Mary Rubye Taylor
Mary Rubye Taylor of Gainesville died Thursday at her home after a brief illness. She was 95.
Mrs. Taylor was a homemaker.
Born in Macon, Ga., she moved from Georgia to Gainesville about 75 years ago.
She was a member of North Central Baptist Church, Older Americans Council, Knights of Pythian and a quilting club.
She enjoyed crocheting little bookmarkers called "bookworms."
Survivors include four daughters, Betty Edminster, Sara Todd, Maggie Zimmerman and Martha Jane Green, all of Gainesville; a sister, Sara Mae Nicholson of Gainesville; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Isadoor D. Webb
Isadoor D. Webb of Gainesville died May 31 in Gainesville after he was hit by a Boone Waste Industries truck near his home in Arredondo Farms. He was 6.
Isadoor was a kindergartner at Wiles Elementary School.
Survivors include his mother, Chenika Williams of Gainesville; his father, Isadoor D. Webb Sr. of Gainesville; his adoptive parents, Arthur and Sheila Thomas of Gainesville; a brother, Arthur Thomas Jr. of Gainesville; two sisters, Kei-Wanda Prim and ShaCora Thomas, both of Gainesville; his grandmothers, Shirley Fields and Marie Hagins, both of Archer; two grandfathers, Harry Fields of Archer and Arthur Thomas of Gainesville; two great-grandmothers, Caldonia Fields and Versea Rhim, both of Archer; and one great-grandfather, Mannie Fields of Archer.
Betty Faye Dorris
Betty Faye Dorris of Johnson died Friday at her home after a long illness. She was 70.
Mrs. Dorris was a retired receptionist at Gates City Carpet in Gainesville. She later volunteered for hospitals in Palatka and St. Augustine.
Born in Ripley, W. Va., she moved 21 years ago from Valdosta, Ga., to Johnson.
Mrs. Dorris was a member of the Woodlawn Baptist Church in Johnson.
Survivors include her husband, James Leonard Dorris of Johnson; two sons, David Earl Dorris of Jacksonville and James Lee Dorris of Satsuma; four sisters, Blanche Bates of Tampa, Brenda Salisbury of Gallipolis, Ohio; Emma Murry and Winnie Debalski, both of Sandyville, W. Va.; eight brothers, Francis Walters of Lyman, S.C.; Charles Lee Walters of Holly Hill, S.C., Wayne Douglas Walters of Acworth, Ga; and William Walters, George Walters, Joe Walters, Bob Walters and Clyde Walters, all of Ripley; six grandchildren and three great- grandchildren.
Dr. G.S. Maddala
Dr. G. S. Maddala of Gainesville, a former University of Florida economics professor, died Friday at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. He was 66.
Dr. Maddala, the University Eminent Scholar in the Department of Economics at Ohio State University, was an internationally recognized expert in the field of econometrics, the use of mathematical and statistical methods to verify and develop economic theories.
He edited many scholarly journals, including Econometrica and the Journal of Econometrics. He also authored several books and research papers on the topic. In addition, he was a Fellow of the Econometrics Society.
Born in India, he later moved to Chicago, where he earned his doctorate at the University of Chicago under the Fulbright Scholarship. He later was a Graduate Research Professor of Economics at UF from 1975 until 1993. He also taught at the California Institute of Technology, and Yale, Rochester and Stanford universities.
Survivors include his wife, Kameswari "Kay" Maddala of Gainesville; a daughter, Tara Maddala of Houston; a son, Vivek Maddala of San Francisco; and two sisters.
Memorials may be made to the Central Ohio Diabetes Association, 1580 King Ave., Columbus, Ohio 43212.
Mary Jane Scarritt
Mary Jane Scarritt of Winter Haven died Friday at her home after a long illness.
She was 64.
Mrs. Scarritt was a homemaker.
Born in Marianna, she lived in Gainesville for 25 years. She moved from Pensacola to Winter Haven five years ago.
She was a Baptist.
Mrs. Scarritt was preceded in death by her husband, Daniel Scarritt.
Survivors include her mother, Mary Lee Davis of Gainesville; one daughter, Dr. Pat Fearling of Winter Haven; two brothers, Orion Davis of Gainesville and Clay Davis of Waldo; one sister, Ada Nelson of Earlton; and two grandchildren.
Gerald H. Opper
Gerald H. Opper of Gainesville died Friday at Shands at AGH after a long illness.
He was 59.
Mr. Opper was the owner of Opper Masonry. He also served in the U.S. Army.
Born In Cincinnati, he moved from Columbus, Ohio, to Gainesville 35 years ago.
Survivors include his wife, Linda Opper of Gainesville; a son Larry Opper of High Springs; three daughters, Tonia Tipton of Gainesville, Lori Opper of Grand Ridge and LaVerne Tyus of Sneads; and four grandchildren.
Betty Utley-Davis
Betty Utley-Davis of Palatka died Sunday at Hospice House of North Central Florida in Gainesville. She was 67.
Mrs. Davis was a former seamstress and cook.
Born in Sanford, she moved from High Springs to Palatka 21 years ago.
She enjoyed fishing, sewing, cooking, camping and spending time with her grandchildren.
Survivors include her husband, William C. Davis of Palatka; a son, James Utley Jr. of Gainesville; two daughters, Nancy Ruth Davis and Katherine Chrismer, both of Hollister; three brothers, Bobby Drew of Palatka, Jimmy Drew of Satsuma and Nathan Drew of Interlachen; two sisters, Margaret Tindell of Orange Hill and Nancy Sapp of Ozark, Ala.; and seven grandchildren.
Ernest W. Grabo
SAFETY HARBOR -- Ernest W. Grabo of Safety Harbor died Friday at Bay Pines Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He was 55.
Mr. Grabo was formerly employed by Pinch-A-Penny and Continental Structures. He also served in the U.S. Air Force.
He was born in Cleveland and moved to West Central Florida 46 years ago.
He was a member of the American Legion.
Survivors include his wife, Carol Jean Grabo of Safety Harbor; two daughters; a son; a stepdaughter; his mother, Eileen Grabo of Gainesville; two sisters, including Patti Williams of Gainesville; five grandchildren; and three step- grandchildren.
M.R. DeLaney
OLD TOWN -- M.R. DeLaney of Old Town died Friday at the Tri-County Nursing Home in Trenton after a long illness. He was 85.
Mr. DeLaney was a retired stonemason in South Florida and Jacksonville.
Born in Old Town, he moved from Jacksonville back to Old Town 23 years ago.
He was a member of Rock Sink Baptist Church in Old Town, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers of America. He was a former Boy Scout master in Jacksonville.
Survivors include his wife of 63 years, Lavada Smith DeLaney of Old Town; two sons, Randolph DeLaney of Old Town and Robert DeLaney of Greenwich, Conn.; and four grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Madison L. Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o The Lafayette Penny Foundation in Mayo.
Frances Rebecca Lacy
LAKE CITY -- Frances Rebecca Lacy of Lake City died Monday at her home after a long illness. She was 77.
Ms. Lacy retired as a licensed practical nurse from North Broward Hospital District.
Born in Albany, Ky., she moved to Lake City 10 years ago. She received her degree from nursing schools in Kentucky and Ohio.
She was a member of Parkview Baptist Church.
Survivors include two sisters, Josephine Jackson of Bowling Green, Ky., and Nelotine Smith of Gaylord, Mich.; five nieces; and two nephews.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Parkview Baptist Church or Hospice of North Central Florida.
