JOSEPH DePIRO, 101, of Clearwater died Tuesday at Mease Hospital Dunedin. A native of Naples, Italy, he moved to this area in 1975 from Rahway, N.J. He was a retired employee of the City of New York Sanitation Department and a member of Espiritu Santo Catholic Church in Safety Harbor. He is survived by two daughters, Rose Pecoraro of Palm Harbor; five grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Curlew Hills Funeral Home, Palm Harbor.
(From January 1997)
JUANITA JIMENEZ, 80, of Tarpon Springs died Wednesday at Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital. A native of Cuba, she moved to this area in 1970 from Kinnenon, N.J. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church. She is survived by her husband, Victor; two daughters, Elena Ferrer of Jacksonville and Martha Ferrer of Los Angeles; two brothers, Jose Ramos of Miami and Ildefonso Ramos of Los Angeles; two sisters, Julia Font and Isabel Lopez, both of Dunedin; and two grandchildren. Vinson Funeral Home, Tarpon Springs.
(From January 1997)
WALTER GORDON JOHNS II, 88, of Palm Harbor died Tuesday at St. Marks Assisted Living Facility. A native of Rutland, N.D., he moved to this area in 1974 from Superior, Wis. He was a welder for a railroad and a member of Green Dolphin Golf Association and Brotherhood of Maintenance of the Way. He is survived by two sons, Walter M. of San Luis Obispo, Calif., and Duane G. of Eden, Minn.; three daughters, Marlene E. Kummer of West Fargo, N.D., Shirley A. Jellum of Tarpon Springs and Beverly M. Dietrich of Red Wing, Minn.; a sister, Alene Brann of Renton, Wash.; 21 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren. Padgett Funeral Home, Holiday.
(From January 1997)
ELEANOR A. MILLER, 80, of Hudson died Sunday at Columbia Regional Medical Center at Bayonet Point. A native of Detroit, she moved to this area 25 years ago from Mount Clemens, Mich. She was Catholic. She is survived by four sons, Vernon of Sparks, Nev., Robert of Dalton, Mass., Bruce of Boynton Beach and Thomas of Clearwater; a daughter, Patricia Stratford of Marietta, Ga.; six grandchildren; and two great- grandchildren. Wellwood Funeral Home, Port Richey.
(From January 1997)
VIVIAN NORMAN, 80, of Tampa died Wednesday. A native of Ocala, she moved to Tampa in 1941 from St. Petersburg. She was a homemaker and member of Seminole Church of Christ. She is survived by a son, Fred of North Little Rock, Ark.; two daughters, Belinda McGahee of Lutz and Rachel Raymond of Penngrove, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Garden of Memories-Myrtle Hill Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
JOHN D. PAUL, 89, of Clearwater died Tuesday at Bayview Nursing Pavilion. He moved to this area in 1967 from his native Ellenburg, N.Y. He was a funeral director in Ellenburg, co-owner of Paul & Hogan Insurance Agency in Ellenburg and Feaster Memorial Homes in Largo, past master of Mount Hermon Lodge F&AM in Ellenburg and a member of Mount Hermon Chapter Order of Eastern Star in Ellenburg and St. Paul United Methodist Church in Largo. He is survived by two sons, Robert G. and Richard B., both of Largo; four grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes, Largo Chapel.
(From January 1997)
WANDA J. RENDZIO of Dunedin died Tuesday at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater. A native of Jersey City, N.J., she moved to this area in 1977 from Cedar Glens Lake, N.J. She was an accountant, a volunteer for Palm Harbor Chamber of Commerce and a member of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church. She is survived by a son, Joseph of Lutz; three grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and a great-great- grandchild. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes, Dunedin Chapel.
