Frances Loretta Breeden Litz
Frances Loretta Breeden Litz died Sunday in Gainesville. She was 79.
Born in Shelby, N.C., Mrs. Litz moved here from Bristol, Pa., one year ago.
She was a former registered nurse with the Bristol Township Schools.
She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Bristol and a member of Bucks County Nurse Association., B.T.E.A.
She served in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during World War II.
Mrs. Litz is survived by two daughters, Loretta Fauerbach of Gainesville and Jane-Marie Litz of Solebury, Pa.; one son, Alfred R. Litz Jr. of Bristol, Pa.; one brother, Nelson E. Breeden of Inman, S.C.; one sister, Martha Jane Thompson of Chesnee, S.C.; and six grandchildren.
Laurence Ludlow Abbott
Laurence Ludlow Abbott of Hawthorne died Sunday at Hospice House of North Central Florida in Gainesville. He was 81.
Mr. Abbott was born in Mechanicsburg, Ohio, and in 1992 moved from Bellefontaine, Ohio, to Hawthorne, where he spent winters. He was a retired pilot and flying instructor and also worked in a machine shop. Mr. Abbott, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, was a member of the Church of Christ in East Liberty, Ohio.
Survivors include his wife, Ethel Abbott of Hawthorne; three daughters, Charlotte Larabee of Niantic, Conn., Constance White of New London, Conn., and Deborah Abbott of Hawthorne; two sons, Laurence Abbott of Latty, Ohio, and Jerry Abbott of Bellefontaine, Ohio; 12 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
William Henry Rowell
William "Bill" Henry Rowell of Gainesville died Monday at Shands at Alachua General Hospital. He was 65.
Mr. Rowell was born in Lee and moved to Gainesville at an early age. He was the founder and owner of Gainesville Tire Service.
He was a member and a trustee of the Hague United Methodist Church. He was also a member of the Gainesville Moose Lodge 1190, as well as a co-founder of the Fighting Gators Touchdown Club and a former president of the Gator Dug Out Club. Mr. Rowell was also very active in city softball leagues.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Joann Hague Rowell of Gainesville; two daughters, Libby Karras of Gainesville and Suzanne Boothby of Davenport, Iowa; a son, W. Gary Rowell of Gainesville; a sister, Josie Dampier of Starke; two brothers, James B. Rowell of Hampton and Norman Rowell of Alachua; three grandchildren; and five step-grandchildren.
Christopher J. Connelly
Christopher J. Connelly of Gainesville died Monday at North Florida Regional Medical Center following an extended illness. He was 49.
Mr. Connelly was born in Burbank, Calif., and moved to Gainesville from Clearwater in 1981.
He was a member of the senior executive staff at Meridian Behavioral Healthcare Inc. and served as the associate director of the North Florida Mental Health Center for 15 years.
He received a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Florida and a master's degree in social work from Florida State University.
He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Dawn F. Connelly of Gainesville; two daughters, Casey Lynn Connelly and Megan Leigh Connelly, both of Gainesville; a sister, Mary Jo Ehrlich of Babson Park; two brothers, Edmond J. Connelly of Santa Cruz, Calif. and Irwin A. Connelly of Flagler Beach.
Expressions of sympathy may be made as donations to the American Cancer Society for Lymphoma Research.
Rosa Pack
JACKSONVILLE -- Rosa Pack of Jacksonville died Sunday at Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville following a brief illness. She was 78.
Mrs. Pack was born in Lincoln County, W.Va., and lived in Hawthorne for 14 years before moving to Jacksonville in 1994.
She was a homemaker and a member of Oak Ridge Baptist Church in Interlachen.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Elva Pack Jr.
Survivors include three daughters, Shirley Cole of Huntington, W.Va., Connie Edwards of Jacksonville and Linda Halford of Jacksonville; a son, Marshall Pack of Jacksonville; two sisters, Sylvia Czaga of Cleveland and Ruby Sollazzo of Hudson; five brothers, Joe Dulcie of Huntington, Matt Dulcie of Marianna, W.Va., Ralph Dulcie of Raven, Ky., Carl Rudolph Dulcie of Jonesboro, Ga., and Lawrence Dulcie of Cleveland; 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Cornelia Hampton Jackson
Cornelia Hampton Jackson died Saturday at her residence in Neptune, N.J., following a brief illness. She was 75.
Mrs. Jackson was born in Gainesville and moved to Neptune in 1989.
