVING OR CONSIDERING CATARACT SURGERY! TONIGHT AT 7:30 P.M.! 'STRAIGHT UP WITH DR. CHANDRA" TOPIC: WATER CONCERNS IN THE SOUTH BEACHES Call in and discuss controversies affecting Brevard. on WMEL News Talk AM Radio 920 Every Monday Morning From 9am to 10am Tune in and call R.

Chandra, MD, PhD, FACC Board Certified Cardiologist Call 254-4006 on cell phone) R53.