ANTONIO "TONY" ROMANELLO, 68, of Tampa died Wednesday at Tampa General Hospital. A lifelong resident of Tampa, he was the owner of a tavern and an Army veteran of the Korean War. He is survived by two sons, Douglas of Valrico and Matthew of Tampa; a daughter, Debra of London; a brother, Al of Tuskaloosa, Ala.; and four grandchildren. A.P. Boza Funeral Home, Riverside Chapel, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
YOGI RAJ SHARMA, 64, of Brandon died Wednesday at home. A native of Gangwal, India, he moved to the area in 1986 from Toronto. He was a Hindu priest, teacher, scholar, spiritual advisor and leader of Gita Bhawan Inc., affiliated with the Canada Hindu Organization, founding father of the Vishnu Mandir in Toronto, a cultural attache for the Indian High Commission in Guyana and the West Indies and a lecturer at Delhi University and Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan in India. He is survived by his wife, Usha; a son, Kunal of Brandon; two daughters, Renu Roy of Toronto and Nirja Aiyer of Houston; a sister, Shanti of Toronto; and one grandson. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From January 1997)
ALICE E. SMITH, 82, of Dover died Wednesday at Forest Park Nursing Home. A native of Albany, N.Y., she moved to the area in 1968. She was a homemaker and member of Trinity United Methodist Church. She is survived by two daughters, June Kahelin and Joy Sutton, both of Dover; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Haynes Funeral Home, Plant City.
(From January 1997)
PAUL FREDRICK TUMEY, 59, of Valrico died Monday at home. A native of Defiance, Ohio, he moved to the area in 1959 from Toledo, Ohio. He was a vice president/general manager for Florida Glass, an Army veteran and Catholic. He is survived by four daughters, Annie Dwinnell of Brandon, Sandra Williams of Bokeelia, Julia of Tampa and Irene Tipton of Claremont, Calif.; two brothers, Roger and Russ, both of Toledo; two sisters, Carma Kaufman of Michigan and Virginia Marquis of Toledo; and three grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From January 1997)
ARMANDO "RED" "MOODY" VEGA, 84, of Tampa died Wednesday at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. A native of Santiago, Cuba, he was a longtime resident of Tampa. He was a security officer for Tampa Shipyards Inc., a cigar maker for Perfecto Garcia Cigar factory, member of the Cuban Club in Ybor City and Centro Espanol. He is survived by a daughter, Endia Winkler of Valrico; three sisters, Gloria Alonso, Pilar Gonzalez and Casimira Bracken, all of Tampa; and one grandchild. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From January 1997)
BORGHILD WILLIAMSEN, 90, of Sun City Center died Tuesday at Palm Garden. A native of Oslo, Norway, she moved to the area 20 years ago. She was a homemaker and member of Redeemer Lutheran Church. She is survived by two sons, Walter J. of Harwinton, Conn. and Donald of Warwick, N.Y.; a daughter, Carol Diesl of Palm Coast; 13 grandchildren; and several great- grandchildren. Lewers Funeral Home, Ruskin.
(From January 1997)
FRANK L. YOUNG JR., 66, of Dunedin died Tuesday at Sun Coast Hospital in Largo. A native of Johnson City, Tenn., he moved to this area in 1973 from Appomattox, Va. He was retired, a Navy veterany and a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. He is survived by his wife, Jane; three sons, Frank L. III of Holiday, Richard T. of Valrico and Steven C. of Winter Springs; two daughters, Kathryn Shook of Winston-Salem, N.C., and Lee Ann Rose of Lynchburg, Va.; a sister, Helen Leins of Columbia, Md.; and 12 grandchildren. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes, Dunedin Chapel.
(From January 1997)
BENNIE B. BRANTON, 76, of Bartow died Tuesday at home. A native of South Carolina, he came to Bartow several years ago from Lake Alfred. He was a farmer and World War II Army veteran. Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, Bartow.
