Kathryn Joanne " Jody" Stemm

Kathryn Joanne ""Jody"" Stemm, 85 Lakeland- Kathryn Joanne "" Jody "" Stemm, age 85, passed away peacefully at her home in Lakeland, FL, from heart failure on Monday June 23, 2014. She was preceded in death by her husband and high-school sweetheart, John D. (Jack) Stemm. She is survived by her daughter Susan Stemm Weilbacher (Kevin), son William H. Stemm (Shawn) with 6 loving grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Jody was born in Lakeland, FL, on April 3, 1929, to William and Rae Scaggs. She graduated from Lakeland High School (1947) and Florida State University (1951). She and Jack were married on July 14, 1951. They lived in Clearwater FL, for seventeen years, returning to Lakeland in 1970. After retirement from Publix Supermarket, they split their time between Lakeland and their cabin near Waynesville, NC. Jody loved her family and had a gift of making friends with everyone she met. She was an inspiring porcelain artist and instructor for many years. She taught kindergarten and children""s Sunday school at Clearwater Methodist Church for seventeen years. She purely loved life and loved teaching others to find joy in nature, gardening, bird watching and fishing. The funeral service will be held at First United Methodist Church, 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland, FL, 33801, on Monday June 30, 2014 at 11am. A reception will take place immediately after the funeral in the church hall.Burial at Oak Hill Burial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Cornerstone Hospice Foundation, 2445 Lane Park Road, Tavares FL, 32778, or by phone 888-728-6234, or online at https://donate.cshopice.org//. Service: 06/30/2014 First United Methodist Church 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland,FL 33801 First United Methodist Church Visitation: 06/30/2014 First United Methodist Church