William Hark, 55 Crystal River
William P. Hark, 55, Crystal River, died Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2002, at Seven Rivers Community Hospital in Crystal River.
Born Nov. 21, 1947, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Walter J. and Blanche Hark, he moved to Florida in 1972 from there, living in New Port Richey, then in Homosassa, and for the past 15 years in Crystal River.
Mr. Hark was a retired concrete worker.
He was Catholic.
Survivors include his wife, Rosemary Hark of Crystal River; two sons, William E. Hark of Crystal River and Richard A. Hark of Lecanto; one brother, Raymond S. Hark of Wickliffe, Ohio; and one grandson.
Brown Funeral Home & Crematory, Crystal River.
Sadie Simmons, 77 Inverness
Sadie Simmons, 77, Inverness, died Sunday, Dec. 8, 2002, at her home under the care of her family and Hospice.
She was born in Lodge, S.C., and came here 40 years ago. She was a member of Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church of Floral City.
She is survived by two sons, Vernon Simmons of Inverness and Merrick Simmons III of Tampa; one daughter, Lillie Mae Johnson of Inverness; one brother, Jimmie Martin; 11 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
Cason Funeral Chapel, Inverness.
Gerard Frenette, 72 Inverness
Gerard D. Frenette, 72, Inverness, died Sunday, Dec. 8, 2002, at his home.
He was born April 15, 1930, in Sterling, Conn., to Deus and Dora Frenette. He moved to Inverness in 2002 from Moosup, Conn.
Mr. Frenette was a retired electronics technician for General Dynamics in Connecticut. He was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Korean War.
His memberships included the VFW and the American Legion.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Emily, on May 24, 1995.
Survivors include his daughter, Lisa A. Lary and her husband, Morris, of Jacksonville; and two sisters, Rose Marie Brickey of Canterbury, Conn., and Theresa Bryant of Central Village, Conn.
Heinz Funeral Home & Cremation, Inverness.
Eugene Harbula, 75 Inverness
Eugene Bella Harbula, 75, Inverness, died Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2002, at Citrus Memorial Hospital in Inverness.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., May 17, 1927, to Bella and Yola (Kotch) Harbula, he came here in 1986 from Kenvil, N.J.
Mr. Harbula retired from the New Jersey Power & Light Company as an engineering Technician with more than 40 years of service. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
He was a member of the Inverness Moose Lodge 2112 and the American Legion.
He was Catholic.
Survivors include two daughters, Marlene (John) Lynch of Hopatcong, N.J., and Nancy Harbula of Washington, N.J.; and three grandchildren.
Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home with Crematory, Inverness.
Kenneth Knight Jr., 60 Floral City
Kenneth Carter Knight Jr., 60, Floral City, died Thursday, Dec. 12, 2002, at home under the care of his wife and father.
Born Jan. 18, 1942, in Columbus, Ohio, he came here five years ago from Uhrichsville, Ohio.
Mr. Knight was the owner/operator of Knight’s Tire Company of Uhrichsville. He was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He was a member of the Uhrichsville Elks, Eagles, Moose and American-Italian Club, the Union Country Club of Dover, Ohio, and the Five Waters Golf Club. Mr. Knight was an avid golfer and bowler, having bowled several 300 games.
He attended the Fort Cooper Baptist Church.
He was preceded in death by his son, James D. Knight; his mother, Devella Knight, and brother, James E. Knight.
Survivors include his wife, Christina J. (Sweitzer) Knight; three sons, Kenneth C. Knight III and Rhonda, and Robert E. Knight of Uhrichsville, Ohio, and David A. Knight of Carmen, N.C.; one stepdaughter, Vickie McCune of Massillon, Ohio; his father, Kenneth C. Knight Sr. and his friend, Donna Wilcox; and several grandchildren.
Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home with Crematory, Inverness.
Lauretta Lingle, 89 Hernando
Lauretta E. Lingle, 89, Hernando, died Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2002, in Hernando.
She was born Oct. 6, 1913, in South Haven, Mich., to Gustaf and Ida (Johnson) Markstrom. She came here from Coloma, Mich., in 1988 as a winter resident in Hernando.
Mrs. Lingle was a retired legal secretary and was a member of LeGals Legal Secretary Association.
She was a member of Saron Lutheran Church in St. Joseph, Mich., and attended Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Hernando in the winter.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Jesse C. Lingle, on March 26, 1997.
Survivors include her son, Larry J. Lingle of St. Joseph, Mich.; her daughter, Patricia Kleynenberg of Rockford, Mich.; two granddaughters; and four great-grandchildren.
Hooper Funeral Home, Beverly Hills.
William Reed, 73 Beverly Hills
William Lee Reed, 73, Beverly Hills, died Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2002, at his home in Beverly Hills.
