Edna Kowalski, 88 Citrus Springs
Edna H. Kowalski, 88, Citrus Springs, died Wednesday, July 31, 2002, in Lecanto.
She was born in Chicago, Ill. and moved to the area 30 years ago from Lemont, Ill.
She was a homemaker.
She was a member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.
Survivors include her nephew, Ray Kowalski of Wilmington, Ill.; two sisters, Virginia Kowalewski and Elenor Hommert, both of California; stepbrother, Laverne Anderson of Lemont, Ill.; and several other nieces and nephews.
Fero Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
Harold Lavan, 79 Inverness
Harold B. Lavan, 79, Inverness, died Wednesday, July 31, 2002, in Inverness.
Born March 23, 1923, in Philadelphia, Pa., to Louis B. and Ilma Bowyer Lvan, he moved to the area in 1990 from there.
He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He was Protestant.
He was in marketing for Eaton Corporation and was a trustee and poppy chairman for the Harry F. Nesbitt VFW Post 10087, past president of the Skill Bank, past president of Kiwanis Club of Beverly Hills, secretary of Beverly Hills Community Council, and a member of the W.K. Bray Lodge 410 and AM. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lillian Jones Lavan, in 1998.
Survivors include his companion, Maxine Berry, Inverness; and four grandchildren.
Hooper Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
Margaret Lassiter, 76 Ocala
Margaret W. Lassiter, 76, Ocala, died Monday, July 29, 2002, in Ocala.
She was born in Toronto, Canada, and moved to the area from Keystone Heights in 1997.
She was an executive secretary and was a self-employed house moving contractor. She was a member of the Oak Run Art Association, Citrus Watercolor Association and the Appleton Museum of Art Association.
She was a member of St. Margaret’s Episcopal Church.
She is survived by her husband, William Lassiter, Ocala; her son, Charles Stephen Cobb, Guatemala; her daughter, Darlene Skinner, Florence, Ala.; her sister, Reta Black, Melbourne, Australia; six grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Roberts Funeral Home, Dunnellon.
Doris Marcotte, 86 Inverness
Doris I. Marcotte, 86, Inverness, died Wednesday, July 31, 2002, at New Horizon Senior Citizens Home, under the care of Hospice of Citrus County.
She was born Dec. 28, 1915, in Keweenaw Bay, Mich., to Christian and Hilma Henderickson. She moved here in 1995 from Brighton, Mich.
She was a homemaker.
Mrs. Marcotte was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Parish. She is survived by three daughters, Carol Ann Theibert, Inverness, Doreen Marie Collins, Ann Arbor, Mich., and Lori Jean Jenio, Fenton, Mich.; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home, Inverness.
Theresa Peters, 87 Stuart
Theresa G. Peters, 87, Stuart, formerly of Beverly Hills, died Tuesday, July 30, 2002, at the Parkway Health and Rehabilitation Center, Stuart.
She was born in New York City, N.Y., and came the area in 1972 from Closter, N.J.
She was a retired accountant for P. and G. and Burlington Company in Closter, N.J. She was a former member of Citrus Springs Golf and Country Club.
Mrs. Peters was an avid golfer and loved playing cards, board games and dancing, and was creative with ceramics and sewing small items.
She was Catholic.
She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Henry H. Peters, Stuart; two sons, Henry S. Peters, Stuart, and Gary W. Peters, Snellville, Ga.; five grandchildren, Kim Cotter, N.C., Kelly Blomendale, Calif., Kerri-Ann Wenzl, Mass., Greg Peters, Ga., and Michelle Peters, Ga.; and five great-grandchildren, Brittany, Zachery, Timothy, Haiden and Lindsey.
Fero Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
Frances Riggins, 76 Sebring
Frances A. Riggins, 76, Sebring, died Sunday, July 28, 2002, as a result of an automotive accident.
She was born on March 13, 1926, to Angelina and Alphonso DeCorato, in Staten Island, N.Y. She moved to Sebring from Inglis 10 years ago.
She was a retired security guard for Wells Fargo and was a member of the Moose Lodge, VFW, American Legion, Kooties, Am-Vets and she enjoyed playing bingo.
She was Catholic.
She was preceded in death by husband, Robert Riggins, in 2000.
