Elsa I. Ryshkewitch
Elsa I. Ryshkewitch of Gainesville died Tuesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. She was 94.
Mrs. Ryshkewitch was born in Epstein, Germany, and moved to Gainesville from Ridgewood, N.J., 16 years ago.
She was a homemaker and a Lutheran. She was a member of the University Womens Club Seniors. She enjoyed gardening, traveling and cooking.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Eugene Ryshkewitch.
Survivors include sons George Ryschkewitsch and Alexander Ryshkewitch, both of Freehold, N.J.; daughters Tatjana Hollander of Harrison, N.Y., and Irina Osinski of Valley Forge, Pa.; eight grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Forest Meadows Funeral Home.
Gertrude E. Heims
Gertrude E. Heims of Gainesville died Wednesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. She was 85.
Mrs. Heims was born in Battle Creek, Mich., and moved to Gainesville four years ago.
She was a homemaker. She also worked in the family business.
Survivors include her husband of 61 years, Edwin Heims of Gainesville; and a son, Neil Heims of Glenview, Ill.
Arrangements by A Direct Cremations.
James Theodore Woods
LACROSSE - James Theodore "J.T." Woods, a lifelong resident of LaCrosse, died Sunday at his residence following a sudden illness. He was 69.
Mr. Woods was a retired custodian with the University of Florida and a member of Banks Chapel Church of God in Christ.
Survivors include sons Bernard Woods of Gainesville, the Rev. Jackie Reynolds and Nathaniel Woods, both of Alachua, James and Charles Woods, both of Starke, and Joe Woods of Tampa; daughters Sennitha, Sharon and Barbara Woods, all of Starke, Delores Ellison of Alachua and Deborah Woods of Gainesville; a stepdaughter, Linda Johnson of Gainesville; a brother, L.J. Allen of LaCrosse; sisters Rosetta Woods Jackson of Gainesville and Mae Bell Woods Banks of LaCrosse; 23 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements by Duncan Brothers Funeral Home.
Gussie Rudderman
Gussie Judith Rudderman of Gainesville, who began a successful free-lance writing career at the age of 74, died Sunday in High Springs. She was 96.
Born in Atlanta, she was the valedictorian of Atlanta Commercial High School.
In the early 1920s, she worked as an assistant secretary to the publisher of the Atlanta Georgian, working with William Randolph Hearst, Henry Ford and John D. Rockefeller at publicity and newspaper conventions.
She moved to Gainesville in 1936, opening Ruddy's Department Store with her husband.
In the 1970s, Mrs. Rudderman attended Santa Fe Community College and the University of Florida, taking creative writing and literature courses.
In 1977, she began a new career as a writer. Two years later, she finished "Someday, " a novel about a sensitive Jewish girl born to immigrant parents.
Mrs. Rudderman also has published a book of poems, "Seeds of Affection, " and an anthology, "Gainesville Women of Vision."
She has received several awards for her poetry and short stories.
She belonged to Hadassah, the Gainesville Women's Golf Association, the Gainesville Woman's Club, Alachua General Hospital Auxiliary, the Gainesville Fine Arts Association, the Thomas Center Association, the SFCC Cultural Commission, the Gainesville Historical Society, the Friends of the Library and the Gainesville Chapter of the National League of American Pen Women.
Mrs. Rudderman belonged to the Congregation B'nai Israel.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Marvin Ike Rudderman.
Survivors include a son, Gerald Rudderman of Gainesville; a daughter, Mildred Baumstein of Gainesville; a sister, April Tulis of Atlanta; six grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Expressions of sympathy may be in the form of contributions to Congregation B'nai Israel.
Willie Mae Albritton
CROSS CITY -- Willie Mae Albritton of Cross City died Saturday at her home. She was 77.
Born in Dixie County, Mrs. Albritton was a lifelong area resident. She was a housewife who enjoyed quilting and sewing. She was Baptist.
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Albritton, and a son, Thomas "Buddy" Jackson.
Survivors include a son, Joe Albritton of Cross City; a daughter, Irene Snellgrove of Cross City; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.
Chhun Buth
Chhun Buth of Gainesville died Monday at Hospice of North Central Florida. He was 57.
