William Carpenter Jr., 86 Homosassa
William Thomas Carpenter Jr., 86, Homosassa, died Friday, Dec. 19, 2003, at the Cypress Cove Care Center in Crystal River.
Born July 21, 1917, in Fall River, Mass., to William Joseph and Lillian (Roberts), he came here three months ago from Lehigh Acres.
He was a retired mason.
He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.
He was a member of the American Legion Post 0323, and DAV Chapter 94, both of Lehigh Acres; and The Battle of the Bulge National Organization of Washington, D.C.; and AARP.
He was a Christian and an ordained minister of the American Fellowship Church.
Mr. Carpenter was preceded in death by his wife, Theresa Carpenter, on Aug. 4, 1995.
Survivors include his son, William (Patricia) Thomas III of Homosassa; daughter, Irene (George) Lavoie of Fall River, Mass.; seven grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River.
Gladys Kay, 85 Ocala
Gladys M. Kay, 85, Ocala, died Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003, at Quiet Oaks in Ocala.
She was born in Paterson, N.J., and came to Ocala in 1990 from Milford, Conn.
She was a retired teacher with the Milford, Conn., school system.
She was a member of the Church of the Advent, Episcopal, Dunnellon; American Association of University Women; an avid bridge player and line dancer.
Mrs. Kay was preceded in death by her husband, Gordon Kay in 1999.
Survivors include a brother, Harold Kay of Danby, Vt.; sister, Margie Brahs of Pompano Beach; and two caregivers, Robert (Irma) Kay of St. Petersburg, and Pam Kay of Colchester, Vt.
Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, TimberRidge.
Iona Nichols, 88 Dunnellon
Iona L. Nichols, 88, Dunnellon, died Friday, Dec. 19, 2003, in Lecanto.
She was born Dec. 7, 1915, in Tidewater, to Sim and Estelle Lanier. She was a lifelong resident of Dunnellon.
She was a homemaker.
She was Baptist.
Mrs. Nichols was preceded in death by her husband, Beachie Lee Nichols on May 5, 1968; six children; a brother; and two sisters.
Survivors include a son, Sanford (Rose) Nichols, Dunnellon; 24 grandchildren; 44 great-grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Hooper Funeral Home, Beverly Hills Chapel.
William Park, 73 Beverly Hills
William R. Park, 73, Beverly Hills, died Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003, in Inverness.
Born Jan. 14, 1930, in Sayre, Pa., to Ronald and Marion Park, he came here from Athens, Pa., in 1993.
He served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.
He was a method specialist for IBM.
He was a member of the Beverly Hills Lions Club, Che-Hanna Rock and Mineral Club, and the Beverly Hills Fishing Club.
Mr. Park was a member of the Sayre Christian Church, Sayre, Pa.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Mary Hack; and one great-grandchild.
Survivors include his wife of 51 years, Donna L. Park of Beverly Hills; son, James Park of California; four daughters, Mary E. (Paul) Mitchell of Sayre, Pa., Patricia A. (Werner) Hansen of Hernando, Cynthia M. Park of Sayre, Pa., and Pamela L. Park of Athens, Pa.; two brothers, Ronald (Phyllis) Park of Athens, Pa., and Kenneth Park of Punta Gorda; brother-in-law Charles Hack of Sayre, Pa.; two sisters, Jean (Theodore) Swan of Elmira, N.Y., and Barbara (Alfred) Segar of Athens, Pa.; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Hooper Funeral Home, Beverly Hill Chapel.
George 'Dino' Stearns, 73 Homosassa
George "Dino" Stearns, 73, Homosassa, died Friday, Dec. 19, 2003, in Crystal River.
Born Sept. 15, 1930, in Concord, N.H., to Viola Beauregard and Garland Stearns, he came here 20 years ago from Naugatuck, Conn.
He was a retired bar and restaurant owner in Connecticut.
He was an Army veteran of the Korean War.
He was a member of the Crystal River Moose Lodge No. 2013.
Mr. Stearns was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Jean Stearns on Jan. 13, 1988; and grandson, John Needham Jr., on Aug. 11, 2001.