She is survived by three children, Annette Purvis, Brooklyn, N.Y., Raymond M. Reinertsen, N.J., and Paul A. Reinertsen, Inglis; one sister, Anna Marie Wade, Los Angeles, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Brown Funeral Home, Crystal River.
DeBary man struck, killed by lightning near Ozello
07/06/02
A 44-year-old DeBary man was struck and killed by lightning Friday afternoon while he and a friend were fishing in the gulf.
The two men were fishing between Ozello and Sandy Hook Island, which is in the gulf a short distance northwest of Ozello.
After Bruce Alan Watson’s friend, Van Coulliette, who was sitting on the opposite end of the 13-foot boat, heard a thunderous noise, he turned around and saw Watson in the water, according to Citrus County Sheriff’s Office west district commander Lt. Joe Eckstein.
Coulliette jumped in the water to try to save Watson, and as he was holding him, Dennis Curry, another boater who had seen what had happened, rushed over to help.
Coulliette and Curry lifted Watson up onto Curry’s boat and Curry performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but to no avail.
The two men drove the boat with Watson to Pirate’s Cove in Ozello where they met emergency medical services workers.
The EMS workers transported Watson to Seven Rivers Community Hospital in Crystal River.
Watson was pronounced dead on arrival.
Norma Blanton, 77 Lecanto
Norma Lee Blanton, 77, Lecanto, died Saturday, Aug. 10, 2002, at Seven River Community Hospital, Crystal River.
She was born Aug. 14, 1924, in Magnolia, N.C., to Claudius and Eva Powell.
In 1995, she moved to Florida.
She was a homemaker.
She attended the Episcopal Church.
She is survived by her two sons, Alvah Cox and his wife, Kathleen, of Citrus Hills and Norman Cox and his wife, Patricia, of Barrington, N.H.; a sister, Isabele McCaffery of New Orleans, La.; nine grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.
Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home with Crematory, Inverness.
Thomas Coffey, 79 Beverly Hills Thomas J. Coffey, 79, Beverly Hills, died Thursday, Aug. 8, 2002, at Citrus Memorial Hospital, Inverness.
He was born in Passaic, N.J., to William H. and Mary A. (McDevitt) Coffey.
He came here in 1986 from Passaic, N.J.
He earned many medals and commendations while serving the Port Authority as a deputy inspector for more than 30 years. He was a U.S. Navy veteran, who served in World War II.
Proud of his Irish heritage, he marched many years in Manhattan, New York City, for St. Patrick’s Day parades.
He spent his summers at their home in Beach Haven Crest, Long Beach Island, New Jersey.
He was a life member of VFW Harry F. Nesbitt Post 10087, Beverly Hills.
He was a member of the Beverly Hills Recreation Association.
He also had a love for dancing, bowling and golfing, and enjoyed watching classic movies.
He was a history buff, particularly of the Civil War and the American Revolutionary War periods.
He was a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, Beverly Hills.
His daughter, Catherine Geffe preceded him in death, in 1996.
Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Violet Coffey, of Beverly Hills; daughters Barbara A. Coffey and Christine B. Van Oort and her husband, John, all of Schenectady, N.Y.; sister Catherine Jany of Beverly Hills; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Fero Funeral Home with Crematory, Beverly Hills.
Robert Edwards, 78 Inglis
Robert S. Edwards, 78, Inglis, died Friday, Aug. 9, 2002, in Crystal River.
He was born March 12, 1924, in Royal Oak, Mich., to Howard S. Edwards and Gladys Dorr.
He was a retired pipe fitter for Dow Chemical Co.
He was a member of the three C’s.
He was Pentecostal.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth (Colegrove) Edwards of Inglis; four sons, Robert Edwards Jr. and Don Edwards, both of Bay City, Mich., Jeffery Julien and his wife, Dawn, and Gary Roelof and his wife, Peggy, all of Grand Rapids, Mich.; three daughters, Gail Fox and her husband, Ron, of Bay City, Mich., Jane Grischke and her husband, Mike, of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Sarah Gierz and her husband, Al, of Grand Rapids, Mich.; a sister, Jean Bishop of Largo; 17 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.
Wilder Funeral Home, Homosassa Springs.
