James Joseph Tobin
James Joseph Tobin Jr., 50, of Davenport, died of colon cancer on Wednesday, June 4, 2003.
He was a native of Staten Island, N.Y., who came to this area from Cliffwood Beach, N.J., in 2001. He was a manager at New York NexCenter Telephone Company for 29 years. He was a member of The Polk County Crackers, MS13 Cliffwood Beach 49ers, New Jersey Middlesex County Grid: FW 20 (WB2JVI). He served in the Navy on the U.S.S. Randolph (CVS-15). He attended Wagner College on Staten Island, N.Y. and Thomas Edison State College and earned his AA and BA. He received his master's degree in art history at Norwich University in Maine. He was a member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Haines City.
He is survived by his wife, Lucille Ann Tobin of Davenport; a son, James Francis Tobin of Highland Park, N.J., a daughter, Maryann Theresa Tobin of Hightstown, N.J.; and two brothers, Dennis Tobin of Spring Hill and William Tobin of Parlin, N.J.
Visitation will be held at Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Haines City on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. Funeral services will be on Monday at St. Ann Catholic Church in Haines City at 10:30 a.m.
Memorial donations may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL 33823.
Earl H. Gwaltney
Earl H. Gwaltney, 82, of Haines City, died of heart failure on Thursday, June 5, 2003.
He was a native of Dendron, Ind., who came to the area from Colonial Heights, Va., in 1986. He was a retired mail carrier with the U.S. government. He was a disabled veteran of World War II, serving in the Army. He was the founder and first president of the Dinwiddie, Va., Volunteer and Rescue Squad. He is a recipient of the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He was a lifetime member of the Purple Heart Association, Disabled American Vets Association and the American Legion.
He was preceded in death by his son, W. Wayne Gwaltney in 1991. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Edna Gwaltney of Haines City; two grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. at Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Haines City. Funeral services will be on Monday at 2 p.m. at Friendly First Baptist Church in Lake Alfred.
Memorial donations may be made to Friendly First Baptist Church, 280 E. Pierce St., Lake Alfred, FL 33850 or Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL 33823-3229.
Herbert E. Knapp
Herbert E. Knapp, 81, of Haines City, died of heart failure on Monday, Aug. 9, 2004.
A native of Los Angeles, he came to the area from West Valley, Utah, in 1996. He was a security guard for Peter Pan Fisheries in Dillingham, Alaska, for 18 years. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Haines City, where he was a temple ordinance worker for eight years.
He is survived by his wife of 12 years, Doris Johnson Knapp of Haines City; three daughters, Wanda Miller of California, Evelyn DeBey of Texas and Ruth Merriman of Wisconsin; four stepchildren, Dean Martindale and Teri Wangsgard, both of Utah, Lori Radcliffe of Minnesota and Don Martindale of Montana; 20 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be held on Friday from 9 to 10 a.m. at Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Haines City. Funeral services will follow at 10 a.m. at the funeral home.
Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Haines City
Joseph W. Steele
Joseph William "Mack" Steele, 56, of Davenport, died Thursday of lung cancer.
A native of Okaloosa, before moving to the area, he was employed as a truck driver for Arrow Trucking of Tulsa, Okla.
He is survived by his wife, Linda Steele of Davenport; three daughters, Heidi Calger of Fort Knox, Kent., Nancy Munoz and Charlene Estep, both of Seattle, Wash.; two sons, James Hall and Matthew Hall, both of Sequim, Wash.; a sister, Mae Long of Lake Alfred; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Visitation will be today from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the funeral home. Graveside services will be held at Clear Springs Cemetery
in Laurel Hill, on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
Harry Laverne Almburg
Harry Laverne Almburg, 73, of Haines City, died Friday, Sept. 7, 2001, of heart failure in Haines City. A native of Dundee, he was a life-long resident of the area.
He was a retired mechanic. He also worked for Publix in Haines City for 10 years. He was a member of the Dundee Baptist Church. Survivors include a son, Darnell Cox of Miami; two sisters, Jeannine Weeks of Lakeland and Mary Crittenden of Haines City; many loving nieces and nephews; one grandchild.
The funeral will be Monday at 11 a.m. at Oak Ridge Funeral Care. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be Monday at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, from 10 to 11 a.m.
James D. DeWitt
James D. DeWitt, 74, of Lake Wales, died Saturday, Sept. 15, 2001, of heart failure in Davenport.
