CLARA GILL, 69, of Brandon died Tuesday. A native of Mango, she was a lifelong resident of the area. She was a homemaker and Baptist. She is survived by her husband, J.D.; four sons, Joe of Pinellas Park, Clarence of Tampa, Mark of Lakeland and Daniel of Riverview; a daughter, Joyce Stone of Brandon; a brother, Lawrence Boully of Brandon; two sisters, Lucille of Lakeland and Panzy of Dover; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From November 1996)
MILDRED HENSON GILLIAM, 73, of Gastonia, N.C. died Monday at Gaston Memorial Hospital. A native of Hartsville, S.C., she was a homemaker and member of Loray Baptist Church. She is survived by three sons, Tommy of Tampa, Mark of Albany, Ga., and Michael of Tucker, Ga.; a brother, W.G. Bill Henson Jr. of Valdese, N.C.; two sisters, Gladys H. Pearson and Kathleen H. Mitchell, both of Gastonia; and five grandchildren. McLean & Son Funeral Directors, Gastonia.
(From November 1996)
CHARLES R. GRINER, 69, of Lutz died Tuesday. A native of Valdosta, Ga., he was a longtime resident of the area. He was a master auto mechanic for Jerry Ulm Dodge, an Air Force veteran of World War II and member of Evangel Temple Assembly of God. He is survived by his wife, Joe Anne F.; two daughters, Belinda Storch of Fayetteville, N.C., and Judy Prince of Tampa; a brother, Melvin Albert of Zephyrhills; a sister, Virginia Lord of Tampa; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Garden of Memories-Myrtle Hill Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From November 1996)
MERCEDES JUAN, 96, of Tampa died Tuesday. A native of Havana, she moved to Tampa 73 years ago from Asturias, Spain. She was a homemaker and Catholic. She is survived by a son, Frank L. of Tampa; two daughters, Gloria De La Parte and Alice Guerrero, both of Tampa; six grandchildren; 10 great- grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. Roel & Curry Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From November 1996)
ELINOR M. KNOWLSON, 79, of Sun City Center died Monday at Columbia South Bay Hospital. A native of San Antonio, Texas , she moved to the area in 1980 from Gaithersburg, Md. She was a nurse for National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Md., and the United Community Church and a volunteer for Sun City Center Rescue Squad. She is survived by a daughter, Margaret Beck of Seffner; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. National Cremation Society, Tampa.
(From November 1996)
DOMENIC LaSTORIA, 96, of Plant City died Tuesday at Columbia Regional Medical Center. A native of Frasolone, Italy, he was a machinist and tool maker for American Chase and Brass, member of the Knights of Columbus, Sons of Italy, Concordia Lodge of Torrington and St. Peter Church. He is survived by a son, Joseph of Plant City; a brother, Nicholas of Old Saybrook, Conn.; a sister, Catherine Conforti of Seal Beach, Calif.; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. LaPorta Funeral Home, Torrington, Conn.
(From November 1996)
JESSIE CAROLINE LUCAS, 81, of Tampa died Tuesday at St. Joseph's Hospital. A native of Paterson, N.J., she moved to Tampa in 1961 from Akron, Ohio. She was a homemaker and member of Pentecostal Church of God. She is survived by two sons, Thomas E. and Robert, both of Tampa; two daughters, Evelyn Wilson and Marilyn Vera, both of Tampa; two brothers, William Henry of Canton, Ohio, and Richard Henry of Akron; 13 grandchildren; and 11 great- grandchildren. Swilley Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From November 1996)
FRED MARCUS, 54, of Plant City died Tuesday at Arbors at Brandon. A native of Miami, he moved to the area in 1989. He was a sales representative for Entenmann's Bakery, an Army veteran and member of Shiloh Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Edith; a son, William Roy of Dover; a daughter, Jennie Ballard of Plant City; his parents, Fred and Jennie of Miramar; three brothers, Rod of Clarksville, Ga., Paul of Pembroke Pines and Harry of Miramar; and one grandchild. Haynes Funeral Home, Plant City.
(From November 1996)
ANTONIA MARESCA, 90, of Valrico died Tuesday at Hawthorne Care Center in Brandon. A native of Venice, Italy, she moved to the area five years ago. She was a retired seamstress and Catholic. She is survived by a stepson, Anthony of Valrico; a stepdaughter, Mary Lozito of New York City; and a sister, Carmela Squicciarini of New York City. Zipperer's Agape Mortuary, Ruskin.
(From November 1996)
DWIGHT R. MIDDAUGH, 66, of Tampa died Tuesday at Tampa General Hospital. A native of Junction City, Ohio, he moved to Tampa in 1993 from New Lexington, Ohio. He was a used car dealer. He is survived by his wife, Alice. Ambassador Mortuary Services, Oldsmar.
(From November 1996)
NELLIE JANE NEARING, 87, of Reading, Mich., died Monday at Prestige Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Haysville, Kan. A native of Sugar Creek Township, Ohio, she was a former resident of Tampa. She was a member of Reading United Methodist Church, Order of the Eastern Star and charter member of Triangle Club in Morenci, Mich. She is survived by two sons, Wayne Fether of Wichita, Kan., and Arnold Fether of Acworth, Ga.; a daughter, Sue Wilgus of Columbus, Ind.; a brother, Ray Dunlap of Lima, Ohio; four grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; and seven stepgreat- grandchildren. Eagle Funeral Home, Morenci.
