Joseph Clifton Tanner

Mr. Joseph Clifton “J.C.” Tanner, age 64 passed away in the early morning hours Saturday, January 26, 2013 in North Okaloosa Medical Center. He was born November 10, 1948 in South Boston, Virginia the son of Willie Nelson Tanner and Barbara Jean Sizemore Tanner. Shortly after graduating from Winter Haven High School with the Class of 1969, J.C. joined the United States Army. While serving his country in Vietnam, and after being injured on two occasions, the second of which forced his honorable medical discharge, he returned to Winter Haven where he was employed with Scotty’s Building Supply as the distribution warehouse supervisor. He held this position for some twenty-eight years until Scotty’s closed. He and his wife Ruth moved to the DeFuniak Springs area in 2007. J.C. was a gifted craftsman. He once said if he could see it in his head he could build it. Among the list of things J.C. built were airboats, cars, rail runners, motorcycles, and swamp buggies. Finally in the last months of his life the injuries he sustained in Vietnam took their toll and J. C. slipped away in the early morning Saturday.

Among survivors are his wife, Ruth Tanner. His daughter, Emily Tanner, his step children, Donnie Myers and Debi Myers Bartel. His step grandson, Joseph, his brother Lonnie Tanner and wife Margaret. His sister-in-law Rachel Gillis and husband Adrian. His brothers-in-law James Rodgers, Roy Rodgers and wife Gail and Rick Rodgers and wife Charlotte. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

The family has requested that no flowers be sent, rather memorials may be made in J.C. Tanners memory to Paxton High School Band Department, 21893 Highway 331, Paxton, Florida 32538. A time of visitation will be Monday, January 28, 2013 from 1 until 2 P.M. in Jerry Evans Chapel with the funeral beginning at 2:00 in the funeral home with Reverend Rod Curry officiating. Full military honors will follow.