F. CONOLEY SMITH, 84, of Lake Alfred died Monday at Winter Haven Hospital. A native of Robeson County, N.C., he came to this area in 1948 from Valdese, N.C. He was a retired agent for Life & Casualty Insurance Co. of Tennessee and member of First Baptist Church of Lake Alfred. He is survived by his wife, Foy. Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven.
(From November 1996)
MILDRED SWISHER, 90, of Haines City died Friday at home. A native of Cincinnati, she moved to this area in 1953 from Ohio. She was a retired bookkeeper and Presbyterian. There are no known surviving relatives. Lane-Holt Funeral Home, Haines City.
(From November 1996)
PATRICIA ANN VanHOOK, 52, of Plant City died Friday at home. A native of Lakeland, she was a longtime resident of the area. She was an apartment manager and Baptist. She is survived by her husband, Heral D.; two daughters, Rae Manchester of Naples and Penny Wittsaman of Bonita Springs; a stepson, Heral D. III of Lowell, Ind.; a stepdaughter, Lynn Enyart of Lagrange, Ind.; her mother, Aubrey Stenson of Dover; a brother, Jack Tew of Lakeland; four sisters, Phyllis Moran and Margie Lawson, both of Plant City, Deborah Harvey of Lithia and Theresa Thomas of High Springs; and six grandchildren. Haynes Funeral Home, Plant City.
(From November 1996)
VIRGINIA W. WELCH, 61, of Seffner died Saturday at home. A native of Norman Park, Ga., she moved to the area in 1975 from Lakeland. She was an accounting clerk for Circle K and member of East Chelsea Baptist Church. She is survived by two sons, Charles G. and Gregory A., both of Seffner; a brother, Buddy Weeks of Auburndale; three sisters, Pearl Blanchard of Mango, Margaret Williford of Brandon and Ann Pickard of Winter Haven; and one grandchild. Hillsboro Memorial Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From November 1996)
GERTIE C. WILDER, 64, of Bartow died Sunday at home. A native of Conway, S.C., she moved to Bartow from Pierce in 1954. She retired after 17 years as a dental assistant for Bartow dentist Webster B. Geiger and attended Wildwood Baptist Church. She is survived by her husband, Charles W.; a daughter, Darlene W. Umstadter of Orlando; her stepfather, James Slaughter of Highland City; her stepmother, Gladys Chestnut of Conway; three brothers, Hal B. Chestnut of Highland City, Wendell Chestnut of Conway and Lloyd Chestnut of Alabama; four sisters, Gloria Zwacks of Conway, Sarah Percival of Greenville, S.C., Pam Adams of Myrtle Beach, S.C., and Lottie McElheany of La Plata, Md.; a grandchild; and great- grandchild. Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, Bartow.
(From November 1996)
ALLAN JAMES BALCHI, 64, of New Port Richey died Monday in Hudson. A native of New York City, he moved to this area four years ago. He was a driver for a limousine/taxi service and lumber industry, and a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church. He is survived by his wife, Rose; three sons, Allan Jr. and George, both of Long Island, and Louis of New York City; two daughters, Rose Peals of New York City and Mary Hoeffner of Long Island; and 10 grandchildren. Thomas B. Dobies Funeral Home, Congress Street Chapel, New Port Richey.
(From November 1996)
STEVEN A. COSENZA, 82, of Port Richey died Saturday at home. A native of New York City, he moved to this area from Wantagh, N.Y., 19 years ago. He was a self-employed hair stylist, a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church, an Army veteran of World War II and a member of Palm Terrace Civic Association and the Veterans of Foreign War Post 7987 of New Port Richey. He is survived by his wife, Marie; two daughters, Benita Campolettano of Maryland and Marguerite DeCillis of Spring Hill; three grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Prevatt Funeral Home, Bayonet Point.
(From November 1996)
ERNEST EDWARD CROFOOT, 92, of Dade City died Sunday at Heritage Park Nursing Home. He was a native of Sterling, N.Y. and a retired appliance assembler. He is survived by his wife, Esther; a sister, Faye Brown; and several nieces and nephews. Oakley Funeral Home, Dade City.
