Geraldine Collins Ledoux
Geraldine Collins Ledoux of Gainesville died Friday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. She was 71.
Mrs. Ledoux was among the first female students to attend the University of Florida when it became a co-educational school in 1947. She also was a housewife.
Born in Orlando, Mrs. Ledoux moved to Gainesville five years ago from Winter Park.
She was a Gator cheerleader, was a former winner of the women's golf championship at Rio Pinar Country Club in Orlando and belonged to the First Baptist Church in Orlando. Mrs. Ledoux also was a benefactor for a UF singing and performing group recently renamed "Gerry's Gator Tones."
Survivors include two daughters, Shelley Waters of Gainesville and Lola Hardman of Sanford; two sons, Lt. Col. Lance Ledoux of Portsmouth, R.I. and Steve Ledoux of Studio City, Calif.; a brother, Jack Collins of Sarasota; and 10 grandchildren.
Joseph Liuzzo
Joseph Liuzzo of Gainesville died Friday in Gainesville. He was 86.
Mr. Liuzzo was a retired Jamestown, N.Y., entrepreneur and developer. He later based his corporate operations in Gainesville.
Born in Jamestown, he later joined Singer Sewing Machine company as a salesman, eventually becoming the company's senior vice president.
During the 1940's he built a shopping plaza in Jamestown, running a supermarket there for several years. He later ventured into real estate development in Florida and Pennsylvania.
In addition, Mr. Liuzzo developed several product lines in optic technology, taking them from prototype to production status.
Mr. Liuzzo was honored many times for contributions to Gainesville and the surrounding area and for his work in such groups as the Knights of Columbus, Rotary International and Moon Brook Country Club.
Survivors include his wife, Anne Pollarro Liuzzo; his brother, John Liuzzo of Jamestown; his son, Anthony L. Liuzzo of Gainesville; his daughter, Anne Restivo of New York and Florida; eight grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.
Iris Brown Ritch
Iris Brown Ritch of Alachua died Friday in Gainesville. She was 85.
A lifelong Gainesville resident, Mrs. Ritch was a secretary for the state of Florida.
She belonged to the Wesley United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Ritch was preceded in death by her husband, Sanford E. Ritch.
Survivors include a son, Sanford E. "Gene" Ritch Jr. of Alachua; a brother, Artford L. Brown of Melrose; two grandchildren, Mary Pamela Ritch Register and George Robertson Ritch; and four great-grandchildren.
Barbara J. Roberts
Barbara J . Roberts of Waldo died Thursday at Shands at AGH in Gainesville. She was 66.
Mrs. Roberts was a bookkeeper and tax preparer.
She belonged to the First Baptist Church of Waldo and worked in the Foster Grandparents Program.
Survivors include a daughter, Lisa Campbell of Putnam Hall; a son, Robert Oppermann of Starke; and five grandchildren.
Dorothy Mae Basso
CROSS CITY -- Dorothy Mae Basso of Cross City died Friday at her home.
She was 72.
Mrs. Basso was a homemaker.
Born in Rockville Center, N.Y., she moved from Las Cruces, N.M., to Cross City 13 years ago.
She was a Catholic.
Mrs. Basso was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Basso; a son, Brian Basso; and a daughter, Paula Marie Basso.
Survivors include four sons, Frank R. Basso of DeLand, Frank L. Basso of Riverside, Calif., Noel Basso of Palatka and Keith Basso of Orlando; nine daughters, Leslie Basso and Alison Garcia, both of Las Cruces, Marsha Stroub of Miami, Laura Kohlerschmidt of Bayfield, Colo., Claudia Stuart of Mastic, Long Island, N.Y., Nona Wheeler of Odessa, Texas, Paula Fluriach and Lydia Terry, both of Cross City, and Michelle Chilton of Colorado Springs; 20 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Beverly A. Evjen
Beverly A. Evjen of Gainesville died Saturday at Shands at AGH. She was 72.
