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OBITUARIES

 
Published Jan. 1, 1999|Updated Sept. 28, 2005

BARGERON, WILMA, 83, of Bonifay, formerly of Seffner, died Wednesday (Dec. 30, 1998) at Mainer Health Care-Bonifay. Born in Mendes, Ga., she came here in 1936 from Reidsville, Ga., and recently went to Bonifay. She was a homemaker and a member of Freewill Baptist Church. Survivors include three sons, Willie Bargeron, Reidsville, Samuel Bargeron, Keysville, and Richard Bargeron, Seffner; two daughters, Ruby Joyce Cole and Linda Fowler, both of Bonifay; two brothers, Walter Rogers and Bud Rogers, both of Reidsville; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.

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BESTLAND, EVELYN, 63, of Lucasville, Ohio, formerly of Gibsonton, died Saturday (Dec. 26, 1998) at Pike Community Hospital. She was a homemaker and a member of Harvest Time Christian Church. Survivors include a daughter, Patricia Bestland, Sacramento, Calif.; a stepson, Harry Bestland, Hammondsville, Ohio; five brothers, Joe H. Montgomery, Amherst, Ohio, Howard and John Montgomery, both of Lucasville, Vernon Montgomery, Louisville, Ky., and Carl Montgomery, Norwalk, Ohio; four sisters, Louise Carrozza, Lucasville, Juanita Coleman, West Portsmouth, Ohio, and Delores Bailey and Pam Maynard, both of Piketon, Ohio; two grandchildren; and a stepgrandson. Stowers Funeral Home, Riverview.

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CAMPBELL, GEORGE HENRY, 74, of Tampa, died Wednesday (Dec. 30, 1998) at James A. Haley Veterans Hospital. He was a cook and a Navy veteran of World War II. He was Protestant. Survivors include four caregivers, Mary Jane and Charles Laun and Marjorie and Chuck Olson, all of Tampa. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.

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EASTERLIN, DORIS JEANNETTE TRANTHAM, 76, of Tampa, died Wednesday (Dec. 30, 1998) at University Village Nursing Center. A Tampa native, she retired as a supervisor in classified advertising at the Tampa Tribune. She was a Bible teacher and a member of Tampa Baptist Church. Survivors include a daughter, Linda C. Easterlin, New Orleans; a sister, Eunice Pruett, Tampa; and three grandchildren. Swilley Funeral Home, Tampa.

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FAVATA, LENA G., 82, of Tampa, died Wednesday (Dec. 30, 1998). A Tampa native, she was a homemaker and Catholic. Survivors include a daughter, Marilyn F. Messina, and a brother, Joseph Gullo, both of Tampa; two sisters, Carmel O'Neil, Highland Park, N.J., and Isabel Pandiella, Tampa; and two grandchildren. Blount, Curry & Roel Funeral Homes & Cemeteries, Armenia Chapel, Tampa.

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FISHER, FLORENCE MAYBELLE, 88, of Tampa, died Wednesday (Dec. 30, 1998) at Tampa Health Care Center. She came here in 1926 from her native Batesburg, S.C. She was a homemaker and a member of Tampa Baptist Church. Survivors include four sisters, Gladys Heron, Edgefield, S.C., and Corrie Chapman, Myrtle Richard and Beatrice Beehler, all of Tampa. Swilley Funeral Home, Tampa.

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GIDDENS, DAVID "D.F.," 84, of Plant City, died Thursday (Dec. 31, 1998). He came here in 1930 from his native Georgia. He was a farmer and a member of United Methodist Church of Springhead. Survivors include his wife, Ruby C., two brothers, Clifford L. and Charles L., and a sister, Dova Terry, all of Plant City. Wells Memorial Funeral Home, Plant City.

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GREEN, MELISSA G., 77, of Tampa, died Sunday (Dec. 27, 1998). She came here in 1968 from her native West Virginia. She was a homemaker. Survivors include a nephew, Terry L. Beach, Hurricane, W.Va. Blount, Curry & Roel Funeral Homes & Cemeteries, Garden of Memories Chapel, Tampa.

