Ronald Batz, 63 Inverness
Ronald William Batz, 63, died Monday, July 7, 2003, at Citrus Memorial Hospital of Inverness.
A native of Rockville, Ct., he was born on Sept. 8, 1939, and moved to Citrus County in 1980 from West Palm Beach.
He was employed as a machinist in the aircraft industry and later worked for Waste Management Company after moving to Inverness.
He served our country in the U.S. Navy. He was an avid airboat operator.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Joan Batz of Inverness; two sons, Ronald W. Batz, II of Phoenix, Ariz., and Leon G. Batz of Inverness; a daughter, Kimberly Batz of Inverness; a brother, Larry Batz of St. George, Maine; his mother, Dorothy Gessey of Rockville Ct.; and four grandchildren.
Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home, Inverness.
Bessie Hargrave Brown, 84 Crystal River
Bessie Hargrave Brown, 84, died Monday, July 7, 2003, from cancer.
She was born in Dowel, Ill. on Oct. 9, 1918, to Ethel and Edwin S. Hargrave. After her marriage she lived at Reading AAF Base in Reading Pa. She and her husband moved to Utica, N.Y. in 1945 and lived there for 40 years. They moved to Crystal River in 1986.
She attended elementary school in Anna, Ill. and graduated from Anna-Johnesboro High School as the valedictorian of her class. She attended Southern Missouri University at Cape Geradeau, Mo.
She was a secretary for the Mohawk Container Corp, later purchased by Diamond International. She later took a position with the Utica Office of the IRS and retired from there in 1982.
She enlisted in the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) in August of 1943 and was later integrated in the Women's Army Corps (WAC). She was honorably discharged as a Sergeant in November of 1945 having earned the World War II Victory medal, Good Conduct Medal, WAAC Service Ribbon, and the American Service Medal. In Utica, she was an associate member of Westminster Presbyterian Church where she taught Sunday School and served as president of the Women of Westminster. She was a choir mother, a released-time religious teacher and co-host of the Westminster Couples Club. She was a member of Maple Valley Chapter of the Order of the Easter Star, and the Daughters of the Nile, associated with Ziyara Temple AAONMS. She was also active in the Utica Parent Teachers Association and was a choir mother for the Utica Free Academy Acapella Choir. After moving to Crystal River, she became a charter member of the WAC Veterans Chapter 78 and was twice elected chapter president. She was also a member of the Brooksville Annuttaliga Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a member of the First Christian Church of Crystal River for a number of years and later associated with the First Presbyterian Church of Crystal River.
She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Robert H. Brown; three sons, Lt. Col. (Ret) Robert H. Brown and his wife Margaret of Springfield, Va., Michael H. Brown and his wife Nancy of Columbia, S.C., and Jonathan P. Brown of Olathe, Kan.; two brothers, Robert J. Hargrave of Holiday, and Pastor Leigh Hargrave of Bristol, Tenn.; and a sister, Joy Johnson of Weeki Wachee.
Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River.
Larry DiLorenzo, 79 Crystal River
Larry DiLorenzo, 79, died on Sunday, July 6, 2003, at the Ocala Regional Hospital in Ocala.
He was born on Dec. 8, 1923, in Brooklyn, N.Y. to Riccardo and Superna (Simeoli) DiLorenzo. He came here 33 years ago from Queens, N.Y.
He was the former owner and operator of the Suncoast Signs in Crystal River for 20 years from 1972 until 1992.
He was a WWII U.S. Air Force veteran. He was a past member of the A.I.D. (Americans of Italian Decent) of Citrus County, the Civitan Club of Crystal River, the charter member of the former Crystal River Yacht Club, and the Nature Coast Racers Fling Club of Inglis. He was Protestant.
He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Earlene DiLorenzo of Crystal River; three daughters, Lori and Sandra, both of Orlando, and Rita of Queens, N.Y.; two stepdaughters, Dalene and Sheri, both of Crystal River; three sisters, Mary and Grace, both of Queens, N.Y., and Lou of Spring Hill; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River.
Lillian Doelfer, 70 Hernando
Lillian Doelfer, 70, died on Sunday, July 6, 2003 in Hernando.
She was born on Oct. 17, 1932 in Jersey City, N.J. to Lawrence and Lillian Montgomery. She came here from Jersey City, N.J.
She was Catholic by faith.
She is survived by a brother, John Montgomery of New Jersey; a sister, Louise Salerno, of Toms River, N.J.; and many nieces and nephews.
Hooper Funeral Homes and Crematory, Homosassa
Frank DuFrane, 69 Floral City
Frank L. DuFrane, 69, died Tuesday, June 24, 2003. He was born June 7, 1934 in Eau Claire, Wis. to Lennis and Luella DuFrane. He moved to Floral City in 1994.
