Lawrence Grant
Lawrence Grant of Gainesville died Sunday at North Florida Regional Medical Center following a lengthy illness. He was 76.
Mr. Grant was born in Ridgeland, S.C., and moved to Gainesville from Miami 10 years ago.
He was a retired longshoreman. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II.
Mr. Grant was a member of the Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church and a graduate of Lincoln High School.
Survivors include two sisters, Janie S. Williams of Gainesville and Harriet Grant Harris of Melbourne.
Sigurdur Gunnlaugsson
Dr. Sigurdur Gunnlaugsson of Gainesville died Thursday after a brief illness while in Iceland. He was 41.
He was born in Iceland and moved to Gainesville 10 years ago.
Mr. Gunnlaugsson was a plastic and reconstructive surgeon in the Gainesville area.
He is survived by his wife, Johanna Gunnlaugsson of Iceland; a daughter, Unnurslava Gunnlaugsson; and his mother, Sigridur Sigurdardottir of Iceland.
David Gunter
STARKE -- David Gunter of Starke died Monday at his residence after an extended illness. He was 74.
He was a lifelong resident of Starke.
Mr. Gunter was a member of Airpark Baptist Church, where he was the deacon.
He retired from Sunland Training Center, cottage parent.
Mr. Gunter was a U.S. Army veteran, having served during World War II.
He is survived by his wife, Eunice Gunter of Starke; a daughter, Deborah Patterson of Starke; three sons, Wayne Gunter, Glenn Gunter and Gary Gunter, all of Starke; a sister, Georgia Ann Caufman of Starke; five grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
Louise Drew McRae
Louise Drew McRae died Tuesday at her residence in Starke following an extended illness. She was 80.
Mrs. McRae was a lifelong resident of Starke.
She was a homemaker and a member of the First United Methodist Church in Starke.
Survivors include a daughter, Carole Stevenson of Starke; a son, William McRae of Starke; two sisters, Lois McCort of Dayton, Ohio, and Joyce Patropulos of Arnold, Calif.; two brothers, James Drew of Williston and Herb Drew of Hendersonville, N.C.; and four grandchildren.
William Leighton Oetter
William Leighton Oetter of Gainesville died Tuesday at North Florida Regional Medical Center. He was 72.
Mr. Oetter was born in St. Louis, Mo., and moved to Gainesville from Youngstown, Ohio, in 1963.
He was the owner of Renaissance Printing Company. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club and Holy Faith Catholic Church.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean A. Oetter.
Survivors include a daughter, Christy Montgomery of Gainesville; two sons, Bob Oetter and Pete Oetter, both of Gainesville; two brothers, Don Oetter and Dave Oetter, both of St. Louis, Mo.; and three grandchildren.
John Robert Patterson
WILLISTON -- John Robert Patterson of Williston died July 28 at Nature Coast Regional Hospital in Williston. He was 76.
He was born in Chicago moved to Williston from Miami 19 years ago.
He was a retired correctional officer for Dade County Metro.
Mr. Patterson also served in the U.S. Marine Corp.
He attended a non-denomi- national church.
Mr. Patterson is survived by his wife, Gladys Patterson of Williston; his mother, Charlotte Patterson of Williston; three sons, Robert Patterson of Tuscaloosa, Ala., Melton Patterson of Williston and Gerald Patterson of Gainesville; 11 daughters, Barbara Winfrey of Miami, Ethel Russell of Mirmar, Margaret Mosnat of Fort Lauderdale, Rebecca Baldelli of Hollywood, Phyllis Tedrow of Germany, Caroline Vitale of Plantation, Nancy Henson, Anna Baldelli, Linda Baldelli, Debra Fasulo and Kimberly Bennett, all of Williston; a sister, Eleanor Sleeper of Stuart; 22 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Sylvia L. Bollari
ST. PETERSBURG -- Sylvia L. Bollari of St. Petersburg died Sunday at Shore Acres Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. She was 84.
She was born in Monessen, PaPenn., and moved to Florida in 1960. She was a Publix bakery clerk and was Lutheran.
Survivors include two daughters, Evelyn Bollari of St. Petersburg and Linda Kurtz of Gainesville; and three grandchildren.
Bertha Sparkman Coleman
LOCHLOOSA -- Bertha Sparkman Coleman of Lochloosa died Monday at a hospice house. She was 72.
She was born in Lake Butler and has lived in Lochloosa since 1980. She was an upholsterer and was a member of the Hawthorne Women's Club.
She attended Lochloosa Methodist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Wes E. Coleman of Lochloosa; a daughter, Michelle Beville of Gainesville; a son, Jack Louis Beville of Roanoke, Va.; two brothers, Ralph R. Sparkman of Quincy and Vernon Sparkman of Hawthorne; and a grandson, Travis Beville of Gainesville.
Robert Andrew Posey
O'BRIEN -- Robert Andrew Posey of O'Brien died Tuesday at his home. He was 73.
Mr. Posey was a World War II veteran and a member of IBEW Local 1205.
Survivors include his wife, Janie Posey; two sisters; three children; two stepchildren; seven grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Eleanor Cusic Reneke
Eleanor Cusic Reneke of Gainesville died Sunday in Gainesville. She was 90.
A Jacksonville native, Mrs. Reneke moved to Gainesville in 1959.
She was a library clerk for the State University System. She was a member of University Lutheran Church.
She was the widow of Calvin Arpen Reneke.
Survivors include a daughter and son-in-law, Martha Reneke and E. Wilbur Bock of Gainesville; three sons and daughters-in-law, Frank and Sally Reneke of Sanford, William and Stephanie Reneke of Gainesville and James and Sue Reneke of Clemson, S.C.; 13 grandchildren; and 16 great- grandchildren.
Marie Ann Merwin Arnold
Marie Ann Merwin Arnold of Gainesville died Sunday at Hospice House of North Central Florida after a long illness. She was 71.
Mrs. Arnold was born in Jacksonville. She moved from Palatka to Gainesville 51 years ago.
Mrs. Arnold was a graduate of Ward Belmont College in Nashville and attended the University of Florida.
She was a homemaker and an Episcopalian.
Mrs. Arnold was a longtime member of the Gainesville Woman's Club and the Daisy Circle of the Gainesville Garden Club.
Survivors include her husband of 51 years, Frederick B. Arnold of Gainesville; a daughter, Susan A. Kubota of Gainesville; a son, Charles F. Arnold of Tampa; and three grandchildren, Tyson and Evan Kubota of Gainesville, and Alison Arnold of Tampa.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in the form of donations to Hospice of North Central Florida, 4200 NW 90th Blvd., Gainesville, 32606.
Dennis James Willingham
Dennis James Willingham died suddenly Sunday in his Gainesville home. He was 47.
Mr. Willingham was a lifelong resident of Gainesville who was born in St. Paul, Minn.
He was a 1970 graduate of Gainesville High School and attended Santa Fe Community College. He owned Lawn-Masters, a lawn care company.
Mr. Willingham was a member of Northwest Baptist Church.
He is survived by his mother, Caroline Willingham.
