JAMES D. FORD SR., 51, of Riverview died Tuesday at home. A native of Atlantic City, N.J., he moved to the area in 1975 from English Creek, N.J. He was the president and owner of Con Sys Co. and member and chairman of the Pastor Parish Relations and Board of Trustees at Riverview United Methodist Church. He is survived by his wife, Betty; a son, John M. of Brandon; a daughter, Evelyne Hogue of Riverview; and three grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From December 1996)
DELORES JEAN HUFFMAN, 58, of Fitzgerald, Ga., died Sunday in Ocilla, Ga. A native of Charleston, W.Va., she was a former resident of Tampa. She was a homemaker and Baptist. She is survived by her husband, N. Henry; three sons, Samuel of Fitzgerald and Anthony and Jeremiah, both of Tampa; two daughters, Candy Lynn Barlow of Port Charlotte and Vicky Michelle McCall of Tampa; two brothers, John Breedon of Fitzgerald and Vincent Breedon of Tampa; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Garden of Memories-Myrtle Hill Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From December 1996)
LLOYD J. KAISER, 82, of Lakeland died Monday at home. He was a native of Stainer, Ontario, a self- employed electrician and plumber and a member of Sunset Heights United Methodist Church in Plant City. He is survived by his wife, Frances R.; a son, Sidney of San Jose, Calif.; five stepchildren, Meyer Schultz of Plant City, Danny Schultz of Fife Lake, Mich., Donna Reese and Ginger House, both of Niles, Mich., and Frances L. Morehead of South Haven, Mich.; two sisters, Rose Eagan of Stone Mountain, Ga., and Grace Cornell of Endicott, N.Y.; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. National Cremation Society, Tampa.
(From December 1996)
DIANA FERNANDEZ KENNEDY, 50, of Tampa died Saturday at home. A native of San Jose, Costa Rica, she moved to Tampa three months ago. She was Catholic. She is survived by her husband, Neill of San Jose; four brothers, Manuel J. Fernandez of Key Largo, Augenio A. Fernandez of Liberia, Costa Rica, Mariano Fernandez-Ulloa of Cincinnati and Juan A. Fernandez of San Jose; and a sister, Francisca A. Elio of San Jose. Roel & Curry Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From December 1996)
NAOMI RUTH McLEAN, 75, of Riverview died Tuesday in Brandon. A native of Canal Point, she moved to the area 60 years ago. She was a cigar maker for Hav-A-Tampa Cigar Co. and Baptist. She is survived by two sons, Carl E. of Brandon and Larry F. of Coconut Creek; a daughter, Ragene Crawford of Riverview; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Riverview.
(From December 1996)
MARY E. MOORE, 88, of Sun City Center died Tuesday at Palm Gardens. A native of Champaign, Ill., she moved to the area in 1970 from Chicago. She was a retired assembly worker for Nabisco Bakery and member of St. Anne's Catholic Church. She is survived by two nieces, Kelley Adams and Catherine Yunt, both of Tempe, Ariz. Lewers Funeral Home, Ruskin.
(From December 1996)
JAMES THOMAS MYATT SR., 73, of Sun City Center died Wednesday. He was a native of Baxter, Tenn. He was an Army veteran of World War II, member of Telephone Pioneers of America, American Legion of Cookeville, Tenn., VFW and was a volunteer at Columbia South Bay Hospital. He is survived by his wife, Gloria; a son, James Thomas Jr. of Ruskin; a daughter, Kathryn Lee of Homestead; two sisters, Edith Crawford of Cookeville and Edna Flatt of Nashville, Tenn.; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Family Funeral Care, Sun City Center.
(From December 1996)
IDA NAPOLITANO, 78, of Ruskin died Tuesday at Palm Gardens in Sun City Center. A native of New York City, she moved to the area five years ago from Elmhurst, N.Y. She was a homemaker and Catholic. She is survived by two daughters, Jean Blankenstein of Ruskin and Doreen of Brandon; a son, Frank of Elmhurst; and four grandchildren. Zipperer's Agape Mortuary, Ruskin.
(From December 1996)
EARNEST WILSON PEEBLES, 72, of Gulf Breeze died Monday at home. A native of Brewton, Ala., he moved to the Pensacola area 40 years ago. He was retired from Monsanto Corp., veteran of World War II and the Korean War and member of the Masons, American Legion and Elim Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Sara; a son, David G. of Brandon; two stepsons, John P. Williamson of Carrollton, Ohio, and Donald H. Williamson of Mobile, Ala.; a brother, Robert W. of Damascus, Ala.; three sisters, Wilma P. Herrington and Margaret P. Taylor, both of Brewton and Marjorie P. Quimby of Montgomery, Ala.; three grandchildren; four stepgrandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Martin Funeral Home, Gulf Breeze.
(From December 1996)
JOSEPH ARMANDO PICUCCI, 94, of Tampa died Monday. A native of New York City, he moved to Tampa 12 years ago from New Port Richey. He was a civil engineer in the aerospace industry and a member of Incarnation Catholic Church. He is survived by his wife, Antoinette; two daughters, Veronica Sorbo of Tampa and Pat Flanagan of Palm Beach Gardens; two brothers, Nicholas and Anthony, both of New York; 10 grandchildren; and 15 great- grandchildren. A.P. Boza Funeral Home, Town & Country Chapel.
