RUTH ELIZABETH MATTICE, 76, of Indian Lake Estates died Wednesday at Florida Hospital/Walker in Avon Park. A native of Albany, N.Y., she came to Indian Lake Estates 20 years ago from Johnstown, N.Y. She was a retired telephone company clerk and Lutheran. She is survived by three daughters, Karlene Ebersbach of Avon Park and Jacqueline Adams and June Freeman, both of Johnstown; two sons, John of Wells, N.Y., and David of Johnstown; 15 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home, Avon Park.
(From January 1997)
HELENA MAE PROBST, 79, of Lakeland died Tuesday at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. A native of Dayton, Pa., she moved to this area 12 years ago from Spring Arbor, Mich. She was retired circulation manager for Spring Arbor College library, former Sunday school secretary at Living Hope Community Church and member of Citrus Woods Choral Group. She is survived by her husband, W.F. "Bill"; a daughter, Connie Shaw of Herndon, Va.; a stepdaughter, Prudy Smith of Lansing, Mich.; a stepson, Dave of Adrian, Mich.; a sister, Guycille Keller of Indiana
; and three grandsons. Lakeland Funeral Home.
(From January 1997)
GERTRUDE A. ROSER, 85, of Sun City Center died Thursday at Palm Garden. A native of Germany, she moved to the area 12 years ago from Lake Wales. She was a retired deputy clerk for the city of North Haleden, N.J., member of United Methodist Church and the Lawn Bowling Club. She is survived by her husband, Erwin; a daughter, Carol Dooley of Vienna, W.Va.; and two grandchildren. Lewers Funeral Home, Ruskin.
(From January 1997)
EUGENE P. VIGNARI, 68, of Vero Beach died Monday at home. A native of Rochester, N.Y., he came to Florida during the early 1950s and lived several years in Lake Wales before moving to Vero Beach. He was a retired mail carrier with Olympia Heights Post Office, former owner/operator of Estero Island Cab Co. in Fort Myers and served with the Air Force and Merchant Marines. He was a member of American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and National Association of Retired Letter Carriers. He is survived by two daughters, Donna Marie Vignari Quinones of Miami and Barbara Annette Barns of North Miami, and three grandchildren. Lake Wales Funeral Home.
(From January 1997)
GEORGE EUGENE WEBB, 72, of Winter Haven died Wednesday at home. A native of DeLand, Ill., he moved to this area in 1983 from East Peoria, Ill. He was a printer, investor, consultant, retired president/director of Logan Printing Co. in Peoria and had served as manager of Farm Implement Store in Canton, Ill., as an accountant for McKesson & Robbins Inc. in Peoria and as an employee of DeLand Tribune. He was a Presbyterian elder, delegate to Great Rivers Presbytery in Illinois, a Peoria County Republican Committee delegate, World War II Army veteran, former president and chief contract negotiator for Peoria Printers Association and member of Printing Industry associations of Illinois and America, National Education Council for Printing Industry board of directors, American Business Men's Club, Administrative Management Society, National Association of Accountants, National Office Management Organization, Coronet Lady Selection Committee and Creve Coeur (Mich.) Club. He is survived by three daughters, Deborah of
Winter Haven, Cathy W. Ahart of Bloomington, Ill., and Rebecca L. of Arcadia, Calif.; a son, Mark of Chicago; two grandchildren; and two great- grandsons. Crisp-Coon Funeral Homes Inc., Winter Haven.
(From January 1997)
PAULINE M. WEBB, 83, of Boynton Beach died Jan. 17 at Bethesda Memorial Hospital. A native of Hughson, Calif., she moved from Lake Alfred to Boynton Beach two months ago. She was a retired teacher at a family-owned Lakeland business school, taught also in Clermont and served as a home health caregiver. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Lake Alfred, College Heights United Methodist Church in Lakeland and Florida State College for Women Alumnae Association in Tallahassee. She is survived by a sister, Marjorie W. Law of Boynton Beach; and many nieces and nephews. Scobee- Combs-Bowden Funeral Home, Boynton Beach.
(From January 1997)
EFFIE ARZONIA ARMS, 85, of Tarpon Springs died Wednesday at home. A native of Summers County, W.Va., she moved to this area a year ago from Lorain, Ohio. She was Baptist. She is survived by two daughters, Dora Belle Smith Hall of Lorain, and Jackie Smith Dedman of Tarpon Springs; two sisters, Etta Prince of Dryfork, Va., and Thelma Mae Fowler of Elyria, Ohio; 18 grandchildren; and 41 great-grandchildlren. Thomas B. Dobies Funeral Home, Tarpon Springs.