(From January 1997)
JAMES O. BROWN, 86, of Lakeland died Wednesday at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. A native of Franklin County, Ill., he moved to this area 23 years ago from Garden City, Mich. He retired after 30 years as a utility worker for General Motors Corp. and was Protestant. He is survived by five daughters, Brenda Seeman of Garden City, Carolyn David of Jackson, Mich., Marilyn Carr of Dearborn, Mich., Patricia Harmon of Phoenix and Nita Fick of Bell, Calif.; a brother, Clyde of Belleville, Mich.; 13 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Lakeland Funeral Home.
(From January 1997)
CELIE R. CAMPBELL, 84, of Waverly died Thursday at Integrated Health Services of Auburndale. A native of Boyce, Va., she moved to Polk County in 1963 from Miami. She was a retired housekeeper in the Mountain Lake community of Lake Wales and attended Waverly Baptist Church. She is survived by her husband, Claude S.; three sisters, Mary Shiver of Lake Wales,d Audie Bussard and Irene Shivers, both of Chiefland; two brothers, Grover Rhodes of Tampa and Walter Rhodes of Orlando; and a granddaughter. Marion Nelson Funeral Home Inc., Lake Wales.
(From January 1997)
BENJAMIN WILLIAM DANKOSKY JR., 35, of Frostproof died Saturday at home. A native of New York City, he moved to this area in 1974 from Westbury, N.Y. He worked as a diesel mechanic for a Methodist children's home in Enterprise and was a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church in Avon Park. He is survived by his parents, Benjamin and Maureen of Frostproof; three brothers, Russell Andrew of Lake Wales, Michael Joseph of Prattville, Ala., and Richard of Johnson City, Tenn.; and a sister, Susan Prevatt of Seville. Marion Nelson Funeral Home Inc., Frostproof.
(From January 1997)
LOUISE A. DOBAY, 83, of Winter Haven died Tuesday at Integrated Health Services of Auburndale. A New York City native, she came to Polk County seven years ago from Sunrise. She was a former lead singer for a Gilbert & Sullivan operetta company and member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church. She is survived by her husband, Arthur; two daughters, Evelyn Leach of Winter Haven and Diane McGuire of Clewiston; a brother, Otto Ament of Colorado Springs, Colo.; four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven.
(From January 1997)
NORMA P. FREELAND, 74, of Lakeland died Wednesday at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. A native of Seymour, Ind., she moved to this area 15 years ago from Indianapolis. She was a retired chain maker for Diamond Chain Co. and member of The Nativity Catholic Church. She is survived by two daughters, Janie Clark of Mulberry and Peggy Clendening of Lakeland; a son, Thomas of Lakeland; and six grandchildren. Heath Funeral Chapel, Lakeland.
(From January 1997)
GEORGE H. GERLACK, 70, of Lakeland died Wednesday at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. A native of Monessen, Pa., he came to this area in 1991 from Clarksburg, Pa.. He was retired purchasing manager for Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., Catholic and member of Loyal Order of Moose, Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks and Pennsylvania Italian Club. He is survived by four daughters, Betty J. Ringler and Virginia G. Woodring, both of Lakeland, Sharon A. Brank of Avonmore, Pa., and Rosemary S. Tomlinson of Kent, Ohio; a sister, Eleanor Sebyanic of Pittsburgh; 13 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Lakeland Funeral Home.
(From January 1997)
CHARLES WILLIAM "DICK" HAYDON, 91, of Winter Haven died Wednesday at home. A native of Franklin, Ky., he moved to this area in 1925 from Simpson County, Ky. He was a builder,a co-founder of an automobile service station, former employee of Seaboard Coast Line Railroad and served with Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. He is survived by a sister, Myrtle E. Duboise of Winter Haven. Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven.
