Mary E. Allen, 78, Homemaker
Mary E. Allen, 787, of Coleman, died Saturday, March 15, 2003, at Munroe Regional Medical Center, Ocala. A native of Zephyrhills, she was a lifelong resident of Coleman. Mrs. Allen was a homemaker. She was a member of First Baptist Church, Coleman. Survivors include three sons, Roger Allen, Herbert Allen and Bernard Allen, all of Coleman; sister, Helen Bruce of Coleman; four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Banks/Page-Theus Funeral Home, Wildwood, handled the arrangements.
Thomas V. Duke Jr., 69, Truck driver
Thomas V. Duke Jr., 69, of Bushnell, died Thursday, March 20, 2003, in Leesburg. A native of Kansas City, Mo., he moved to Sumter County in 1989 from Homer, Mich. Mr. Duke was a driver in the trucking industry. He was Baptist. Survivors include his wife, Jean R.; son, Thomas V. Duke, III, of Homer, Mich.; two daughters, Linda Perkins and Renee Perkins, both of Homer, Mich.; three brothers, Richard Duke of Bushnell, Jim Duke and Virgil Duke, both of Milwaukee, Wis.; four sisters, Sally Duke and Linda Breeden, both of Knoxville, Tenn., JoAnn Bowen of Manchester, Tenn., and Betty Cole of Milwaukee, Wis.; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Interment was at Oak Grove Cemetery, Coldwater, Mich. Purcell Funeral Home, Bushnell, provided the information.
Eva Evans, 82, Homemaker
Eva Evans, 82, of Geneva, Ala., died Friday, March 21, 2003, in Geneva. A native of Bowling Green, Ky., she was a resident of Nobleton since 1972. She had moved to Geneva, Ala., about one year ago. Mrs. Evans was a homemaker. She was Baptist. Survivors include a son, Gordon Smith of Geneva, Ala.; five grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. Services were held March 25 at the graveside at Indian Hill cemetery in Bushnell with Mr. Ted Sprouse officiating. Interment at Indian Hill Cemetery. Purcell Funeral Home, Bushnell, provided the information.
Alma K. Franklin, 84, Homemaker
Alma Kathryn Franklin, 84, of Perry, died Friday, March 21, 2003, in Perry. She was born in Branford, Fla. Mrs. Franklin was a homemaker. She was a member of the Northside Church of God in Perry and was active in her church for many years. Survivors include two sons, William R. Franklin of Tallahassee and David L. Franklin of Jasper, Fla.; two daughters, Frances R. Whidden of Winter Haven and Eloise Green of Perry; 14 grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren and seven great, great-grandchildren. Services were held on March 25 at the Linden Church of God, Linden, with the Reverend Brian Whidden and the Reverend Lee Burnham officiating. Interment at Linden Cemetery, Linden. Purcell Funeral Home, Bushnell, handled the arrangements.
Alice P. Graham, 83, Bookkeeper
Alice P. Graham, 83, of Coleman, died Saturday, March 15, 2003, at Leesburg Regional Medical Center, Leesburg. A native of Southold, N.Y., she moved to Coleman in 1940 from there. Mrs. Graham was a retired bookkeeper with Bigham Farms. She was a member of St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church. Survivors include a son, William (Billy) Graham of Coleman; daughter, Linda Vernon of Wildwood; brother, Frank Polywoda of Farmingdale, N.Y.; sisters, Vera Bellfountain of Greenport, N.Y. and Rose Tuthill of Maine; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Mrs. Graham were held on March 18 at Adamsville Cemetery. Burial was at Adamsville Cemetery, Coleman. Banks/Page-Theus Funeral Home, Wildwood, handled the arrangements.
Henry H. Hanson, 90, Construction
Henry H. Hanson, 90, of Lake Panasoffkee, died Saturday, March 22, 2003, in Wildwood. A native of Kipling, Mich., he was a resident of Sumter County since 1980, formerly of Milwaukee, Wis. Mr. Hanson was a construction worker. He was an Air Force veteran. Survivors include a sister, Helmy Rice of Florence, Wis.; two stepsons, Wallace Massik of Mukege, Wis. and Bruce Massik of Merton, Wis.; stepdaughter, Barbara Horn of Hartland, Wis.; 10 step-grandchildren and two step-great-grandchildren. Purcell Funeral Home, Bushnell, handled the arrangements.
