John A. Knight, Sr.
John A. Knight, Sr., 58, of Arcadia, died Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004, at his residence.
Born March 27, 1946, in Bowling Green, Mr. Knight moved to Arcadia from the Fort Meade area in 2000.
He was president of his family's business, Knight Cattle Co. He raised beef cattle and farmed on the Prairie Creek Ranch for 20 years prior to moving his family to Arcadia.
He was Baptist, and a U.S. Army and National Guard veteran.
Mr. Knight was preceded in death by his father, Alton J. Knight.
Survivors include his wife of 24 years, Sue Albritton Knight; two sons, J. D. Knight of DeSoto and John Knight, Jr., of Fort Meade; one sister, Belinda Hancock of Homeland; his mother, Helen Knight of Fort Meade; his father, Alton J. Knight; and three grandchildren, Chris, Josh, and Jade Knight, all of Fort Meade.
Private services will be held at a later date. For further details, contact the family at 863-491-6447.
Memorial contributions: DeSoto Memorial Hospital Foundation, 900 N. Robert Avenue, Arcadia, 34266.
Arrangements: McLean Funeral Home in Fort Meade.
Werner C. Jones
Lifelong Bartow Resident, Dies at 78
Werner C. Jones, 78, of Bartow, died of congestive heart failure Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2004, at Good Shepherd Hospice Residential Center in Auburndale.
Born April 30, 1926, in Haines City, Mr. Jones was a lifelong resident of Bartow.
He was the city auditor and clerk in Bartow for 16 years, and was the founder of Time Designs, Inc., manufacturing custom design clocks.
A U.S. Army veteran of World War II and Korea, Mr. Jones was a graduate of Gordon Military College in Barnesville, Ga., and was one of the youngest commissioned officers in World War II, named second lieutenant at age 18 and captain at age 20.
He was a past vice-president of the Bartow Chapter of the American Cancer Society, and a former member of the Bartow Lions Club.
He was a member of Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church in Bartow.
Mr. Jones was preceded in death by his wife, Clara B. Jones.
Survivors include three daughters, Syndi Jones of Bartow, Stephanie Carl of Chesterfield, Va., and Kimberly Cook of Fort Myers; two granddaughters, Kathryn Carl of Chesterfield, Va., and Victoria Cook of Fort Myers; and one grandson, Benjamin Cook of Fort Myers.
Visitation: Tuesday, Nov. 30, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Whidden-McLean Funeral Home in Bartow.
The funeral: Wednesday, Dec. 1, at 10 a.m., at the funeral home, with Rev. Hank Frisbie officiating.
Interment: Wildwood Cemetery in Bartow.
Memorial contributions: Good Shepherd Hospice, P. O. Box 7129, Winter Haven; or charity of choice.
Aaron W. Arnold
Aaron W. Arnold, 85, of Bartow, died of congestive heart failure Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004, at Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale.
Born July 11, 1919, in Cochran, Ga., Mr. Arnold moved to Bartow from Plant City 59 years ago.
He was a dragline operator for Mobil Chemical Co. for 37 years. He was a member of Peace Creek Baptist Church in Bartow, and of American Legion Post #3 and Veteran of Foreign Wars #2405, also in Bartow.
Mr. Arnold was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Eula H. Arnold.
Survivors include two sons, Charles Arnold and David Arnold, and one daughter, Rosane Cole, all of Bartow; five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Visitation: Friday, Dec. 3, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Whidden-McLean Funeral Home in Bartow.
The funeral: Saturday, Dec. 4, at 2 p.m., at the funeral home, with Rev. Robert C. Knowles officiating.
Interment: Gandy Cemetery in Connersville.
Gilbert Wilkes
Gilbert Wilkes, 70, of Lakeland, died of cancer Monday, Nov. 29, 2004, at Lakeland Regional Medical Center.
Mr. Wilkes was a lifelong resident of Polk County.
He was a retired area manager and planning coordinator for B & M Construction/MDM Services. He was a Korean War veteran.
Mr. Wilkes was preceded in death by one daughter, Tina Morgan, and one grandson, Stephen Christopher Morgan.
Survivors include his wife, Annette Wilkes; one son, William Shawn Wilkes, and his wife, Laurie, of Kennesaw, Ga.; two brothers, Lamar Wilkes of Bradenton and William H. Wilkes of Bartow; and four grandchildren, Lyndsay Morgan of Lakeland, and Savannah Wilkes, Allison Wilkes, and William Shawn Wilkes, II, all of Kennesaw, Ga.
Visitation: Thursday, Dec. 2, from 6 to 8 p.m., at Kersey Funeral Home in Auburndale.
The funeral: Friday, Dec. 3, at 10 a.m., at Kersey Funeral Home.
Ollie V. Bacon
Ollie V. Bacon, 93, of Lakeland, died Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004, at Valencia Hills Care Center in Lakeland.
Born Aug. 8, 1911, in Newton, Ala., Mrs. Bacon spent most of her life in Plant City.
She was a homemaker, and a member of Shiloh Baptist Church in Plant City.
Survivors include four daughters, Cindy Lockwood and Vickie Barabas, both of Lakeland, Virginia Lofton of Vider, Texas, and Doris Weaver of California; four sons, David Beasley of Tampa, Buddy Shuman of Lake Wales, Ernest Cowart of Winder, Ga., and Dennis Beasley of Lithia Pinecrest; five sisters, Ida Mae Bacon, Dora White of Fort Meade, Dolly Arnold of Kenneth City, Fla., Daisy Robinette of Tennessee, and Judy Goss of Tampa; 16 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
The funeral: Thursday, Dec. 2, at 2 p.m., at New Hope Cemetery in Fort Meade.
Arrangements: McLean Funeral Home in Fort Meade.