(From November 1996)
MORAN ARCHIE PEACOCK, 88, of Tampa died Tuesday at home while under the care of Hospice of Hillsborough. A native of Bowling Green, he moved to the area in 1957 from St. Petersburg. He was a retired carpenter, member of Carpenter's Union and New Covenant Church of God. He is survived by a son, John R. Morrison of Tampa; four brothers, Horace G. of St. Petersburg, Carl D. of Las Vegas, C. Eugene of Dunnellon and Donald W. of Crystal River; a sister, Ella Jones of Winston Salem, N.C.; and two grandsons. Glass Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From November 1996)
CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM QUEENAN, 51, of Dover died Oct. 30. He moved to this area in 1970 from his native Chicago. He was a truck driver, a Marine Corp veteran of the Vietname War, and a veteran of the National Guard. He is survived by a son, James of Dover; a brother, Michael of St. Petersburg; a sister, Sharon Bobczynski of Largo; and two grandchildren. North American Cremation Society, Deerfield Beach.
(From November 1996)
EDWARD "BUD" SIMMONDS, 71, of Tampa died Saturday at home while under the care of Hospice of Hillsborough. A native of Greensburg, Ind., he moved to Tampa 27 years ago from Indianapolis. He worked for the U.S. Postal Service and was a Navy veteran of World War II. He is survived by his wife, Helen; four sons, James of Coral Springs, Michael of Louisville, Ky., Steven of Bradenton and Rex Craig of Amarillo, Texas ; a daughter, Sandra Pott of Odessa; a sister, Gail Greene of Shelbyville, Ind.; nine grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Jennings Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From November 1996)
OPRAL V. WHITMORE, 90, of Brandon died Wednesday at Sun Terrace Health Care Center. A native of Franklin, Tenn., she moved to the area in 1966 from Louisville, Ky. She was a homemaker and member of Church of Christ. She is survived by two daughters, Helen Andrews of Valrico and Ann Tucker of Brandon; two brothers, James Monroe McFarland of Gibsonton and Roy Herschel McFarland of Valrico; two sisters, Ethel Burkley and Aline Hodges, both of Bunnell; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and one great- great-grandchild. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From November 1996)
JOHNNIE WESLEY WILLIAMS, 83, of Plant City died Tuesday at Community Convalescent Center. A native of Madison, he moved to the area 76 years ago. He was a carpenter and member and deacon at Eastside Baptist Church. He is survived by two sons, Robert of Atlanta and Donald of Lakeland; two daughters, Betty Rice and Susan Smith, both of Plant City; two brothers, Floyd and Lee Roy, both of Plant City; 12 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Wells Memorial Funeral Home, Plant City.
(From November 1996)
WILLIAM E. BARTER, 73, of Davenport died Wednesday at Heart of Florida Hospital in Haines City. A native of Medford, Mass., he came to this area six years ago from Norfolk, Va., where he was a retired public school teacher. He also was retired from the U.S. Navy, Baptist and member of Winnebago-Itaska Travelers. He is survived by his wife, MurrielQ; four daughters, Nanette Troglan of Dunedin, Loraine Raynor of Virginia Beach, Va., Kathleen Masko of Lodi, Calif., and Marie Barber of Oregon; a son, Jean-Pierre of Virginia Beach; two stepsons, Edward Moore of Virginia Beach and Daniel Moore of Richmond, Va.; a stepdaughter, Katherine Morse of Chesapeake, Va.; three sisters; eight grandchildren; seven step-grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Lane-Holt Funeral Home, Haines City.
(From November 1996)
GEORGE BISHOP, 97, of St. Petersburg died Wednesday in Pinellas Park. A native of Kansas City, Kan., he moved to St. Petersburg in 1983 from Tampa. He was a retired agent for U.S. Customs. He is survived by a grandson, James Austin of Charlotte, N.C.; and three granddaughters, Barbara Ann Dunn of Bartow, Garce Elizabeth Moore of Roanoke, Ind. and Cynthia Elaine of St. Petersburg. Garden of Memories- Myrtle Hill Fuenral Home, Tampa.
(From November 1996)
JOSEPH F. CAREW JR., 50, of St. Petersburg died Wednesday at home. A Boston native, he moved to Florida 15 years ago from Holbrook, Mass., and worked as a cook. He was Catholic. He is survived by his parents, Joseph and Frances, and brother, William E., all of Lakeland; a sister, Jean Burnand of Norwood, Mass.; and six nephews and nieces. Lakeland Funeral Home.
(From November 1996)
CHARLES H. CHANCE JR., 74, of Lakeland died Thursday at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. A native of Rock Island, Ill., he came to this area 10 years ago from Illinois. He owned a trucking company and was a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is survived by his wife, Pat; three daughters, Becky Shaw of Lakeland, Gloria Henscell of Walterboro, S.C., and Sandy Brown of Rock Island; two sons, James of Holland, Mich., and Bill of Moline, Ill.; 12 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Heath Funeral Chapel, Lakeland.
(From November 1996)
JOHN HOWARD KNIGHT, 71, of Lakeland died Wednesday at home. A Virginia native, he moved to this area 25 years ago from Gordonsville, Va. He was a retired auto mechanic for Cannon Buick dealership, Baptist and a Navy veteran of World War II. He is survived by his wife, Shirley; a son, John Jr.; two daughters, Nancy and Phyllis, both of Charlottesville, Va.; two brothers; two sisters; and two grandchildren. Heath Funeral Chapel, Lakeland.
(From November 1996)
JAMES PIERCE MCCRAW, 70, of Lake Wales died Wednesday at home. He was a native of Henderson County, N.C., and self-employed in farming. He is survived by his wife, Bertha. Marion Nelson Funeral Home Inc., Lake Wales.
(From November 1996)