(From January 1997)
LORAINE BOYER, 92, of Hudson died Wednesday at Windsor Woods Convalescent Home. A native of Sparta, Ill., she moved to this area five years ago from Seminole. She is survived by a son, Lewis of Bayonet Point; a daughter, Barbara Ann Ehrman of Haddonfield, N.J.; a sister, Thelma Curtis of Bonita Springs; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren. Bell Funeral Home, Bayonet Point.
(From January 1997)
MILLICENT CLAXTON, 79, of Wesley Chapel died Tuesday at Palm Garden Rehabilitation Center. A native of Antigua, West Indies, she moved to this area three years ago from New York City. She was a member of Victorious Life Assembly Church. She is survived by six sons, Milburn and Ira both of the Virgin Islands, Maurice and Harold both of Louisiana, Mendel of Lutz, and Melvin of Chicago; six daughters, Theolinda Claxton-Woods of Wesley Chapel, Alberdore Farrell of New York, Muriel Joseph of Louisiana, Lonette Bertrand and Myrna Gardner both of Miramar, and Petronella Claxton of the Virgin Islands; three brothers, Joseph Lewis, Kirton Byrd and Elmer Claxton; 33 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Loyless Funeral Home, Lutz-Land O' Lakes Chapel.
(From January 1997)
WALTER H. DRESSEL, 92, of Zephyrhills died Wednesday at his home. He came to the area 19 years ago from Thomaston, Conn. He was a retired owner of a heating and plumbing business and a member of the Masons in Torrington, Conn. He is survived by a son, Donald of Nottingham, N.H.; a daughter, Faye Richards of Harington, Conn.; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Oakley Funeral Home, Zephyrhills.
(From January 1997)
ROBERT F. GERSTER, 85, of Dade City died Tuesday at his home. A native of Albion, N.Y., he came to the area five years ago from Sidney, N.Y. He was a surervisor for Bendix Corp. in Sidney, a charter member of the Elks Lodge and a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge in New York. He is survived by his wife, Mary, two daughters, Patricia Singleton of Ogden, Utah, and Susan Kern of San Francisco; and five grandchildren. National Cremation Society, Brooksville.
(From January 1997)
CARMELLA GOMEZ, 69, of Clearwater died Wednesday at home. A native of Bayonne, N.J., she moved to this area in 1976 from Bloomingdale, N.J. She was a homemaker, a member of the Italian-American Club and Catholic. She is survived by a daughter, Elvira Hill of Clearwater; three brothers, August Bonito of Hudson and Peter Bonito and Thomas Bonito, both of Bayonne; two sisters, Mary and Stella, both of Bayonne; and two grandsons. Lakeview Chapel Funeral Home, Sylvan Abbey Memorial Park, Clearwater.
(From January 1997)
ELIZABETH A. KALAGHER, 45, of Holiday died Wednesday at Columbia New Port Richey Hospital. She moved to this area 13 years ago from her native Worcester, Mass. She was a waitress at several sponge dock restaurants in Tarpon Springs. She is survived by her husband, Michael; four sons, Perry and Lawrence Manzello of Worcester, Ronald and Michael both of Holiday; a daughter, Michaela of Holiday; her parents, Angelo and Sophie Manzello of Worcester; and two sisters, Paula Benway of Worcester, and Carol Carlson of Providence, Mass. Dignified Funeral Alternatives, New Port Richey.
(From January 1997)
JOHN B. KINNEY, 51, of Port Richey died Sunday at home. A native of New York City, he moved to this area six years ago from Waterbury, Conn. He was a former employee at LeMark Advertising in Woodbury, N.Y., and an Air Force veteran of the Vietname War. He is survived by two daughters, Michelle R. Maccio of Southington, Conn., and Cheryl A. Kinney of Waterbury; his parents, Harold and Evelyn of Florida; two brothers, Carl of Florida and Harold Jr. of Long Island; and two sisters. Chase Parkway Memorial, Waterbury, Conn.
(From January 1997)
ELLWYN CLIFFORD LOVE Sr., 79, of Dade City died Tuesday at Columbia Dade City Hospital. A native of Jamestown, N.Y., he moved to the area 13 years ago from Highland Falls, N.Y. He was a retired federal government warehouseman, attended First Presbyterian Church in Highland Falls and was a member of the Masons in Highland Falls. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; two sons, Ellwyn Clifford Jr. of Williamsburg, Va. and Dave of Highland Falls; a daughter, Nancy Lopez of Dale City, Va.; and eight grandchildren. Oakley Funeral Home, Dade City.
