Alma Mae Carter Dees, 83, went home to be the Lord on Monday, January 9, 2012. Alma was born January 17, 1928 in Jacksonville, Florida to the late John J. and Jennie Barber Carter. After marriage in 1949, Alma and B. W. Dees moved to the Dees family farm in Union County. Alma retired from the VA Medical Center in Lake City in 1982 where she was employed as an Administrative Assistant. As a faithful member of Providence Village Baptist Church for over 50 years she served in many capacities, including Sunday School teacher and church clerk. In 2003, Alma moved to Lake City and became a member of The Orchard Community Church and attended services at Southside Baptist Church. She was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother whose greatest pleasure was devoting time and spoiling her children and grandchildren. She was an avid reader and collector of books as well as an accomplished genealogist. She traced numerous family origins and lineages and wrote humorous stories of previous generations. Alma was a member of the Edward Rutledge Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She is preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Ted E. Carter; sisters, Virginia Smith and Mary Murphy; and her loving husband of 57 years, Bryant Walter Dees who passed away in April of 2007.

Survivors include her daughters, Cheryl Dees Cox (Randy) of Lake City, FL and Jan Dees Philpot (Stephen) of Ocala, FL; brothers, James Alvin Carter (Jean) of Jasper, FL, and Jack L. Carter (Flora) of Callahan, FL; grandchildren, Kyle Tyler, Amy Tyler Reed (Jeremy), Casey Cox Owens (Josh), Lindsey Cox, Lesley Cox and Stephanie Philpot; great-grandchildren, Destiny and Jason Tyler; and sisters-in-law, DeLon Carter and Marjorie Alligood. Funeral services will be conducted at 3:00 p.m., on Thursday, January 12, 2012 at Southside Baptist Church with Pastor Eddie Blaylock, Pastor Bo Hammock, and Dr. Ralph A. Rodriguez officiating. Interment will follow at Fort Call Cemetery in Union County. The family will receive friends Wednesday, January 11, 2012 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Gateway-Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 3596 South U.S. HWY 441, Lake City, Florida 32025, (386) 752-1954. Please leave messages of love and encouragement for the family at www.gatewayforestlawn.com