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HATCHER, LESTER O., 70, of Hollister, Mo., seasonally of Plant City, died Wednesday (Dec. 30, 1998). Born in Jasper County, Ark., he has been a seasonal resident from Hollister since 1996. He was a bus driver for LTR Bus Lines and an Air Force veteran of World War II. He was a member of Elks Lodge BPOE 1261. Survivors include his wife, Ellen; a daughter, Carol Mason, and a brother, Robert, both of Springdale, Ark.; and a sister, Pauline Heckathorn, Winter Haven. Wells Memorial Funeral Home, Plant City.

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KEPPLER, JOSEPH F., 77, of Tampa, died Wednesday (Dec. 30, 1998). He came here in 1956 from his native Albany, N.Y. He was a self-employed construction worker and an Army veteran of World War II. Survivors include his wife, Ruth, a son, Joseph D., a daughter, Patricia McCall, and a brother, William C., all of Tampa; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Mark III Family Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, Tampa.

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MAROTTA, MICHAEL JAMES, 85, of Tampa, died Thursday (Dec. 31, 1998) at AMI Town 'N Country Hospital. Born in Dunmore, Pa., he came here in 1970 from Scranton, Pa. He retired as a truck driver/ranger after 18 years' service with Rocky Point Golf Course. He was a member of Incarnation Catholic Church. Survivors include his wife, Bernice S.; two daughters, Barbara A. Painter, and Susan Hughes, Plains, Pa.; a brother, George; two sisters, Margaret Mecca and Mary Valient, both of Dunmore; and two grandchildren. Gonzalez Funeral Home, Tampa.

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MIGUEL, HILMA, 73, of Tampa, died Tuesday (Dec. 29, 1998). She was a longtime resident of the area coming from her native Ontonagon, Mich. She was a homemaker and Methodist. Survivors include three sons, Henry Jr. and Roy Alan, both of Tampa, and Jerry Lee, Riverview; a daughter, Hilma D., Tampa; a sister, Audrey Hill, Brandon; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Blount, Curry & Roel Funeral Homes & Cemeteries, Garden of Memories Chapel, Tampa.

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RANKIN, ALAN MARSHALL, 60, of Lutz, died Tuesday (Dec. 29, 1998). Born in Worcester, Mass., he came here in 1997 from Denver. He was a division manager at AMP Inc. He was a member of All Saints Lutheran Church. Survivors include his wife, Mildred K.; two sons, Bryant K., Longmont, Colo., and Mark A., Aurora, Colo.; a daughter, Andrea R. Davis, Tampa; two brothers, Philip, Flemington, N.J., and Michael, Cochranville, Pa.; a sister, Linda Tolland, Reading, Pa.; and four grandchildren. Glass Funeral Home, Tampa.

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TUTEN, MINNIE "NANNY," 79, of Branford, formerly of Hillsborough County, died Tuesday (Dec. 29, 1998) at Shands hospital in Gainesville. Born in Hillsborough County, she went to Branford in 1995. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church of Bloomingdale. Survivors include her husband, Red; a daughter, Evelyn Taylor, Oxford; three stepsons, Jack and Jerry Tuten, Branford, and Danny Tuten, Auburndale; 10 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. Stowers Funeral Home, Brandon.

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WHITTLESEY, JUDY GILMORE, 56, of Tampa, died Wednesday (Dec. 30, 1998) at home. Born in Akron, Ohio, she came here in 1986 from Central America. She was a homemaker. She was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church, the Alter Guild, Community Bible Study and Junior League. Survivors include her husband, Jim; three sons, Patrick, Tampa, Bryce, Nice, France, and Mark, Gainesville; her stepmother, Kirsten Gilmore, Mexico City, Mexico; a brother, Thomas Gilmore, Costa Rica; and a sister, Joanie Gilmore Brinckerhoff, Wayland, Mass. Marsicano-B. Marion Reed-Stowers Funeral Home, Tampa.