Obituary: Carl Edward (Bud) Markel

Carl Edward (Bud) Markel passed away December 19, 2018, with family members at his side. He was born in Hillsboro, Illinois on February 1, 1935.

He served as Clerk of the Court and Chief Financial Officer of St. Johns County from 1981 until his retirement in 1997. He was appointed to the Northeast Florida Regional Planning Council by then-Gov. Bob Graham

Bud was 1953 graduate of Ketterlinus High School in St. Augustine. He completed the Wabash School of Accounting in Railroad Accounting and Telegraphy in Danville, Illinois. He also audited courses at St. Johns River Community College and the University of Florida School of Continuing Education.

For several years, he was associated with the Florida East Coast and Seaboard Railroads. He later owned a kennel of racing greyhounds until, as he said, “They began eating better than I was.”

He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church, where he served as an usher and was a past president of the Methodist Men’s Club. He was a member of B.P.O.E Lodge 829. He had served as secretary of the St. Johns River Officials Association, refereeing local basketball games. He was a past member of local, state and national Board of Realtors.

Bud was a member of the St. Augustine Duplicate Bridge Club. After his retirement, he enjoyed participating in national tournaments around the country, earning the designation of Life Master.

An avid golfer, he was a proponent of the approval and building a county course which became the St. Johns County Golf Club. He was a member there, as well as being a member of the St. Augustine Shores Golf Club and the Ponce de Leon Golf Club, before its sale for development. He was a former Little League manager and past volunteer for the Council on Aging. In 1997, the St. Augustine Historical Society presented him with the Preservation Award for the Conservation and Preservation of St. Johns County Court Records.

He is survived by his wife of more than 47 years, the former Vee Wilson. He is also survived by four children: Larry Markel, David Markel (Lynn), Linda Littrell and Carla Gomez. Also surviving are grandchildren Katie Kramer (Jesse), Sara Chenoweth (Jonny), Jeff Markel (Brandy), Kristen Amon (Brad), Amy Cardin (Mason) and Anthony Gomez (Candance) and thirteen great grand- children. He is survived by two sisters, Sheila Richardson, East Haven, Conn., and Shelba Powers, St. Augustine. He was predeceased by his parents, Edward J. Markel and Helen Major amd step-mother Bernice Markel.

A service for Carl Markel will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, December 27 at Grace United Methodist Church, 8 Carrera Street, St. Augustine. A reception will follow in the fellowship hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions to Grace United Methodist Church or Bay View HealthCare, 161 Marine St., St. Augustine, or to Community Hospice Bailey Center, 200 Health Park Boulevard, St. Augustine.

Craig Funeral Home Crematory is in charge of the arrangements