Betty Russell Bass
Betty Russell Bass of Lake Wales, Fla. died Monday, Nov. 29, 2004 at Lake Wales Medical Centers. She was 80.
She was born July 29, 1924 in Johnsonburg, Pa. She moved 24 years ago from Hammond, N.Y. to Lake Wales, Fla.
She was a retired owner of the Home Restaurant in Hammond. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Hammond Presbyterian Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Basil Bass.
Mrs. Russell is survived by two sons, Gary I. Bass of Indian Lake Estates, Fla. and Rickie L. Bass of Hammond, N.Y.; five grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and a brother, George Russell of Iowa.
Services will be announced in Hammond, N.Y.
Interment will be held at the Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Hammond.
Johnson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Carol Ann Crystal
Carol Ann Crystal of Lake Wales, Fla. died Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2004 at Winter Haven Hospital. She was 70.
She was born in Chicago, Ill. on Dec. 9, 1933.
She had been a collections officer for AT&T; Federal Union. She was a member of the Trinity Baptist Church.
She moved from Georgetown, Texas to Lake Wales in 2004.
Mrs. Crystal loved to travel by motorcycle and RV.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, Roy Abelseth, and son, Roy Abelseth, Jr.
She is survived by her husband Robert Crystal of Lake Wales; two step-sons, Ralph Crystal of San Francisco, Calif. and Bruce Crystal of Phoenix, Ariz., and a sister, Nancy Suhling of Phoenix, Ariz.
Memorial services are scheduled for 2 p.m., Friday, Dec. 3, at the Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Wales with Pastor Larry Wallace officiating.
Inurnment will be held at Florida National Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to the Gideons. Envelopes are available at the funeral home.
Marion Nelson Funeral Home of Lake Wales is in charge of arrangements.
Agnes V. DeChene
Agnes V. DeChene of Lake Wales, Fla. died Sunday, Nov. 28, 2004 at the Winter Haven Hospital, Winter Haven, Fla.
She was born April 12, 1912 in Elkhart, Ind. She moved to Lake Wales 11 years ago from Blue Island, Ill.
Mrs. DeChene was a retired cashier for a food market.
She is survived by five sons, Glenn DeChene of Lake Wales, Thomas DeChene of Blue Island, Ill., Elemer DeChene of Posen, Ill., Wayne DeChene of Blue Island and Michael DeChene of Alsip, Ill.; five daughters, Dorothy Clark, Betty Murry and Gloria Freeman, all of Posen, Carol Carneo of Carthage, Mo. and Ilaine Royse of Posen; 29 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; seven great-great-grandchildren; a brother, John Stump of Lake Wales and four sisters, Phylis Lemming of Lake Wales, Lela Kveredr of Arizona, Julia Guirra of Texas and Wava Schlinder of Georgia.
Services will be under the direction of Hallinan Funeral Home in Blue Island, Ill.
Interment will be held at Willow Hills Memorial Park, Willow Springs, Ill.
Johnson Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Donald Dunnet
Donald Dunnet of Village Green in Lake Wales, Fla. died Nov. 22, 2004 in Lake Wales.
He was born June 30, 1916 in Brooklyn, N.Y. and had moved to Lake Wales 20 years ago from Arizona.
He was a retired construction supervisor.
Donald Dunnet had also received the Purple Heart as an U.S. veteran in WWII.
He is survived by his brother-in-law Earl W. Olssen of Bohemia, N.Y.
All services will be private.
Johnson Funeral Home will be taking care of all arrangements.
June Dunnet
June Dunnet of Village Green, Lake Wales, Fla. died Monday Nov. 22, 2004 in Lake Wales.
She was born August 12, 1921 in Brooklyn, N.Y. and had moved to Lake Wales 20 years ago from Arizona.
She was a retired secretary for Guild Hall Arts Center in New York.
Funeral services will be private.
Johnson Funeral Home will be taking care of all arrangements.
Jesse T. Elkins
Jesse T. Elkins of Lake Wales, Fla. died Thursday, Nov. 18, 2004 at the Lake Wales Medical Center. He was 89.
He was born Jan. 25, 1915 in Galena, Mo. He came to Lake Wales from Kalamazoo, Mich. in 1978.
He was a retired sheet metal worker for Borrough's Manufacturing in Kalamazoo. He attended the Lake Wales Church of Christ. He enjoyed golfing and was a member of the Lake Wales Country Club. He was an avid walker and loved his dog, Charlie.
Mr. Elkins was preceded in death by his wife, Irene Elkins in 1988.
He is survived by a daughter, Sue Bensinger of Kalamazoo; three sons, Bobby Elkins of Lake Wales, Larry Elkins of Houston, Texas and Dewey Elkins of Kalamazoo; two brothers, Don Elkins of Kalamazoo and Junior Elkins of Shellknob, Mo.; 18 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.
Visitation was held Monday, Nov. 22, from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Marion Nelson Funeral Home. Interment followed at the Lake Wales Cemetery with Reverend J. J. Hudson officiating.
Marion Nelson Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Lori Welch Udy
Lori Welch Udy, 39, died of breast cancer April 17, 2009, in Melbourne.
Born Feb. 15, 1970, in Bartow, Mrs. Udy was a mother and homemaker. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Mrs. Udy is survived by her husband, Steve Udy of Deseret Ranch at Deer Park; two children, Austin Udy and Mikayla Udy; her parents, Mike and Sue Welch of Bartow; and two sisters, Beth Hale of Brigham City, Utah, and Shanon Warburton of Round Rock, Texas.
Visitation: Wednesday, April 22, 5 to 8 p.m., Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, Bartow; and Thursday, April 23, 10 to 11 a.m., Ellsworth Ward Chapel, Deer Park.
Funeral: Thursday, April 23, 11:30 a.m., Ellsworth Ward Chapel.
Memorial Service: Friday, April 24, 7:30 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Lakeland Stake, 5850 Lakeland Highlands Road, Lakeland.
Melissa Williams
Melissa Kay Skinner Williams, 40, died Tuesday, June 30, 2009, in Quitman, Ga.
Born Aug. 24, 1968, in Bartow, Ms. Williams was a longtime resident of Fort Meade. She was a paralegal for the law office of Thomas Chawk in Lakeland. She was a member of First Baptist Church of Fort Meade and was a 1986 Fort Meade High School graduate.
Ms. Williams is survived by her parents, Bryant J. Skinner, Sr., and Sandra Knight Skinner; two sons, Thomas Williams of Quitman, Ga., and Nicholas Sellers of Wauchula; a sister, Tracy Cooley of Fort Meade; and a brother, Bryant J. “Buddy” Skinner, Jr., of Fort Meade.
Memorial service: Friday, July 3, 4:30 p.m., Hancock Funeral Home Chapel, Fort Meade, with Rev. Frank Derrick officiating.