(From December 1996)
CARL S. RUTH JR., 72, of Seffner died Tuesday in Tampa. A native of Electra, Texas , he moved to the area in 1945. He was a master plumber, an Army veteran of World War II, member and deacon at First Baptist Church of Brandon and a Mason. He is survived by his wife, M. Lorraine; four sons, Larry of Tampa, Timothy of Brandon, Ronald of Westminster, S.C., and Richard of Valrico; two daughters, Sharon Ruth of Lutz and Rebecca Robinson of Atlanta; 20 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Garden of Memories-Myrtle Hill Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From December 1996)
AUDREY L. SPOTFORD, 69, of Tampa died Dec. 4 at St. Joseph's Hospital. A lifelong resident of Tampa, she was retired from Met Life Insurance Co., Baptist, member of Lee Davis Advisory Board, Lee Davis Neighborhood Development Corporation Executive Board, The Smarties and East Tampa Community Patriarchs. She is survived by a son, Howard; two daughters, Carolyn Williams and Gloria S. Rhanes; a brother, Roland Goodman of Philadelphia; 10 grandchildren; and 26 great- grandchildren. Harmon Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From December 1996)
LEONA LYNN STEVENSON, 72, of Tampa died Tuesday. A native of Okahumpka, she moved to Tampa in 1991 from Nobleton. She was a homemaker, Baptist and member of Extension Homemakers Club. She is survived by four sons, Marvin J., Larry O., Tillman M. and Terry E. Deal, all of Tampa; a daughter, Sandra A. Ellis of Nobleton; a brother, Basil Lynn of Lithia; 10 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From December 1996)
GABRIEL VILLARREAL, infant son of Robert and Maria of Ruskin died Tuesday at Tampa General Hospital. He is also survived by three brothers, Juan, Roberto and David; his paternal grandparents, Ignacio and Hermelinda of Ruskin; and his maternal grandparents, Gabriel and Refujia Seballos of Ruskin. Zipperer's Agape Mortuary, Ruskin.
(From December 1996)
MADGE B. WILLIAMS, 83, of Dade City died Monday in Zephyrhills. A native of Texhoma, Okla., she moved to Dade City in 1995 from Baldwin City, Kan. She was a homemaker and member of Church of Christ in Baldwin. She is survived by her husband, Olen R.; a daughter, Linda S. Tucker of Lutz; three sisters, Ruth Huettig of Shawnee Mission, Kan., Ruby Stagger of Folsom, Calif. and Leeta Lee Goins of Bakersville, Calif.; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. F.T. Blount Funeral Home, Lutz-Land O' Lakes Chapel.
(From December 1996)
EDGAR MERRIL BRIGANCE, 80, of Lakeland died Tuesday at home. A native of Kennett, Mo., he moved to this area six years ago from Kalamazoo, Mich. He was a retired self-employed carpenter, Army veteran of World War II, past commander of Richland (Mich.) Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and a member of Mulberry American Legion Post 72. He is survived by his wife, Mary E.; a daughter, Mary Murdaugh of Denver; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Lakeland Funeral Home.
(From December 1996)
ELNA LOU BRUCE, 62, of Auburndale died Tuesday at Integrated Health Services. A native of Houston County, Ala., she came to Auburndale in 1942 from Alabama. She was a homemaker and member of Dixie Highway Baptist Church. She is survived by a daughter, Anita Smith of Auburndale; a son, Jimmy C. of Raiford; two brothers, John W. Ingram of Auburndale and Russell Ingram of Winter Haven; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Kersey Funeral Home, Auburndale.
(From December 1996)
WILLIAM N. CALHOUN, 85, of Lakeland died Monday at home. A native of Kingsport, Tenn., he came to Polk County from Kissimmee 14 years ago. He was a construction worker. He is survived by a sister-in-law, Nina of Lakeland; and two nieces. Lakeland Funeral Home.
(From December 1996)
LLOYD J. KAISER, 82, of Lakeland died Monday at home. He was a native of Stainer, Ontario, a self- employed electrician and plumber and a member of Sunset Heights United Methodist Church in Plant City. He is survived by his wife, Frances R.; a son, Sidney of San Jose, Calif.; five stepchildren, Meyer Schultz of Plant City, Danny Schultz of Fife Lake, Mich., Donna Reese and Ginger House, both of Niles, Mich., and Frances L. Morehead of South Haven, Mich.; two sisters, Rose Eagan of Stone Mountain, Ga., and Grace Cornell of Endicott, N.Y.; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. National Cremation Society, Tampa.
(From December 1996)
HELEN AGNES MAPLES, 74, of Lakeland died Tuesday at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. A native of Glens Falls, N.Y., she came to Lakeland in 1989 from Winston-Salem, N.C., and worked as a nursing aide for a television components manufacturer. She was Catholic. She is survived by her husband, Vernon; two daughters, Dale Leon of Polk City and Tina Larios of California; four sons, James Hayes of Islamorada, Stephen Wilson of North Carolina, David Turcotte of Texas and Raymond Turcotte of Oklahoma; 19 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Lanier Funeral Home, Lakeland.
(From December 1996)
EDWARD XAVIER MCKENNA, 87, of Winter Haven died Tuesday at Winter Haven Hospital. A native of Yonkers, N.Y., he moved to this area 20 years ago from Syracuse, N.Y., where he was retired from sales at Mathew Bender Co. He is survived by a son, Edward Jr. of Columbia, S.C.; two daughters, Sister Mary X. of Bladensburg, Md., and Mary Beth Correll of Genoa, N.Y.; and three grandchildren. Ott- Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven.
(From December 1996)
LACY PERKINS, 85, of Bartow died Tuesday at Columbia/Bartow Memorial Hospital. A native of Pine Knot, Ky., he came to Polk County from Orlando in 1983. He was a retired job leader at Stolle Corp. manufacturing company in Sidney, Ohio, and a Baptist. He is survived by four sons, Donald Lee of Bartow, Roger Dale of Winter Park, Homer Bartow of Casselberry and Richard Michael of Santa Fe, N.M.; a daughter, Lacey A. Rogers of Bartow; nine grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. Lakeland Funeral Home.
(From December 1996)
