June Phillips, 78 Dunnellon
June L. Phillips, 78, Dunnellon, died Tuesday, May 27, 2003, in Ocala.
A native of Knoxville, Tenn., she came here in 1986 from Hialeah.
She was a retired law office clerk.
She was a member of Ocala Word of Faith Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul B. Phillips.
Survivors include two daughters, Shirley Burke (Bill) of Dunnellon and Lynnette Porter of New Smyrna; two sons, John Thomas Phillips (Lisa) of Davie and Paul B. Phillips Jr. (Pam) of Southwest Ranches; two brothers, V.E. "Bud" Humphries of Miami and Johnny Mulligan of Knoxville, Tenn.; three sisters, Chrystine Sjostrom of Hudson, Shirley Perry of Jefferson, Ga., and Hazel Slocumb of Dunnellon; 11 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Roberts Funeral Home, Dunnellon.
Ronald Smith, 68 Crystal River
Ronald Gene Smith, 68, Crystal River, died Tuesday, May 27, 2003, at home under the care of his family and Hospice of Citrus County.
Born Sept. 23, 1934 in Bell Fountain, Ohio, he moved here in 1988 from Fort Lauder-dale.
Mr. Smith was a retired concessionaire and a World War II veteran having served in the Korean War.
He was a member of VFW Post 8189 in Crystal River.
He was Catholic.
He was preceded in death by his son, Ronald M. Smith.
He is survived by his mother, Alice Smith of Crystal River.
Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River.
Joseph Stefko, 90 Crystal River
Joseph Stefko, 90, Crystal River, died Tuesday, May 27, 2003 in Crystal River.
Born March 21, 1913 in Newark, N.J., to Carl Stefko and Josephine Krall, he came here 24 years ago from Long Island, N.Y.
Mr. Stefko was a retired assembly line worker for Grumman Aerospace Corporation.
He was Private First Class in the U.S. Army serving during World War II.
He was a member of American Legion Blanton-Thompson Post No. 155 in Crystal River.
He was Protestant.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Mildred Stefko of Crystal River; son, Joseph A. Stefko of Lynbrook, N.Y.; daughter, Jeanette E. Stefko of Scottsdale, Ariz.; niece and nephew.
Memorials may be made to Daystar Life Center, 6751 W. Gulf to Lake Highway, Crystal River, FL 34429.
Wilder Funeral Home, Homosassa Springs.
Tommy Thomas, 88 Beverly Hills
Tommy "Ducci" Thomas, 88, Beverly Hills, died Friday, May 23, 2003 in Beverly Hills.
Born Oct. 8, 1914 in Belleview to Clinton and Ollie Thomas, he came here 15 years ago from Hartford, Conn.
Mr. Thomas retired from Northeast Utilities, Wethersfield, Conn., after 20 plus years of service.
He was a member of First Christian Church, Homosassa Springs, United Residents of Beverly Hills, Beverly Hills Fishing Club and was one of the founders of the African American Social Club, Beverly Hills.
Survivors include his wife of 15 years, Carol R. Thomas of Beverly Hills; four sons, Larry and Bruce Thomas, both of Boston, Mass., Kenny R. Thomas of Bradenton and Barry Thomas of Hartford, Conn.; two daughters, Linda G. Cole of Boston, Mass., and Elaine Howard of Hartford, Conn.; four adopted daughters, Brenda Betsey of Durham, N.C., Cynthia "Mommie" McClendon of Hartford, Conn., Gladys Hunter of Durham, N.C., and Edna Starks of Hartford, Conn.; a stepdaughter, DeLores Ann Knight of Hartford, Conn.; two brothers-in-law, Frank Richardson of Bloomfield, Conn., and Samuel Richardson of Orlando; two cousins, Estelle D. Brown of Sarasota and Gwendolyn Grissitt of Bradenton; 23 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Hooper Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
George Tomko Jr., 72 Lecanto
George Tomko Jr., 72, Lecanto, died Tuesday, May 27, 2003 at Seven Rivers Community Hospital in Crystal River of a long illness.
He was born May 6, 1931 in Cleveland, Ohio, to George K. and Wanda Ann (Cendroski) Tomko Sr. and moved here from Brunswick, Ohio, in 1986.
Mr. Tomko was a retired master plumber.
He was Methodist.
Survivors include three sons, George Tomko III of Medina, Ohio, Allan Tomko of Nevada and Donald Tomko also of Nevada; three daughters, Christine Tomko of Nevada, Shiloh Galvin of Florida and Amy Loca of Garrettsville, Ohio; brother, Mark Tomko of North Carolina; sister, Marilyn of Cleveland, Ohio; 20 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River.
Anna Yonke, 81 Citrus Springs
Anna C. Yonke, 81, Citrus Springs, died Sunday, May 11, 2003 in Citrus Springs.
Born April 20, 1922 in Long Island City, N.Y., to Reinhard and Caroline Biermann, she came here in 1985 from Los Angeles, Calif.
She was a homemaker.
She was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Hernando, Beverly Hills Fishing Club, Masonic Level Ladies, Beverly Hills, and Citrus Shrine Club Noblettes.
She enjoyed handiwork including crochet, knitting and sewing.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert J. Yonke, on May 16, 2001.
She is survived by a nephew, William T. (Phyllis) Hinson Jr. of Fairfield, Calif.
Hooper Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
Horace Drawdy, 85 Lecanto
Horace Lee Drawdy, 85, Lecanto, died Friday, May 30, 2003, at Surrey Place in Lecanto.
He was born March 27, 1918, in Wauchula to Lilly Mae and D.W. Drawdy. He moved here from Avon Park in January of this year.
Mr. Drawdy was a retired truck driver.
He was Baptist.
He is survived by one sister, Edith Jarrard of Crystal River; and a niece, Patricia Yancey of Crystal River.
Brown Funeral Home & Crematory, Crystal River.
Mary Edwards, 77 Homosassa
Mary E. Edwards, 77, Homosassa, died Thursday, May 29, 2003, in Crystal River.
She was born Oct. 8, 1925, in Oneonta, N.Y., to LeRoy and Helena Huether Van Housen. She moved to Homosassa in 2000 from Chassahowitzka.
Mrs. Edwards was a retired accountant for General Motors Corp.
She was a member of the Crystal River Moose Lodge 2013 and she was an avid Gator and Buc football fan.
She was Methodist.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Drew Edwards, September 1991; parents, brother and sister-in-law and their four children.
Survivors include her friends, Dr. Joy and Delores Decker of Homosassa, Eulice Pleasant of Decatur, Ill., Lena Ray of Bartow, Jean Lorenson of Decatur, Ill., T.J. Salter of Homosassa and Mary Boone of Dade City.
Hooper Funeral Home, Homosassa.
