Donald Chambers, 86 Beverly Hills
Donald E. Chambers, 86, Beverly Hills, died Monday, April 15, 2002, in Beverly Hills.
Born July 15, 1915, in Georgiaville, R.I., to John Robert and Christy Bell (McLeod) Chambers, he came to the area in 1985 from Smithfield, R.I.
Mr. Chambers was a machinist for Brown & Sharpe for 33 years.
He was past master and a 50-year member of Ridge Lodge No. 398, Greenville, R.I.; Scottish Rite, Providence, R.I. He was a Sunday school director, deacon and member of Georgiaville Baptist Church for 21 years.
He was a member of Beverly Hills Community Church.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Betty Chambers of Beverly Hills; two daughters, G. Sharon (Ralph) Fairheart of Pensacola and Cathy D. (Jon) Sweet of Williamsburg, Va.; three grandchildren, Gayle Robin (Donald) Thacker of Smithfield, Va., Donald Russell (Traci) Fairheart of Hampton, Va., and Shannon (Chip) Kivett of Trenton, N.C.; and a great-grandson, Zachery Wade Thacker of Smithfield, Va.
Donations may be made to Beverly Hills Community Church.
Hooper Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
Espie Grolla, 94 Chassahowitzka
Espie Grolla, 94, Chassahowitzka, died Sunday, April 7, 2002, at the St. Augustine Health Care and Rehabilitation Center in St. Augustine.
She was born in 1907 in Red Boiling Springs, Tenn.
She was a Citrus County school bus driver from 1965 to 1973.
Surviving are two sons, Walter E. York and wife, Mary, of Decatur, Ill., and Jack Grolla and wife, Linda, of St. Augustine; one daughter, Wilma Bunch and husband, Tom, of Decatur, Ill.; 11 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren.
She was interred April 11, 2002, at Macon County Memorial Park in Decatur, Ill.
Kotrady-Hudgins-Croyle Funeral Home, St. Augustine, was in charge of arrangements.
Betty McCumsey, 77 Homosassa
Betty J. McCumsey, 77, Homosassa, died Wednesday, April 17, 2002, at her residence under the care of her family and Hospice of Citrus County.
She was born Feb. 8, 1925, in Spring Valley, Ill., to Everett and Katherine (Simmons) Taylor.
She came to this area 15 years ago from Seneca, Ill.
She was a homemaker.
She was of the Assembly of God faith.
Surviving are her husband of 55 years, Robert W. “Bob” McCumsey of Homosassa; three sons, Robert McCumsey Jr. of Spring Hill, David McCumsey and wife, Louise, of Homosassa, and Timothy McCumsey, also of Homosassa; five daughters, Sandra Swanson and husband, Don, of Morris, Ill., Judith Miller and husband, the Rev. Dick Miller, of Carrollton, Ga., Barbara Ballenger of Morris, Ill., Kathleen Howe of Homosassa, and Patricia Thayer of Cape Coral; one brother, Ralph Taylor of Oregon; two sisters, Phyllis McPehdren of Huntington Beach, Calif., and JoAnn Hall of Oregon; 26 grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren.
Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River.
Willa Mae Smith, 83Fort McCoy
Willa Mae Smith, 83, Fort McCoy, died Monday, April 15, 2002, at Sylvia’s House in Ocala.
She was born May 23, 1918, in Maryville, Tenn., to Cas and Martha (Hicks) Huffstetler.
She moved to Fort McCoy last year from Hernando. She came to Hernando in 1970 from Fort Walton Beach.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Dale L. Smith, on Nov. 8, 2001.
Survivors include two sons, Billie Jack Smith of Fort McCoy and Gary Winston Smith of Kissimmee; one brother, Arthur Huffstetler of Alcoa, Tenn.; three grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Donations may be made to Hospice of Marion County.
Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home, Inverness.
Mary Vecchiarelli, 84 Crystal River
Mary Vecchiarelli, 84, Crystal River, formerly of Beverly Hills, died Thursday, April 4, 2002, in Crystal River.
She was born in Bridgeport, Conn., and came here in 1994 from Fairfield, Conn.
She was a homemaker. She was Catholic.