Mrs. Evjen was a retired registered nurse at Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis.
Born in Ogema, Minn., she moved from Ashland, Mass., to the Gainesville area 33 years ago. She graduated from St. Catherine's College of Nursing in St. Paul, Minn.
She was a charter member of Holy Faith Catholic Church, where she was a Eucharistic minister, lector and member of Holy Faith Crafts Group. She also was a member of the Cursillo movement and the Catholic Women of Gainesville, formerly the Ladies Guild.
Survivors include her husband, John Evjen of Gainesville; two sons, Bruce Evjen of Fairfax Station, Va., and Joe Evjen of Burtonsville, Md.; three daughters, Linda Evjen and Patty Tucker, both of Gainesville, and Becky Evjen of Wasilla, Alaska; two brothers, John Tembrock of Los Osos, Calif., and Gerry Tembrock of Big Bear, Calif.; and six grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Hospice of North Central Florida or to Catholic Charities of Gainesville.
Pearl Ellen Bobalko
Pearl Ellen Bobalko of Gainesville died Saturday at North Florida Regional Medical Center after a long illness. She was 78.
Mrs. Bobalko was born in Springfield, Mass., and moved from Brandon to Gainesville one month ago.
Survivors include her husband of 56 years, John C. Bobalko of Gainesville; three daughters, Andrea Stahan of Leominster, Mass., Susan Godek of Gainesville and Judith Webb of Bellingham, Mass.; two sons, Donald Bobalko of Natick, Mass., and Lawrence Bobalko of Seffner; a sister, Grace Anderson of Pittsfield, Mass.; two brothers, Edward Perry of Mooers Forks, N.Y., and Donald Perry of Austerlitz, N.Y.; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Hospice of North Central Florida.
Frances W. McKoy
BRONSON -- Frances W. McKoy of Bronson died Saturday in Bronson after a long illness. She was 86.
Mrs. McKoy was a manager of a bookstore at the University of Massachusetts.
Born in Washington, D.C., she moved from New Salem, Mass., to Bronson 25 years ago.
She was a member of First Baptist Church of Bronson.
Mrs. McKoy enjoyed crocheting, gardening and cooking.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Charlie McKoy.
Survivors include a son, Eugene Liverette of Clarksville, Md.; two daughters, Audrey Reum of Greenfield, Mass., and Dorothy McKenzie of Bronson; a sister, Gertrude Kidwell of Cabin John, Md.; nine grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
Ora May Royer
Ora May Royer of Gainesville died Friday in Gainesville. She was 83.
Mrs. Royer was a retired high school teacher.
Born in Emporia, Kansas, she moved from Miami to Gainesville nine years ago.
Mrs. Royer was a member Grace United Methodist Church of Gainesville.
She enjoyed reading, walking and needlework.
Survivors include her husband of 57 years, Dr. Harold L. Royer of Gainesville; a son, Harold L. Royer of Miami; a daughter Carol E. Royer of Social Circle, Ga.; and one grandchild.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Grace United Methodist Church Building Fund in Gainesville.
Farrell Owens Watson
Farrell Owens Watson of Dahlonega, Ga., died May 10 at her home after a long illness.
She was 77.
Mrs. Watson was an artist and a gardener.
Born in Canon, Ga., she moved from Gainesville to Georgia 15 years ago. She received degrees from the University of Georgia and North Georgia College, and was in the Chi Omega sorority.
Mrs. Watson was a member of St. Lukes Catholic Church in Dahlonega, and was a past member of Lumpkin County Library Board and Lumpkin County Hospital Auxiliary, both in Georgia. She also was a past member of the Junior League and the Altar Guild of St. Augustine Church, both in Gainesville.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank B. Watson.
Survivors include a son, Robert F. Watson of Gainesville; a daughter; a sister, Edith Ellett of Gainesville; a brother; and five grandchildren.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to Young at Heart, an Alzheimer's support group, or to the Lumpkin County Library, both in Dahlonega.