(From January 1997)
A. HENRY SALESON, 77, of Tampa died Sunday at Tampa General Hospital. A native of Boston, he moved to Tampa in 1991 from Westborough, Mass. He was a retired captain in the Navy, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, member of the Navy League, Retired Officers Association, MacDill Air Force Base Golf Club and AARP. He is survived by his wife, Ruth I. Johnson; a son, Joel of Columbus, Mo.; two daughters, Georgia Comitte of Port Washington , N.Y. and Linda Cuellar of Placerville, Calif.; two stepsons, Allen Johnson of Oldsmar and Philip Johnson of Worster, Mass.; a stepdaughter, Lynne Johnson-Myerson of Harrisburg, Pa.; and two grandchildren. National Cremation Society, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
EARL G. SMITH, 93, of Largo died Wednesday at home. A native of Alden, Ill., he had been a winter resident since 1978. He was president of Hebron State Bank in Hebron, Ill., and a member of First United Methodist Church in Largo and Hebron Methodist Church. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes, Largo Chapel.
(From January 1997)
JUNE V. TAPSCOTT, 80, of Clearwater died Tuesday at Morton Plant Hospital. A native of Decatur, Ill., she moved to this area in 1996 from Chillicothe, Ohio. She retired as a warehouse supervisor for Target Corp. in Indianapolis after 30 years. She was Baptist. She is survived by two sons, Danny R. of Orlando and James P. Rasch of Florida; two daughters, Juanita J. Aster of Clearwater and Hazel J. Filchack of Chillicothe; a brother, Herman Houser of Decatur, Ill.; 11 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes, Largo Chapel.
(From January 1997)
BILL BELL, 68, of Franklin, N.C. died Wednesday at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. A native of Hackettstown, N.J., he was a carpenter, a Navy veteran and Presbyterian. He is survived by his wife, Barbara; three daughters, Bonnie Lee Foley of Valrico, Pamela Rae Foote of Sebring and Sandra Ann of Boynton Beach; a sister, Doris Sutton of Monroe, N.Y.; four grandchildren; and a great- grandchild. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From January 1997)
EDWARD CHARLES BUTLER, 79, of Ruskin died Tuesday at home. A native of Dixmont, Maine, he moved to the area in 1968. He was a retired automobile dealer, Army veteran of World War II, member and past president of Ruskin VFW Post, China-Burma-India Veterans Association, Flying Tigers of the 14th Air Force, Hump Pilots Association and Moose Lodge. He is survived by two sons, Edward C. Jr. of Levant, Maine, and Frank B. of Ruskin; two daughters, Gladys Knowles and Rosemary Bartlett, both of Hermon, Maine; two stepsons, Larry Ormsby of Burlington, Vt., and Brian Ormsby of Ellsworth, Maine; a sister, Mildred Tuttle of Skowhegan, Maine, 22 grandchildren; and 27 great-grandchildren. Lewers Funeral Home, Ruskin.
(From January 1997)
WILBURN A. BYRD, 80, of Tampa died Wednesday at Tampa General Hospital. A native of Scott County, Va., he moved to Tampa in 1954. He was retired from Hav-A-Tampa Cigar and a member of Causeway Baptist Church. He is survived by two sons, Howard and James, both of Tampa; a daughter, Shirley Waters of Tampa; 11 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren. Hamilton Funeral Home, Riverview.
(From January 1997)
THELMA L. CONNELL, 73, of Tampa died Wednesday. A lifelong resident of Tampa, she was a sales representative for Avon Products and member of First Baptist Church of Dover. She is survived by her husband, Arlton; two sons, Larry A. of Brandon and John S. of Tampa; two brothers, Sylvan J. Vetzel Jr. of Haines City and Charles Lee Vetzel of Tampa; two sisters, Earlene Benton of Tampa and Christine Button of East Edmundson, N.Y.; and seven grandchildren. Garden of Memories-Myrtle Hill Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
JARONE L. CORDON, 21, of Brandon died Monday at his home. A native of Nueva Ecija, Philippines, he moved to the area in 1992. He was a student and a member of the Church of the Nativity. He is survived by three brothers, Michael of Kissimmee, Richard and Kenneth of Brandon; and maternal grandmother Leonila Penson of Manila, Philippines. Stowers Funeral Homes, Brandon.