A native of Morgantown, W.Va., he came to the area from New Martinsville, W.Va. in June. He was a chemical engineer for Bayer Corp. He was an associate minister and member at the First Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Winter Haven. He was a U. S. Navy veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Bobbie DeWitt; two sons, Daniel DeWitt of Wheeling, W.Va. and Timothy DeWitt of Morgantown, W.Va.; a stepson, Joseph Stringfellow Jr. of Savannah, Ga.; two sisters, Belmia Smith and Betty Smith, both of Morgantown; a stepdaughter, Rhonda Mercado of West Palm Beach; three brothers, Bud DeWitt and Richard DeWitt, both of Morgantown and Paul DeWitt of Parkersburg, W.Va.; and one grandchild.
The funeral will be Tuesday at 11 a.m. at First Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Winter Haven. Visitation will be today, 6-8 p.m. at the church. Burial will be in Rolling Hills Cemetery.
William H. Gregory
William H. Gregory, 71, of Haines City, died Saturday, Sept. 15, 2001, of heart failure in Haines City.
A native of Moultrie, Ga., he was a lifelong resident of Polk County. He was employed in sales for Anheuser Busch Distributors in Lakeland. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Lake Hamilton.
He is survived by his wife, Ann Gregory; a son, John William Gregory of Dundee; two daughters, Donna Lee Houser and Patricia Ann Plecenik, both of Haines City; a sister, Lillie Mae Anderson of Haines City; a brother, Gene Autrey "Cotton" Gregory of Winter Haven; and five grandchildren.
The funeral will be Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Oak Ridge Funeral Care Chapel. Visitation will be Tuesday, 5-7 p.m. at Oak Ridge Funeral Care. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery, Haines City. Memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 109 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL.
Lula Sensabough
Lula Sensabough, 90, of Dundee, died Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2001, in Dundee of heart failure.
She was a native of Harlan County, Ky, who came to the area years ago. She was a homemaker.
She is survived by a son, Leonard Lindsey of Phoenix, Ariz.; six daughters, Judy C. Manford, Lillie E. Pierce and Charlotte A. Tuttle, all of Louisville, Ky., Anna M. Smith of Dundee, Shirley A. Younce of Madison, N.C. and Martha Greenwell of Falls of Rough, Ky.; 27 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at Rest Haven Cemetery
in Louisville at a later date.
Felix F. Rivera
Felix F. Rivera, 61, of Davenport, died Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2001, of heart failure.
He was a native of Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico, who came to the area two years ago. He worked for A & P Warehouse. He was a forklift operator in Edison, N.J.
He is survived by his wife, Etervina Rivera of Davenport; two sons, Edwin and Felix R. Rivera, both of Piscataway, N.J.; a sister, Julia Baez of Chicago, Ill.; a brother, Fautino Cruz of Puerto Rico; and four grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. today at Oak Ridge Funeral Care in Haines City.
Gerald James Johnson
Gerald James Johnson, 78, of Haines City, died Thursday, Oct. 4, 2001, of cancer.
He was a native of Random Lake, Wisc. who moved to Haines City from Lakeland in 1993. He was employed with Lanier Upshaw of Lakeland as an insurance agent for 17 years, retiring in 1988. He was a veteran of the Navy of 3 l/2 years, serving in the European theater during World War II. He was a life member of the Sertoma Club of Lakeland. He was a member of First Christian Church of Haines City.
He is survived by his wife, Ann Johnson of Haines City; two daughters, Debra Brock and Carolyn Johnson, both of Lakeland; a son, James Johnson of St. Cloud; a daughter-in-law, Debra Johnson of St. Cloud; a son-in-law, Johnny Brock of Lakeland; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be held on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at First Christian Church in Haines City. Memorial donations may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale FL 33823.
Fern M. Myers
Fern M. Myers, 78, of Winter Haven, died Friday, Oct. 5, 2001, of cancer.
She was a native of Janesville, Wisc., who came to the area in 1980 from Kenosha, Wisc. She was a homemaker. She was a member of Lamb of God Lutheran Church where she was a member of the church choir and Altar Guild.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert A. Myers. She is survived by five daughters, Laurae Boylan of Janesville, Wisc.,Joan Korth of Brooklyn Park, Minn., Susan McMurray of Kenosa, Wisc., Barbara Peterson of Iowa City, Iowa, and Peggy Zoromskis of Kenosha; two sons, Raymond Myers of Kenosha and Victor Wade of Shawnee, Kan.; a sister, Donna Belknap of Haines City; a brother, David Utzig of Janesville; fourteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held on Friday, Oct. 12, 2001, at 11 a.m. at Lamb of God Lutheran Church. Memorial donations may be made to Lamb of God Lutheran Church and Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Avenue, Auburndale, FL.