Sarah S. Moran, 93, Waitress
Sarah S. Moran, 93, of Brooksville, formerly of Lake Panasoffkee, died Wednesday, March 19, 2003, in Brooksville. She was born in Pittsford, Vt. Ms. Moran was a waitress. Survivors include a son, Raymond Moran of Proctor, Vt.; caregivers Pat Abel and Sue Sargent, several nieces and nephews. Purcell Funeral Home, Bushnell, handled the arrangements.
Vada Bee Poppy, 80, Homemaker
Vada Bee Poppy, 80, of Bushnell, died Friday, March 21, 2003, in Brooksville. A native of St. Petersburg, she moved here in 1983, formerly of Decatur, Ga. Mrs. Poppy was a homemaker. She was a member of the Women’s Missionary Union and a Sunday schoolteacher. She was a member of Indian Hill Baptist Church and was actively involved in their Easter Egg Hunt. Survivors include her husband, John W.; two sons, Thomas Poppy of Spring Hill and Kenneth Bramlette of Rome, Ga.; daughter, Vada Lu Poppy Pyle of Palm Harbor; sister, Bobbie Jean Montgomery of Brooksville and three grandchildren. Services were held on March 25 at the Indian Hill Baptist Church, Bushnell, with the Reverend Charles Hayes and the Reverend Tom Monroe officiating. Interment at Indian Hill Cemetery, Bushnell. Purcell Funeral Home, Bushnell, handled the arrangements.
Rev. Fay S. Butler, 78, Pastor
Rev. Fay S. Butler, 78, of Indianapolis, Ind., died Tuesday, April 15, 2003. He was born in Blythesville, Ark. and a winter resident of Webster for 12 years. Rev. Butler was a Southern Baptist Minister for 48 years and was pastor at 12 different churches and was current pastor at Croom Road Baptist Church, Croom-A-Coochee.
He was Baptist and a member of Trinity Baptist Church, Indianapolis, Ind. He was an Army veteran of World War II and an avid fisherman and squirrel hunter.
Survivors include his wife, Martha A. Butler of Indianapolis, Ind.; three sons, James E. Butler of Dittmer, Mo., Stephen A. Butler of Indianapolis, Ind., and Nathan T. Butler of Junction City, Kansas; two daughters, Kathleen Fay Butler and Joy Lynette Noe, both of Indianapolis, Ind.; three brothers, Shirlen Ray Butler of Monroe, Ohio, Lloyd E. Butler of Sanford, Fla., Raymond Butler of Connerville, Ind.; three sisters, Mary Lang of Largo, Ill., Della Lombardo of Plainfield, Ind. and Shelly Bell of Connersville, Ind.; 23 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Rev. Butler were held April 21 at Trinity Baptist Church, Indianapolis, Ind. with Rev. Doyle Lakes and Rev. Charles Smith officiating.
Interment was at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, Greenwood, Ind. Beyers Funeral Home, Leesburg, provided the information.
Clara Ann Reitz, 70, Homemaker
Clara Ann Reitz, 70, of Oxford, died Monday, March 17, 2003, in Leesburg. She was born in Ocala and was a native of Marion County. Ms. Reitz was a homemaker and was Lutheran. She is survived by several nieces and nephews. Graveside services for Clara Reitz was held on March 20 at Forrest Hill Cemetery. Burial will be at the Forrest Hill cemetery in Marion County. Bank/Page-Theus Funeral Home, Wildwood, handled the arrangements.
Buford Sheffield, 74
Buford Sheffield, 74, of Wildwood, died Saturday, March 22, 2003, in Wildwood. A native of Donaldsonville, Ga., he moved here in 1968 from Bremen, Ga. Mr. Sheffield retired in 1984 from Avista Polarit in Wildwood. He was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Wildwood, and a U.S. Navy veteran serving during the Korean War. Survivors include his wife, Evelyn; four sons, Phil of Port Charlotte, Jerry of Atlanta, Ga., Jim of Ocala and Mark of St. Petersburg; three daughters, Kathy Foster of Leesburg, Janice Johnson of MacClenney and Kay Weeks of Jacksonville; brother, Cosby of Deridder, La.; five sisters, Wylene Newberry of Colquitt, Ga., Betty Sue Doyle of Dothan, Ala., Cornelia Lambert of Cairo, Ga., Annette Ridley of Blakely, Ga., Barbara Jean Sweargain of Donaldsonville, Ga.; and nine grandchildren. A Mass of Christian Burial for Mr. Sheffield was held on March 25 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Wildwood, with Father Peter Sagorski as celebrant. Burial was at the Florida National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Hospice Foundation of Lake and Sumter, 12300 Lane Park Road, Tavares, Fla. 32778-9972. Banks/Page-Theus Funeral Home, Wildwood, handled the arrangements.