She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Maxine Garvin of Gainesville; a son, Raiford Jackson of Neptune; a sister, Clara H. Griffin of Gainesville; two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Mae S. Mercer
WILLISTON -- Mae S. Mercer, a longtime resident of Williston, died Monday at Magnolia Manor Nursing Center in Americus, Ga. She was 85.
Mrs. Mercer was born in Angie, La., and moved to Americus, Ga., from Williston in 1996.
Mrs. Mercer was a homemaker and a member of Williston United Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Lee B. Mercer, and an infant son, Lenwood B. Mercer.
Survivors include three daughters, Carole Bergman of Fort Valley, Ga., Sandra L. Mercer of Canal Point and Bettie Jean Harvey of Lady Lake; a son, Loyd B. Mercer of Gainesville; a brother, James W. Smith Jr. of Tallahassee; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Daniel Lester Shadd
LAKE BUTLER -- Daniel Lester "D.L." Shadd died Tuesday at his residence in Lake Butler following an extended illness. He was 69.
Mr. Shadd was born in Lake City and lived most of his life in Jacksonville before moving to Lake Butler in 1997.
He was awarded the Metal of Honor for his service in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War.
He retired in 1990 as a branch supervisor in the Avionics Division of the Naval Aviation Depot at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville.
Mr. Shadd was a member of the American Legion and the Methodist Faith Church.
Survivors include his wife JoAnn Seay Shadd of Lake Butler; two sisters, Willia Mae Taylor of Orange Park and Wanda Faye Barber of Canton, Ga.; three brothers, Leon Shadd and Lowell Shadd, both of Lake Butler, and Leslie Shadd of Brooker.
Mercedes Montesinos Sherrard
Mercedes Montesinos Sherrard of San Antonio, Texas, died Sunday. She was 79.
Mrs. Sherrard was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and traveled with her husband, U.S. Army Col. David G. Sherrard, throughout the United States and overseas. Upon her husband's retirement in 1968, she lived in Gainesville for 25 years. In 1993, she and her husband moved to San Antonio.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by a son, a daughter and two grandchildren.
Frances Skeris
Frances Skeris of Gainesville died Sunday at Shands at AGH. She was 57.
Mrs. Skeris was born in Oceanside, N.Y., and moved to Gainesville from Lynbrook, N.Y., 4 years ago.
She was a homemaker.
She was a member of First Lutheran Church and Lynbrook Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary.
Survivors include her husband, Peter Skeris of Gainesville; four daughters, Sandra L. Brownell of Charlotte, N.C., and Tracy A. Skeris, Carolyn M. Skeris and Stephanie A. Skeris, all of Gainesville; a son, Peter Skeris of Charlotte, N.C.; a sister, Margaret Mazey of Long Island, N.Y.; and a grandchild.
Otis Fain Stubblefield
Otis Fain Stubblefield of Gainesville died Nov. 24 at the residence of his son in Fort Lauderdale. He was 88.
He was born in Murray, Ky., and moved to Gainesville from Hollywood, Fla., 19 years ago.
Mr. Stubblefield, a decorated veteran, served in the 60th Battalion of the Seabees in the South Pacific during World War II. His battalion received a commendation for constructing an airstrip on Woodlark Island in record time, less than 48 hours.
He was a plant manager for Florida Tallow for 20 years.
Mr. Stubblefield was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, the Veterans of Foreign Wars Association and the Woodmen of the World Organization. He did volunteer work for the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program's "Meals on Wheels."
He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Althea Stubblefield.
Survivors include five sons, Larry F. Stubblefield of Stuart, Dennis L. Stubblefield of Kennesaw, Ga., James Stubblefield of Fort Lauderdale, Gerald Stubblefield of Alachua and Ron Robinson of Gainesville; a sister, Mildred Adams of Sikeston, Mo.; eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
James Walter Swilley
BELL -- James Walter Swilley of Bell died in an automobile accident Monday. He was 40.
Mr. Swilley was born in Monticello and moved to Bell from Meridian, Miss., 10 years ago.
He was a truck driver with Florida Rock.
He served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Mr. Swilley was a member of the Moose Lodge in Lake City and in Chiefland. He was a Mormon. He enjoyed hunting and fishing.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia Swilley of Bell; a daughter, Jamie Lynn Swilley of Meridian, Miss.; a son, Justin Robert Swilley of Bell; four sisters, Delane Swilley of Blackley, Ga., Renee LaVoi of Jacksonville, Sara Burges of Chandler, Ariz., and Carolyn Plasterer of Davis, Calif.; and a grandson.