(From November 1996)
STANLEY J. DECOWSKI, 83, of Port Richey died Sunday at Heather Hill Nursing Home in New Port Richey. A native of Ashley, Pa., he moved to this area two months ago from Piscataway, N.J. He was a retired machinist for Egan Machinery in Sommerville, N.J., Catholic and a member of the Senior Citizens Center in Piscataway. He is survived by his wife, Nellie; a son, Stanley J. Jr. of Glen Gardner, N.J.; a daughter, Mary O'Brien of New Port Richey; and five grandchildren. Morgan Funeral Home, New Port Richey.
(From November 1996)
LUCILE FARKAS, 88, of Dade City died Friday at Columbia Dade City Hospital. A native of New York City, she moved to this area 15 years ago from New York. She was a retired bank teller. Kelly Memorial Funeral Home, Zephyrhills.
(From November 1996)
SIDNEY G. HENKEL, 80, of Hudson died Friday at home. A native of Baltimore, he moved to this area 16 years ago. He was a final inspector for Koppers Co. and Catholic. He is survived by his wife, Helen; a daughter, Andrea Lobel of Danville, Penn.; a sister, Edna Hopper of Baltimore; and three grandchildren. Wellwood Funeral Home, Hudson.
(From November 1996)
JULIA KENNEDY, 81, of Tampa died Friday at home. A native of Passaic, N.J., she moved to this area 28 years ago from Ridgewood, N.Y. She was a member of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Tampa and the Exxon Annitiant Association. She is survived by a son, Mathew of Tampa; two daughters, Kathleen Smolinsky of Miami and Sara Piatek of Inverness; two sisters, Edna Bokor of Tampa and Marcella Mark of Morro Bay, Calif.; and four grandchildren. Curlew Hills Funeral Home, Palm Harbor.
(From November 1996)
JAMES FRANCIS LAUGHLIN, 79, of New Port Richey died Sunday at home. A native of Alton, Ill., he moved to this area 13 years ago from Wood River, Ill. He was a retired supervisor for Laclede Steel Co. in Alton, a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and a charter member of the Knights of Columbus in Wood River. He is survived by his wife, Bernice; a son, James D. of Troy, Ill.; two daughters, Sandra Venneman of St. Louis and Kelly Imbimbo of Hudson; two sisters, Theda Noble and Shirley Hamlin, both of Alton; nine grandchildren; and four great- grandchildren. Morgan Funeral Home, New Port Richey.
(From November 1996)
LUCILLE M. LUXTON, 72, of Hudson died Sunday at The Arbors of Bayonet Point. A native of Detroit, she moved to this area from Brighton, Mich., 13 years ago. She was a member of St. Michael's Catholic Church, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Aripeka Lodge 2520 and the Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 3997, both in Hudson. She is survived by her husband, Robert; two sons, Larry E. of Pinckney, Mich., and Robert M. of Glendale, Ariz.; a daughter, Lori of Tampa; and three grandchildren. Family Funeral Care, Hudson.
(From November 1996)
WALTER JOSEPH MAYER, 73, of Holiday died Saturday at home. A native of New York City, he moved to this area nine years ago from Brewster, N.Y. He was a retired mechanical engineer, a Marine veteran of World War II, Catholic, a member of the Veterans of Foreign War #10167 in Holiday, First Marine Division Association, a life member of the First Marine Raider Battallion and the United States Marine Corp League of New Port Richey. He is survived by two daughters, Dianne Behrmann of Indialantic and Barbara Straub of Spring Valley, N.Y.; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Michels- Lundquist Funeral Home, New Port Richey.