Born in Cambodia, Mr. Buth moved to Gainesville from Thailand 14 years ago. He was a member of the North Central Baptist Church.
Mr. Buth was a support services aide at the University of Florida, working there for the last 10 years. Previously, he had been a carpenter. As a hobby, he handcrafted musical instruments such as violins. Mr. Buth also loved to cook for his family.
Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Kun Buth; four daughters, Sokha M. Ward, Savy Smith, Savouen Buth and Vanny Buth, all of Gainesville; three sons, Vanna, Chhorn and Vannak Buth, all of Gainesville; and four grandchildren.
Alice F. Lytte
OLD TOWN -- Alice F. Lytte of Old Town died Sunday in Gainesville after a lengthy illness. She was 58.
Ms. Lytte was a homemaker and a Baptist. She was born in Jacksonville and moved from there to Old Town three years ago.
She is survived by two sons, Bill Lytte and Mark Lytte of Old Town; two sisters, Annie Laurendeau of Pensacola and Becky Wagner of Fargo, N.D.; and three grandchildren.
Joanna Proctor Wright Morris
NEWBERRY -- Joanna Proctor Wright Morris of Newberry died Sunday at Shands at AGH after a long illness. She was 90.
Mrs. Morris, who was born in Conway, S.C., moved from High Springs to Newberry in 1941. She once worked as a cottage parent at Gainesville's Sunland Training Center.
Mrs. Morris was the former president and secretary of the Newberry chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons and belonged to the Eastern Star Chapter 197 in Newberry. She was a member of Jonesville Baptist Church.
Mrs. Morris was preceded in death by her husbands, Willis L. Wright Sr. and Jessie Morris, and sons Gene Wright and W.L. Wright Jr.
Survivors include two sons, Richard D. Wright of Aberdeen, Wash., and Wayne Wright of Newberry; a stepson, Leroy Morris of Archer; a daughter, Marie Smith of Newberry; a stepdaughter, Jean Hurst of Archer; four sisters, Bea Dykes and Sue Calloway, both of Pomona Park, Frances Benton of Tavares and Margaret Gautier of Crescent City; 18 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren; and four great-great-grandchildren.
Jule E. Schmidt
ALACHUA -- Jule E. Schmidt of Alachua died Monday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He was 91.
The owner and operator of the Sans Souci Ranch in Alachua, Mr. Schmidt also was president of the Santa Fe Tractor Co. in Gainesville. He moved to the area in 1966 and was a member of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.
Mr. Schmidt was born in Cleveland and served as president of the Schmidt Bros. Sand & Supply in Garfield Heights, Ohio. He attended the University of Florida, earning a bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1931. He also was a member of the Gainesville Golf and Country Club.
Survivors include his wife of 69 years, Ann Lee Schmidt of Alachua; two daughters, Barbara Bell of Gainesville and Patricia Richard of Parkland; two sons, Jule L. Schmidt of Merritt Island and Thomas A. Schmidt of Nevada, Mo.; 12 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church or Hospice of North Central Florida.
Reed Barton Proctor
CEDAR KEY -- Reed Barton Proctor died Thursday at his residence in Cedar Key. He was 71.
Mr. Proctor was born in Hersey, Mich., and moved to Cedar Key in 1984.
He served in the U.S. Army in Korea. He also served with Army intelligence in Paris in the 1950s.
He was a real estate broker.
Mr. Proctor was a member of the Eagles Club of Cedar Key and a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Chiefland.
He was a Catholic.
He enjoyed landscape gardening and growing tropical fruit.
Survivors include his wife, Carmen Proctor of Cedar Key; three daughters, Jeanette Hector of Hersey, Annette Proctor and Patricia Moyer, both of Bethlehem, Pa.; two sons, Nathaniel Proctor of Charlotte, N.C., and Reed B. Proctor II of North Field, Vt.; three sisters, Mary Proctor of Winter Haven, Jane Bibart of Charlotte, and Pat Gray of Green Valley, Ariz.; and two brothers, Robert Proctor of Winter Haven and Charles Proctor of Mount Vernon, Ohio.
