VIRGINIA J. BLANTON, 76, of Dover died Friday at Columbia Brandon Regional Medical Center. A native of Dover, she was a lifelong resident of the Tampa area. She was an elementary school teacher for Springhead Elementary School; upon retirement she was a substitute teacher and member of the Church of Christ. She is survived by her husband, Howell A.; a son, Dean of Dover; two brothers, Jack J. Johnson of Plant City and Perry E. Johnson of Dunnellon; three grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Wells Memorial Funeral Home, Plant City.
(From January 1997)
WILLARD E. BRIDGES, 71, of Tampa died Thursday in Tampa. A native of Madison, he moved to Tampa in the late-1940s from North Florida. He is survived by his wife, Josephine Ciria; a daughter, Belinda Smith of Riverview; and one grandchild. Garden of Memories-Myrtle Hill Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
GRADY H. BYRD, 83, of Tampa died Saturday in Tampa. A native of Salem, Ala., he moved to Tampa 65 years ago from Alabama. He was a retired machine operator for Portland Cement Co. and member of Salem Baptist Church. He is survived by his wife, Edith P.; a son, William A. Driver of Fort Worth, Texas ; a daughter, Thelma Peacock of Tampa; a brother, Homer of Georgetown, Ga.; 10 grandchildren; several great-grandchildren; and several great- great-grandchildren. Garden of Memories-Myrtle Hill Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
JEAN M. DAYSH, 80, of Brandon died Thursday at Arbors of Brandon. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., she moved to Brandon in 1995 from Watertown, N.Y. She was a homemaker and member of Holy Family Catholic Church in Watertown and St. Stephen Catholic Church in Brandon. She is survived by a son, Charles Daysh-Medford of New York; a daughter, Leontyna J. Hendrick of Brandon; and three grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From January 1997)
ANA FARIAS, 80, of Tampa died Saturday in Tampa. A native of Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico, she moved to Tampa in 1957 from New York City. She was retired from retail sales. She is survived by her husband, Raul; a daughter, Aida Molina; two sons, Billy and Fred; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Gonzalez Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
YLDELICIA GOMEZ, 77, of Tampa died Saturday in Tampa. A native of Matanzas, Cuba, she moved to Tampa in 1980 from Cuba. She was a homemaker and a Jehovah's Witness. She is survived by two daughters, Rose Santos and Reina Perez; four sons, Jesus, Felix, Manolo and Alberto Carvajal; two sisters, Esthel and Paulina Gomez; 11 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Gonzalez Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
JAMES EDWARD MARING, 54, of Thonotosassa died Friday at St. Joseph's Hospital. A native of Mansfield, Ohio, he moved to Thonotosassa in 1963 from St. Petersburg. He was a investigation specialist for the State of Florida, a major in the Tampa Police Department reserves, former teacher at Hillsborough High School and member of St. John's Episcopal Church in Tampa. He is survived by his wife, Amy; a son, James Jr. of San Diego; a daughter, Debra of Jacksonville; his father and stepmother, Forrest and Alice of Webster; a sister, Patricia Howard of Inverness; and two grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From January 1997)
DENNIS W. MILLER, 81, of Tampa died Sunday at University Community Hospital. A native of Swords Creek, Va., he was a longtime resident of Tampa. He was a retired carpenter. He is survived by his wife, Helen M.; three sons, Floyd D., Donald D. and Sherman A., all of Tampa; six grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. Jennings Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
DOMITILA SANCHEZ NUNEZ, 67, of Tampa died Saturday in Tampa. A native of Vinales, Cuba, she moved to Tampa 17 years ago from Cuba. She was a homemaker and Catholic. She is survived by four daughters, Mariana Oliva Mas, Bertha Oliva Medina and Juana Carmen Oliva Powell, all of Tampa and Maria Julia Oliva Sanchez of Havana; five sons, Jose Oliva Sanchez of Havana, Eulogio Oliva Sanchez of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Pablo Oliva Sanchez of Guayama, Puerto Rico, Humberto Oliva Sanchez of Hollywood and Juan Jose Oliva Quintana of Tampa; a sister, Angela Sanchez of Havana; 27 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. Roel & Curry Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
GAETANA PERRONE, 92, of Tampa died Monday at Transitional Hospital. A native of Italy, he moved to Tampa in 1944 from there. He was a cigarmaker for City Cigar Factory and Catholic. He is survived by a son, Dominick of Tampa; a brother, Tony of Lakeland; a sister, Mary Santo of Tampa; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Duval Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
RUTH P. RITTER, 82, of Sun City Center died Saturday at Columbia South Bay Hospital. A native of Sun City West, Ariz., he moved to Sun City Center in 1993 from there. He was a school teacher/principal for the New York City school system, member of Temple Beth Shalom in Sun City West and honorary member of Phi Beta Kappa fraternity. He is survived by a son, Donald L. of Coopersburgh, Pa.; a sister, Mildred Pecker of Sun City West; five grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Beth David Funeral Chapel, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
ZELMA RIVELES of Tampa died Saturday at Town & Country Hospital. A native of New York, she moved to Tampa in 1996 from Plainfield, N.J. She was a homemaker and member of Hadassah Temple Sholom in Plainfield. She is survived by her husband, Julis; and several nieces and nephews. Beth David Funeral Chapel, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