(From January 1997)
DOTTIE CRAWFORD, 67, of Brandon died Thursday at Columbia Brandon Regional Medical Center. A native of Saint Joseph, Mo., she moved to the area in 1972 from Atlanta. She was a meat packer for Lykes Bros., an employee at Kmart, member of Hyde Park Presbyterian Church and Order of the Eastern Star, both in Saint Joseph. She is survived by her husband, Jack J.; three sons, James of Valrico, Paul Anthony of Brandon and Jeffrey Wayne of Snellville, Ga.; two daughters, Jacqulin Lynn Lowery and Kimberly Jo Bushue, both of Brandon; a brother, George L. Griffin of Saint Joseph; three sisters, Edna May Caton of Saint Joseph, Myrtle Ruth Johnson of San Jose, Calif., and Betty Jean Young of Las Vegas; 13 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.
(From January 1997)
RICHARD B. DIAZ SR., 72, of Tampa died Monday at St. Joseph's Hospital. A lifelong resident of Tampa, he was a heavy equipment operator, a Coast Guard veteran and Catholic. He is survived by his wife, Margaret; a son, Richard Jr. of Tampa; a brother, Benny of Tampa; a sister, Mary Romeo of Tampa; and two grandchildren. Mark III Family Funeral Home, Bay To Bay Chapel, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
JULIAN GRIFFIN ERWIN, 95, of Tampa died Tuesday at Manor Care of Carrollwood. A native of Young Harris, Ga., he moved to Tampa in 1959. He was a retired executive for a mine supply company and a member of Palma Ceia United Methodist Church. He was an officer in Kiwanis Clubs International. He is survived by a son, Julian T. Sr.; two brothers, Robert M. of Sarasota and Ralph A. of Cleveland, Tenn.; a sister, Claudia E. Shields of Cleveland, Tenn.; four grandchildren; and four great- grandchildren. Curry & Son Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
ELIEZER FELICIANO, 34, of Tampa died Wednesday at St. Joseph's Hospital. A native of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, he moved to Tampa in 1995 from Meridan, Conn. He was a cook and member of Mission Maranatha Pentecostal Church. He is survived by his wife, Maria; two sons, Eliezer Jr. and Ezequiel, both of Tampa; a daughter, Esther Marie of Tampa; his parents, Ramon Feliciano Grafals and Rosa, both of Tampa; two brothers, Ramon B. of Tampa and Joel of Canuy, Puerto Rico; and his grandparents, Ramon Feliciano Sabria and Neva Grafals Hernandez, both of Tampa. Mark III Family Funeral Home, Town & Country Chapel.
(From January 1997)
LINDA BAKER FERNETTE, 50, of Lakeland died Monday in Tampa. A native of Oxnard, Calif., she moved to Lakeland in 1971 from New Jersey. She was an employee of Chrysler Finance Corp. She is survived by a son, Jon Paul McIntyre of Tampa; a daughter, Amy McIntyre of Tampa; her parents, Richard and Elizabeth Baker of Boynton Beach; two brothers, Durant Baker of Pennsylvania and Richard Hagen of California; and a sister, Diane Berg of New Jersey. She also leaves her companion, James Lasota of Lakeland. F.T. Blount Funeral Home, Carrollwood Chapel.
(From January 1997)
SARA GONZALEZ, 91, of Tampa died Thursday. A lifelong resident of Tampa, she was a retired kitchen aide for Centro Espanol Hospital and member of Taylor Memorial Baptist Church. She is survived by a daughter, Angelita Collazo; a grandchild; and a great-grandchild. Gonzalez Funeral Home, Tampa.
(From January 1997)
ALMA L. GRAVELY, 80, of Seffner died Tuesday at home. A native of Union, W.Va., she moved to the area in 1941. She was a supervisor in telephone sales, a member of First Baptist Church of Brandon and Order of the Eastern Star. She is survived by two sisters, Mildred K. Terry and Grace Alderman, both of Tampa. Stowers Funeral Home.
(From January 1997)