Survivors include two sons, David Stearns of Hernando, and Stephen (Rebecca) Stearns of Inverness; two daughters, Karen (Robert) Dalke of Wolcott, Conn., and Pam Stearns of Orlando; mother, Viola Stearns of East Windsor, Conn.; companion, Shirley Hunter; and four grandchildren.
Hooper Funeral Homes and Crematory, Homosassa Chapel.
Alfred Vassallo, 75 Beverly Hills
Alfred E. Vassallo, 75, Beverly Hills, died Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2003, at his home under the care of his family and Hospice of Citrus County.
He was born Oct. 28, 1928, in Philadelphia, Pa., to Matteo and Teresa Vassallo.
Mr. Vassallo was the owner of the Halfway House Hotel in Allentown, Pa. He served in the U.S. Army and was a member of the American Legion in Allentown. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree in Allentown.
He was Christian.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Virginia Vassallo and Teresa Bodley, and three brothers, James, Joseph and Matthew Vassallo.
Survivors include his wife, Jacqueline Vassallo of Beverly Hills; five daughters, Andrea Cook of Whitehall, Pa., Kimberly Checchio of Northampton, Pa., Michele Hill of Elmira, N.Y., Leslie Yothers of Citrus Springs and Tracy Vassallo of Whitehall, Pa.; two sons, Alfred E. Vassallo Jr. of Slatington, Pa., and Anthony Joseph of Northampton, Pa.; three brothers, Louis Vassallo of Holland, Pa., Vincent Vassallo of Margate, N.J., and Michael Vassallo of Allentown, Pa.; 21 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Heinz Funeral Home & Cremation, Inverness.
Geraldine Atkins-Shaw, 48 Tampa
Geraldine M. Atkins-Shaw, 48, Tampa, died Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2003.
She was a native of Holder. She attended Booker T. Washington School and graduated from Citrus High School in Inverness, Central Florida Community College in Ocala, and the University of South Florida in Tampa.
She was a teacher at Hillsborough High School.
She was a member of Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, HASBA, and chaired the education committee at Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church.
She was preceded in death by stepson, Donald.
Survivors include husband of 29 years, Albert Shaw Jr. of Tampa; parents, Frank and Jewell Atkins of Holder; three children, Jerron of Tallahassee, Aleah and Brent, both of Tampa; one granddaughter; three stepchildren, Eddie (Crystal) of Quincey, Lashanda of Miami and Tiffany of Jacksonville; five stepgrandchildren; three sisters, Mae Cofer (Leonard) of Philadelphia, Pa., Rossie M. Atkins-Joyner (Douglas) of Lecanto and Frankie Handsborough (Dennis) of Lady Lake; father-in-law, Albert Shaw Sr. of Attapulgus, Ga.; sister-in-law, Marie Brown (James) of Atlanta, Ga.; brother-in-law, Edward Shaw of Attapulgus, Ga.; and several cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
Ray Williams Funeral Home, Tampa.
William Bonas, 88 Homosassa
William K. Bonas, 88, Homosassa, died Sunday, Dec. 21, 2003, at Seven Rivers Regional Medical Center in Crystal River.
Born Sept. 19, 1915, in Newark, N.J., to Karl and Alvina (Selnau) Bonas, he moved here in 1981 from Cockeysville, Md.
Mr. Bonas joined the Martin Aircraft Co. in Baltimore, Md., in 1940 as an aircraft design engineer. He rose through the ranks, becoming program manager for marketing and sales and for the modification center. He retired in 1971 from the Martin Marietta County, then worked for several years in contracts and sales for Teledyne. He had a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering.
He was a member of the Sugarmill Woods Country Club.
He loved the outdoors.
He was Protestant.
Survivors include wife of 63 years, Katherine Lampe Bonas of Homosassa; sons and daughters-in-law, Robert W. Bonas (Wendy) of Phoenix, Md., and William G. Bonas (Carol) of Sparks, Md.; a sister, Lillian Prischard of Baltimore, Md.; six grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Wilder Funeral Home, Homosassa Springs.