(From January 1997)
IRENE EVELYN MALARA, 71, of New Port Richey died Tuesday at Columbia Regional Medical Center at Bayonet Point. A native of Niles, Ohio, she moved to this area 18 years ago from Hubbard, Ohio. She was a member of Peace Lutheran Church and its ladies guild in Holiday. She is survived by her husband, Pasquale; three sons, Richard J. of Liberty, Ohio, Dennis and Theodore both of Hubbard; four daughters, Barbara J. Johnson of Parma Heights, Ohio, Patricia Alberti of New Port Richey, Tina McCann of Spring Hill, and Angelina of Messing, Sicily; three brothers, Kenneth, Glenn and Roland Walters all of Girard, Ohio; a sister, Donna Pucak of Fort Myers; and 11 grandchildren. Michels-Lundquist Funeral Home, New Port Richey.
(From January 1997)
WILLIAM L. McRAE, 67, of Trilby died Sunday at his home. A lifelong resident of Brooksville, he came to the area 28 years ago. He was a retired truck driver, an Army veteran and a member of Ebenezer Baptist Church in Brooksville. He is survived by his wife, Pauline; three sons, Nathaniel of Atlanta, Peter Burnett of Woodbridge, Va., and William III of San Jose, Calif.; three daughter, Jane F. Maura of Brooksville, Mary J. of Killeen, Texas , and Jacqueline L. of Lacoochee; two brothers, Wallace of Brooksville and James of Orange Park; a sister, Erma Jean Willis of Lakeland; and seven grandchildren. Community Funeral & Service, Brooksville.
(From January 1997)
FRANCES D. PIRRONE, 83, of Port Richey died Monday at home. A native of Buffalo, N.Y., she moved to this area 26 years ago from Cleveland. She was a retired cost accountant, member of St. Michael's Catholic Church in Hudson and the Timber Oaks Women's Golf Association and Bridge League. She is survived by her husband, Francis; two sons, Charles of Columbus, Ohio, and Raymond of Summit, N.J.; a daughter, Susan Munkittrick of Fort Worth, Texas ; and seven grandchildren. National Cremation Society, Holiday.
(From January 1997)
JOHN J. PUSKAR, 93, of Hudson died Tuesday at the Arbors at Bayonet Point. A native of Hungary, he moved to this area 25 years ago from Tavares. He was a retired proprietor of picnic grounds, an Army veteran of World War II, and member of Gulfview Grace Brethren Church in Port Richey. He is survived by two sisters, Margaret Brunn of Port Richey, and Helen Ciaffa of New Rochelle, N.Y. Bell Funeral Home, Bayonet Point.
(From January 1997)
JENNIE MARIE ROBERTS, 58, of Land O' Lakes died Tuesday in Zephyrhills. A native of Brooksville, she was a longtime resident of Land O' Lakes. She was a homemaker and member of Church of God. She is survived by her husband, Charlie; four sons, Charles and Frankie, both of Land O' Lakes, Mickey of Dade City and Jackie McCall of Zephyrhills; four daughters, Sue and Marie, both Tampa, Bonnie Jordan of Zephyrhills and Connie Cozad of Land O' Lakes; her father, Charlie Asbel of Dade City; two brothers, Bennie Asbel of Lacoochee and John Asbel of Tennessee; 25 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. F.T. Blount Funeral Home, Lutz-Land O' Lakes Chapel.
(From January 1997)
NORA BELL ROEBUCK, 91, of Winter Haven died Tuesday in Tampa. A native of Covington County, Ala., she moved to the area 35 years ago from Alabama. She is survived by a son, Frank Garrett of Winter Haven; two sisters, Verlie Mae Alexander of Winter Haven and Mamie Holms of Opp, Ala.; a brother, Woodrow Goolsby of Dade City; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. Oakley Funeral Home, Dade City.
(From January 1997)
AGNES SURKO, 78, of Port Richey died Wednesday at the Arbors at Bayonet Point. A native of New York City, she moved to this area 18 years ago from Bellmore, N.Y. She was Catholic, and a member of the Irish/American Club. She is survived by two daughters, Helen McFarland of Islamorada, and Diane Knoblach of Port Richey; and four grandchildren. Faupel Funeral Home, Port Richey.
(From January 1997)
