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A new group — the Baker County Veterans Council — is forming to help support local veterans and their families.

Tony Esterling, director of the Baker County Veterans Affairs office, said the council aims to recruit veterans and their families to join forces and assist other area veterans in any way they can, whether it’s financial help, mowing a widow’s lawn or guiding a veteran to employment or housing.

The council recently raised money to help a disabled veteran who lost his job and was in danger of losing his home, Mr. Esterling said.

The council is seeking nonprofit status through the Internal Revenue Service, which among other benefits will allow donors to write-off their charitable gifts and reduce their federal tax liability.

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Thomas Lee Barton Sr., 75, of Glen St. Mary died June 14, 2012 at his residence. He was born in Macclenny to the late Earn Barton and Hattie Lee Davis Barton on January 13, 1937. Thomas was a lifelong resident of Baker County and a member of First Baptist Church of Glen St. Mary. He honorably served in the U.S. Army 11th Airborne Division and retired in 1992 after 33 years of service as a warden with the Florida Department of Corrections. Thomas loved deer hunting with dogs and enjoyed raising his hunting dogs. He also enjoyed competitive pistol shooting and was an avid sports fanatic who followed the Yankees, Gators, Jags, Dolphins and NASCAR’s Richard Petty.

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William Bryan Ferguson,  42, of Sanderson died Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at his residence. He was born in Jacksonville and resided in Sanderson for 12 years. Mr. Ferguson was a fence installer with Big J Fence Company in Jacks0nville and enjoyed fishing and the outdoors. He is survived by parents Robert and Rita Hayes of Jacksonville; wife Kelly Ferguson of Glen St.

Mary;sons James Wyatt Ferguson of Glen, William B. Ferguson II of Jacksonville and Tyler Ferguson of Baker County; his father William Ferguson of Callahan; sister Michelle Stevenson of Jacksonville; step-sister Jodi Hayes of Panama City, Fla.; Nephews, Dalton, Dusten, Jamie and Shawn; niece Christen (Jacob) Eubanks; one great-niece.

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James Haverkamp, 71, of Macclenny died on June 15, 2012 at his residence. He was born in Beech Grove, IN to the late Alvin H. Haverkamp and Alice Henrietta Lilick Haverkamp on September 14, 1940. James was a resident of Baker County for the last seven years after moving from Pine Island, FL. He was a  member of the First United Methodist Church in Macclenny and of the Freemasons Lodge # 723 F. &. A.M   Indianapolis, IN.

Mr. Haverkamp honorably served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, retiring as a sonar technician chief. He then went on to work at Lockheed Martin for 10 years before retiring. James was a “jack of all trades” and enjoyed working on anything mechanical. He put his skills to work as a volunteer for the men’s group at church helping others repair things.

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