(From November 1996)
TIPTON G. MORROW, 83, of New Port Richey died Monday at home. A native of Statesville N.C., he moved to this area 27 years ago from Hyattville, Md. He was a brakeman for the B & O Railroad in Washington , D.C., a member of Community United Methodist Church and its Men's Club in Holiday. He is survived by his wife, Mildred K.; a son, Charles G. of Flagler Beach; a daughter, Linda Shellhouse of Alexandria, Va.; six sisters, Thelma Bridges, Geraldine Burnett and Pearl Rayle, all of Statesville, N.C., Mae Loftin of Canton, N.C., Alta Little of Fredericksburg, Va., and Nelle Bordon of Port St. Lucie; and a grandson. Michels-Lundquist Funeral Home, New Port Richey.
(From November 1996)
EDNA M. NICHOLSON, 83, of Port Richey died Saturday at Columbia Regional Medical Center at Bayonet Point. A native of East Galesburg, Ill., she moved to this area 28 years ago from Mount Pleasant, Iowa. She was Methodist. She is survived by her husband, Robert; a sister, Jemima Fuller of Galesburg, Ill.; and a nephew, Donald of Holiday. Dignified Funeral Alternatives, New Port Richey.
(From November 1996)
CLARENCE IRVING RAMSEY, 83, of New Port Richey died Friday at home. A native of East Hampton, Mass., he moved to this area 13 years ago from California. He was a retired manager for Stanley Home Products, Catholic and member of the Knights of Columbus Father William Loesch Council in New Port Richey. He is survived by a son, Leroy Mayer of Missouri; two daughters, Claudette of Princeton, N.J., and Maureen Zoll of Claremont, Calif.; a brother, John of East Hampton, Mass.; two sisters, Evelyn Doyle of East Hampton and Mary Clay of New Port Richey; 10 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. Family Funeral Home, Hudson.
(From November 1996)
RICHARD R. READ, 76, of New Port Richey died Sunday at North Bay Medical Center in New Port Richey. A native of Fostoria, Ohio, he moved to this area 10 years ago from Clearwater. He was a retired command sergeant major in the U.S. Army and veteran of World War II and the Vietname War. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; two daughters, Stephanie Mobley of Greenville and Christina Burns of New Port Richey; a sister, Jean Smith of Carmel, Calif.; and a grandchild. Dignified Funeral Alternatives, New Port Richey.
(From November 1996)
LEON M. "LEE" SHERMAN, 94, of Holiday died Saturday at Integrated Health Services of Tarpon Springs. A native of Port Jervis, N.Y., he moved to this area 28 years ago from Wayne, N.J. He was a retired engineer and central office foreman for the New York Telephone Co. in New York City, a member of St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in New Port Richey, founder and charter member of St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Wayne, N.J., past president and member of Westwood Civic Association in Holiday, the Royal Arch Masons in New York City, Masonic Lodge 328 Free and Accepted Masons in Port Jervis, N.Y., and the West Pasco High Twelve 409 in New Port Richey. He is survived by his wife, Hazel G.; a son, Fred of Carson City, Nev.; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Thomas B. Dobies Funeral Home, Bartelt Road, Holiday.
(From November 1996)
EMERSON G. "BUCK" WEAVER, 74, of Land O' Lakes died Saturday. A native of Franklin, Pa., he moved to Land O' Lakes in 1951. He was the owner of an electric heater manufacturing company, an Army veteran of World War II and member of First United Methodist Church. He is survived by his wife, Phyllis J.; three sons, Roger G. of Smithville, Tenn., Gregory A. of Lutz and Roy L. of Land O' Lakes; two daughters, Susan J. Gilley of Holiday and Margaret A. Hincey of Bradyville, Tenn.; a brother, Ellsworth of Oil City, Pa.; six grandchildren; and two great- grandchildren. F.T. Blount Funeral Home, Lutz-Land O' Lakes Chapel.
(From November 1996)
MARY ELIZABETH "BETTY" WEBB, 77, of Zephyrhills died Saturday at East Pasco Medical Center. A native of Corinna, Maine, she was a winter resident of this area for six years. She was a retired secretary for Moosehead Woolen Mills Inc. and a member of the Corinna United Methodist Church. She is survived by her husband, Freeman G.; a daughter, Brenda W. Jacobs of Corinna; and three grandchildren. Kelly Memorial Funeral Home, Zephyrhills.
(From November 1996)