He was retired from the Uniroyal Tire Co in Eau Claire.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1955 to 1957. He was an excellent bowler, enjoyed fishing and golf. He was a fan of a local softball team and liked to watch them play. He was also a loyal Green Bay Packers fan who was known to fire the coach's and quarterback several times during a game. He was a longtime member of the Moose and Eagles clubs in Florida.
He is survived by a brother, Stan; a sister, Anita; and several nieces and nephews.
Jane Ketcham, 94 Dunnellon
James Helene Ketcham, 94, died on Saturday, July 5, 2003, at Florida Hospital Fish Memorial in Orange City.
She was a native of Newark, N.J. and came to Dunnellon 18 years ago from Ft. Lauderdale.
She was a homemaker and a parishioner of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Dunnellon. She worked during WWII at Rariton Arsenal in Piscataway, N.J. where she was responsible for bomb assembly during the war.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 41 years, Harry P. Ketcham on April 5, 1969; and a daughter, Anne Tenaglia in 1990.
She is survived by two sons, Paul V. and Franklin Ketcham, both of Deltona; a daughter, Rosemarie Hellegaard of Dunnellon; a brother, Franklin Michenfelder of Atlanta Ga.; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Fero Funeral Home, Dunnellon.
Frances MacVicar, 83 Inverness
Frances E. MacVicar, 83, died Friday, July 4, 2003, in Inverness.
She was born July 11, 1919, in Carroll County, Tenn. to Jessie and Fannie Hill. She came here from West Palm Beach in 1987.
She was a retired waitress.
She was Methodist by faith.
She was preceded in death by a son, Gene Thomas Barnett in 1992.
She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Douglas A. MacVicar of Inverness; a son, Danny L. (Jody) Barnett of West Palm Beach; a daughter, Patricia D. (Kenneth) Clack of Inverness; six grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Hooper Funeral Homes and Crematory, Inverness.
Leslie 'Matt' Madison, 67 Anniston, Al.
Leslie Eugene "Matt" Madison, 67, died Sunday, July 6, 2003, in Anniston, Al.
He was a native of Richmond, Va and a resident of Florida most of his life.
He formed his own band, Bluevalley Boys Band, and performed at many charity benefits. He received a gold record in 1953 for the song he wrote and Hank Williams, Jr. sang, "No-body's Child."
He served in the Army Special Forces in the Korean Conflict. He was a deacon in a nondenominational church in Florida.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar Leroy and Lillian Cargell Madison.
He is survived by his wife, Camilla Jean Madison of Anniston, Al.; eight daughters, Kathy, Pam, Cindy, and Lisa Marie of Richmond, Va., Anita Carol, and Texana of Arizona, Dawn Madison of Florida, and Tamula Catstick of Anniston, Ala.; four sons, Les Madison, Jr. of Mexico, Tommy Gregory of Anniston, Al, David Jones of Bushnell, and Casey Jones of Douglasville, Ga.; two brothers, Leroy Madison of Hernando, and Edgar Madison of Richmond, Fla.; numerous grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Brown and Kughn Memory Chapel, Anniston, Al.
Harry Meng, Jr., 81 Lecanto
Harry G. Meng, Jr., 81, died Friday, July 4, 2003, in Inverness.
He was born Oct. 15, 1921, in Bellville, Ill. to Harry and Leonora Feurer Meng. He came here from Daytona Beach in 1995.
He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Miami and a master's degree from the University of Missouri.
He was a retired professor at Catonsville Community College in Catonsville, Md. and a professional tennis coach.
He served in the U.S. Army during WWII. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge of Miami. He was a member of Faith Lutheran Church in Lecanto.
He is survived by his wife, Sue Giles Meng of Lecanto; a daughter, Sherril Bunn of Savage, Md.; a brother, Donald I. Meng of Big Pine Key; and a grandson, Paul M. Bunn of Savage, Md.
Hooper Funeral Homes and Crematory, Inverness.
MaryAnne Nash, 78 Inverness
MaryAnne Nash, 78, died Sunday, June 15, 2003 at her residence under the care of her family and Hospice of Citrus County.
One of nine children, she was born in Enfield, Conn.. on Jan. 12, 1925, to Louis and Alice (Brunnell) Gamache. She came here 14 years ago from West Palm Beach.
She was a retired clerk for the Flowers Baking Company of West Palm Beach.
She was an avid bowler and Mahjong player.
She was preceded in death by four brothers and two sisters, Fred and Paul Gamache of Enfield, Conn., Louis Gamache of Berkely Ill., Donald Gamache of Willimantic, Conn., Alice Caliento of Waterbury, Conn., and Jean Nasuta of Enfield, Conn.
She is survived by her husband of 10 years, Jack Nash; a son, Robert Winthers of Stuart; two daughters, Patricia (Bill) Rothenburg of Royal Palm Beach, Fla., and Lois (Billy) King of Ware, Mass.; a brother, William Gamache of Enfield, Conn.; a sister, Doris Ouimet of Hampden, Mass.; fifteen grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home with Crematory, Inverness.