Born Aug. 9, 1929, in Floyd County, Va., to Haven B. and Anna C. (Asburry) Reed, he came here 14 years ago from Walpole, Mass.
Mr. Reed was a retired contract manager for E.G.&G. in Waltham, Mass.
He was Protestant. He was a U.S. Army Korean War veteran. Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Alpha A. Reed of Beverly Hills; three sons, Kenneth and Rebekah Reed of Burbank, Calif., Ronald and Deborah Reed of Franklin, Mass., and James and Janice Reed of Londonderry, N.H.; two daughters, Carolyn and Joseph Thomas of Franklin, Mass., and Karen and Dennis Thomas of Wrentham, Mass.; one brother, Donald and Dawn Reed of Princeton, W.Va.; and eight grandchildren.
Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home with Crematory, Inverness.
Carlton Rooney, 83 Citrus Springs
Carlton J. Rooney, 83, Citrus Springs, died Friday, Dec. 13, 2002, in Inverness.
A native of St. Albans, Vt., he came here 20 years ago from Casper, Wyo., where he retired after 32 years as a project supervisor in the Department of the Interior for the United States Government.
Mr. Rooney was a World War II U.S. Army veteran, serving with the 4th and 10th Armored Divisions. He fought and was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge in Crailsheim, Germany.
He was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star with one oakleaf cluster, the European-African Medal, the Eastern Theatre Campaign Medal, the Good Conduct Medal and a certificate of merit.
He was a member of the National Association of Retired Federal Employees.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Margaret E. Rooney of Citrus Springs; four sons, George Rooney of Casper, Wyo., Chris Rooney of Oklahoma City, Okla., Reed Rooney of Casper, Wyo., and Rex Rooney of Citrus Springs; one daughter, Susan Cheatham of Casper, Wyo.; a brother, Francis Rooney of Citrus Springs; a sister, Helen Rooney of Heartland, Vt.; seven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Fero Funeral Home with Crematory, Dunnellon.
Thomas Welch Jr. Dunnellon
Thomas E. Welch Jr. died Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2002, in Ocala.
A native of Kingston, N.Y., he moved here 10 years ago from Cary, N.C.
Mr. Welch was a retired purchasing agent for IBM. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and served during the Korean War.
He was a life member of the VFW Post 7991, American Legion 54, and the Rainbow River Club, all of Dunnellon, and a member of the Big Sun Barbershop Chorus of Ocala.
He was Catholic.
Survivors include his wife, Regina B. Welch of Dunnellon; three sons and daughters-in-law, Alan J. Welch (U.S. Army Ret.) and Gina of Alexandria, Va., Gregory T. Welch (U.S. Navy Ret.) and Lita of the Philippines and Thomas E. Welch III (U.S. Air Force Ret.) and Mary of Yorktown, Va.; brother, John Welch of Las Vegas, Nev.; sister, Joan Mitchell of Mt. Marion, N.Y.; and five grandchildren. He was predeceased by his sister, Irene Ellsworth.
Roberts Funeral Home, Dunnellon.
Eileen Diodati, 71 Leesburg
Eileen Mary Diodati, 71, Leesburg, died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2002, at her daughter’s home in Inverness under the care of her family and Hospice.
A native of Far Rockaway, Queens, N.Y., she was born Dec. 11, 1931, to Thomas and Bridget Norton.
She moved to Florida a year ago from White Haven, Pa. She was a secretary in her husband’s business, Five Town Transportation Service.
She was Catholic and attended services at Our Lady of Fatima.
A son, Thomas Patrick Diodati, preceded her in death in 1995.
She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Joseph Diodati; two sons, Stephen Diodati of Howell, N.J. and Joseph J. Diodati of Homosassa; three daughters, Joanne Kulish of Lawrence, N.Y., Rosemary Freel of Inverness and Barbara Medina of Far Rockaway, N.Y.; four sisters, Mary, Dorothy, Ellen and Theresa, all of New York; 14 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Chas. E. Davis Funeral Home with Crematory, Inverness.
Ralph Doom, 95 Beverly Hills
Ralph B. Doom, 95, Beverly Hills, died Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2003.
A native of Tiline, Ky., he came here 34 years ago from Fowlerville, Mich.
Mr. Doom retired from the Norfolk & Southern Railroad as a policeman.
He was Protestant and was a 32nd degree Mason in Michigan.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Antoinette Doom, in 1988.
Survivors include three brothers, Fred Doom and wife, Ruth, of Dreenwood, Ind., Pat Doom of Tiline, Ky., and Maurice Doom of Indianapolis, Ind.; three sisters, Patricia Jones of Madisonville, Ky., Gloria Johnson of Lebanon, Ohio, and Ophilia Kincannon of Ohio; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Grace Respite Volunteers or the Bay Care Home Care.
Fero Funeral Home with Crematory, Beverly Hills.