(From January 1997)
FRANCIS "FRANK" E. HEALD, 73, of Hudson died Wednesday at Columbia Regional Medical Center at Bayonet Point. A native of Paterson, N.J., he moved to this area 18 years ago from Warner Robbins, Ga. He was a retired Navy Quartermaster, veteran of World War II and the Korean War, member of American Legion Post 79 in New Port Richey, the Fleet Reserve and Veterans of Foreign Wars both in Hudson, and the Masonic Shrine in Tampa. He is survived by his wife, Glenda; two sons, Ronald of Lizella, Ga., and Ken Corlee of Tampa; a daughter, Delice Corlee of Orlando; two sisters, Mary Dormeus of Lakeland, and Phoebe Love of Las Vegas; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Thomas B. Dobies Funeral Home, Congress Street Chapel, New Port Richey.
(From January 1997)
EVA E. KING, 94, of Lakeland died Wednesday at Highlands Lake Center/Genesis ElderCare. A native of Elkhart, Ind., she came to Lakeland in 1990 from Tavernier. She was a homemaker, member of First United Methodist Church and former member of the Nazarene Church. She is survived by a daughter, Darline Clouse of Lakeland; and two sisters, Alta Moore and Daisy Bradley, both of Hammond, Ind. Lakeland Funeral Home.
(From January 1997)
SHELBY LINDSEY, 84, of Haines City died Wednesday at home. A native of Troy, Ala., he moved to Haines City from Lake Panasoffkee in 1928. He retired after 46 years as a harvester for J.C. Long Citrus Growers and was a member of Eastside Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Rosalind T.; a son, Lee of Lakeland; two half-sisters, Addie Hamric of Haines City and Mary Jane Stubbs of Pine Level, Ala.; a granddaughter; and four great-grandsons. Lane-Holt Funeral Home, Haines City.
(From January 1997)
CHESTER W. "CHET" MILLER, 84, of Winter Haven died Tuesday at Winter Haven Hospital. A native of Evansville, Ind., he was a longtime Florida resident. He was a retired travel dispatcher for Tampa Electric Co. in Winter Haven, Lutheran, a volunteer with 4-H clubs, a supervisor of Teco Retirees Tennis Group and member of Winter Haven Tennis Club and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He is survived by three daughters, Patricia "Pam" Hancock of Winter Haven, Donna McDermott of Alturas and Deborah Lynn Martin of Middleburg; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Crisp-Coon Funeral Homes Inc., Winter Haven.
(From January 1997)
VERNON POWELL, 83, of Lakeland died Monday at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. A native of Troutville, Va., he moved to this area two years ago from Flora, Ind., where he was retired minister of Church of the Brethren. He is survived by his wife, Theresa; three sons, Bob V. of Kingsley, Iowa, Jack of Vermillion, S.D., and Duane of Fox Lake, Ill.; a daughter, Debra Paul of Cutler, Ind.; two brothers, Randolph of Wernersville, Pa., and Frank of Shoemakersville, Pa.; a sister, Ruth Leininger of Shillington, Pa.; and 12 grandchildren. Heath Funeral Chapel, Lakeland.
(From January 1997)
BERTHA L. "BETTY" UHLMELYER, 80, of Davenport died Wednesday at home. A native of Wyaconda, Mo., she came to this area two years ago from West Plains, Mo. She was a retired practical nurse and member of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Kahoka, Mo. She is survived by a daughter, Callie Edmondson of Davenport. Lane-Holt Funeral Home, Haines City.
(From January 1997)
BESSIE MAE WARD, 85, of Winter Haven died Wednesday at Winter Haven Health & Rehabilitation Center. A native of Gulfport, Miss., she came to this area in 1925 from Mississippi. She was a retired hospital aide and member of Inwood Baptist Church. She is survived by a son, Stanley Lane of Eagle Lake; two sisters, Gladys Peebles of Auburndale and Ruby Cain of Winter Haven; three grandchildren; and one great- grandchild. Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven.
(From January 1997)