SYLVIA SLINGBAUM, 74, of Brandon died Saturday at home. A native of Philadelphia, she moved to Brandon in 1983 from Miami. She was a homemaker and Jewish. She is survived by her husband, Charles; three sons, Michael of Margate, Stephen of Cooper City and Edward of Brandon; and four grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From January 1997)
HARRY STEVENS, 96, of Tampa died Jan. 10 in Tampa. A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., he moved to Tampa in 1963 from New Jersey. He was a concessionaire with Royal American Shows, Catholic and member of the Tampa Showmans Association. He is survived by three daughters, Elizabeth Kiefer and Harriet Strickland, both of Spring Hill and Judith Alexander of Tampa; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Curry & Son Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
WILLIAM G. STOLARCEK, 52, of Dover died Friday at home under the care of Hospice of Hillsborough. A native of Wyandotte, Mich., he was a longtime resident of the Tampa area. He was a retired Army colonel, serving two tours in Vietnam, Desert Shield/Storm, and a Presbyterian. He is survived by his wife, Rose M.; two sons, William Edward of Redington Beach and Cary Glen of Fort Huachuca, Ariz.; a brother, John of Eagan, Minn.; two sisters, Nancy Artley of Bloomsburg, Pa., and Bonnie Robertson of Dunedin; and one grandchild. Hillsboro Memorial Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
DONALD G. THAILING, 66, of Sarasota died Friday in Sarasota. A native of Cleveland, he lived in Land O' Lakes before moving to Sarasota last month. He was retired from Crumpton Welding Supply, Army veteran of the Korean War and member of St. Mary Catholic Church and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He is survived by his wife, Doris; a daughter, Denise M. Arsenault of St. Petersburg; three sons, Daryl W. of Nokomis, Dale A. of Warren, Ohio, and David J. of Aurora, Colo.; two brothers, Bill of Cleveland and Jerome of Sedona, Ariz.; a sister, Delores Martin of Bellflower, Calif.; and 11 grandchildren. F.T. Blount Co. Funeral Home, Lutz-Land O' Lakes Chapel.
(From January 1997)
HOWARD D. BISHOP, 77, of Eloise died Sunday at home. A native of Bald Knob, Ark., he moved to Eloise from Trumann, Ark., in 1954. He was a citrus fruit dealer, World War II Army veteran and member of Lake Region Baptist Church in Winter Haven and American Association of Retired Persons. He is survived by his wife, Mary Louise; a daughter, Brenda Batton of Dowling Park; a son, Larry D. of Perry, Ga.; a stepson, Danny E. Owens of Searcy, Ark.; three brothers, J.D. of Memphis, Tenn., Paul of Festus, Mo., and James of Herndan, Miss.; two sisters, Cora Elder and Nell Peel, both of Memphis; five grandchildren; and six great- grandchildren. Crisp-Coon Funeral Homes Inc., Winter Haven.
(From January 1997)
DONALD D. BRAKLA, 69, of St. Joseph, Mich., died Sunday at his winter home in Lakeland. A native of Covington, Ind., he had been a seasonal visitor to this area for six years. He was a machinist for an equipment company, a founder of Lakeshore Baptist Church in Stevensville, Mich., and World War II Navy veteran. He attended Berrien Center (Mich.) Bible Church. He is survived by his wife, Leona; a son, Mark of Grand Rapids, Mich.; a daughter, Shari Payne of Thornville, Ohio; and six grandchildren. Lanier Funeral Home, Lakeland.
(From January 1997)
GEORGE ROBERT COLE, 67, of Auburndale died Sunday at Winter Haven Hospital. A native of Syracuse, N.Y., he came to Auburndale 21 years ago from Perry, N.Y. He was a retired electrician for Adams Packing Association and Catholic. He is survived by his wife, Wanda R.; four sons, Gerald and Ronald, both of Winter Haven, George Jr. of Neeses, S.C., and Richard of Warsaw, N.Y.; two daughters, Patricia Smith of Auburndale and Katrina Barone of Perry; two stepsons, Bradley Martin of Auburndale and Timothy Martin of Dundee; his mother, Elsie of Syracuse; three brothers, Charles Jr. and Joseph, both of New York, and Jimmy of Texas ; five sisters, Marlene Murphy of Syracuse, Barbara Spears, Marilyn Spears and Beverly Jennings, all of New York, and Betty Brown of Texas ; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Kersey Funeral Home, Auburndale.
(From January 1997)
JOSEPHINE A. FOSTER, 82, of Fedhaven died Saturday at Lake Wales Medical Centers Inc. A Pennsylvania native, she came to this area 15 years ago from Springfield, Ohio. She was a homemaker and Presbyterian. She is survived by two daughters, Mina Knox of Beavercreek, Ohio, and Francis Ann Hanaford of Fairborn, Ohio; a son, Wesley F. of Versailles, Ky.; and seven grandchildren. Lake Wales Funeral Home.
(From January 1997)
NELLIE H. HELMS, 93, of Homeland died Monday at Columbia/Bartow Memorial Hospital. A Sarasota native, she moved from Lakeland to Homeland in 1943. She was a homemaker and member of Fort Meade Church of Christ. She is survived by a daughter, Norma H. Yancey of Lakeland; a son, Ralph B. Jr. of Homeland; seven grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren. Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, Bartow.
(From January 1997)
KATHRYN VERNICE HILL, 75, of Haines City died Saturday at Winter Haven Hospital. A native of Nanty Glo, Pa., she came to this area two years ago from Severna Park, Md. She was retired assistant manager of Anne Arundel (Md.) County and member of Lamb of God Lutheran Church in Haines City and auxiliaries to Elks Club 2482 in Severna Park and American Legion. She is survived by her husband, Tom; a daughter, Morleen Johnson of Severna Park; four grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. Lane-Holt Funeral Home, Haines City.
(From January 1997)