Survivors include two daughters, Camille Fields of Beverly Hills and Antoinette Rossi of Fairfield, Conn.; three granddaughters, Dawn Conrad of Beverly Hills, Dr. Lisa Murphy of Connecticut and Laura Totten of Rhode Island; one grandson, Philip Rossi Jr. of Washington, D.C.; and a great-grandson, Ryan Thomas Conrad of Beverly Hills.
Fero Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
Clarence Adams, 88 Beverly Hills
Clarence A. Adams, 88, Beverly Hills, died Wednesday, May 1, 2002, in Hernando.
He was born in New Bedford, Mass. He came here in 1989 from San Diego, Calif.
He was a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Europe. He was a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Beverly Hills, and the Knights of Columbus.
He loved horses and music.
Survivors include his wife, Lorraine Adams of Beverly Hills; a daughter, Carol Spencer of California; and a sister, Dorothea Stephenson of Miami.
In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to Citrus County Hospice.
Fero Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
Madeline Adams, 74 Beverly Hills
Madeline Barbara Adams, 74, Beverly Hills, died Wednesday, May 1, 2002, at Woodlands Terrace in Hernando.
Born May 18, 1927, in North Dana, Mass., she came here 12 years ago from Phillipston, Mass.
She was a homemaker, a member of the Beverly Hills Lions Club and the Order of the Eastern Star, and attended the Beverly Hills Community Church.
Survivors include her husband of 55 years, Warren “Rusty” Adams; a son, Michael W. Adams and his wife, Denise, of Strongsville, Ohio; a daughter, Maureen Hoyle and her husband, Michael, of Beverly Hills; two sisters, Audrey Hamilton of Tallahassee and Arline Young of Athol, Mass.; and four grandchildren.
Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home with Crematory, Inverness.
Thomas Beatty, 65 Inverness
Thomas Beatty, 65, Inverness, died Tuesday, April 30, 2002.
He was born Oct. 12, 1936, in Newark, N.J., to Thomas and Margaret Batty.
He served 24 years in the U.S. Army and the Connecticut National Guard.
He retired as a detective from the Bloomfield, Conn., Police Department after 21 years of service. He was an Emergency Medical Technician for the Bloomfield Volunteer Ambulance Service.
He was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hernando, Buick Club of America, Buick Rivera Club, Citrus Investment Club and Mended Hearts. He was a longtime supporter and benefactor of Citrus United Basket.
He was preceded in death by two sisters, Mary Solaris and Ellen Mulherin and a brother, Joseph Batty.
Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Lee Beatty of Inverness; a son, Steven G. Beatty and wife, Kristine, of Seattle, Wash.; a daughter, Larissa A. Gibbs and husband, Victor, of Las Cruces, N.M.; a sister, Rose Janowski and husband, Ray, of Toms River, N.J.; three brothers, Jack Beatty and wife, Judith, of Raleigh, N.C., Michael Beatty of Toms River, N.J., and Frank Beatty and wife, Barbara, of Spencer, Mass.; two grandchildren, Robin and Zachary Gibbs of Las Cruces, N.M.; and numerous nieces and nephews. Heinz Funeral Home, Inverness.
John Kraus, 78 Inverness
Dr. John Walter Kraus, 78, Inverness, died Wednesday, May 1, 2002, at his home.
Born in Columbus, Ohio, he came here 14 years ago from Lakeland.
He was a chemist. He worked for W.R. Grace in Bartow.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He was a member of Teaching of the Saints.
Surviving are his wife of 47 years, Dorothy Kraus of Inverness; a brother, James Richard Kraus of Hernando; and six nieces and nephews.
Fero Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
S. Larry Lee, 58 Inglis
S. Larry Lee, 58, Inglis, died Tuesday, April 30, 2002, at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Born Dec. 6, 1943, in Greensboro, N.C., to Howard and Ruth (Ward) Lee, he came here 17 years ago from Okeechobee.
He served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War.
He was a security consultant.
He was a member and past treasurer of Springs Masonic Lodge No. 378, Homosassa Springs, and Egypt Temple of Tampa.
Survivors include his wife of 22 years, Helen L.
(Strickland) Lee of Inglis; and his mother-in-law, Bernice Strickland of Inglis.
Wilder Funeral Home, Homosassa Springs.
