OBITUARIES

Jul 2, 2018

Joy T. Smith Lakeland - Joy Thacker Smith, 88 years old, of Clare Bridge Memory Care at Brookdale Highlands, died the morning of July 2, 2018, at the facility. Joy was born November 26, 1929 in Birmingham, Alabama, to Margaret Edwards and Elbert Filmore Thacker. The family lived in Chicago, Illinois, for nine years. She and her mother moved...

Jun 30, 2018

Louise "Noonie" Woodruff Lakeland - "Noonie" Louise Woodruff, 79, loving Mother, passed away on June 30, 2018. She was born on August 13, 1938, in Augusta, GA, the Daughter of Theodore and Evellyn Mitchell. She is survived by her 4 children, Thomas Dryden (Lili), Marc Dryden (Debbie), Sandra Polumbo (Dennis), and Brenda Al-Mutawa (Mustafa). She had 11 grandchildren &...

Jun 26, 2018

Doris (Dot) Moran Pierce, 89 Lakeland – Doris Moran Pierce passed away Tuesday, June 26, 2018, in Lakeland, Florida, at Lakeland Hospice House/Good Shepherd Hospice. She was born in Lakeland, Florida on February 20, 1929, to Millard Moran and Sallie Parham. Dot met the love of her life, Francis M. Pierce, and married on August 16, 1946. She was...

Jun 23, 2018

Pending

Jun 21, 2018

James A. Bryan, Sr. w as known by many as a Teacher. He was a Marine that served during the Korean war. Studied several years in the Monestary. He was a Biologist, a pioneer in the computer world, & loved to sail. He is survived by his daughter, Rachel Cecilia Bryan, his son James Albert Bryan, Jr. His granddaughter...

Jun 19, 2018

Matthew Ross Bruner Lakeland – Matthew Ross Bruner passed away on June 19, 2018. He was born on December 8, 1982 in Kansas City, Missouri. Matthew attended Lakeland Christian School. Growing up he played recreational and competitive team sports. As an adult he took up golf, however fishing was his most loved past time. Matthew had a deep love...

Jun 17, 2018

Robert L. Carpenter, Sr Lakeland – Robert L. Carpenter, Sr., died Sunday, June 17, 2018 after a six-month long illness. He was 81 years old. He was born in Stow, Ohio of parents Oscar and Helen Carpenter. He was retired from Barney’s Pumps, where he was employed as Warehouse Manager. He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, of Lakeland;...

Jun 17, 2018

LAKELAND - Barbara Ann Cooper Nall was born on October 5, 1932, and went home to be with the Lord from natural causes on Sunday, June 17, 2018. Ann was born in Lakeland, Florida, and was a lifetime resident. She graduated from Lakeland High School where she met her sweetheart, William 'Bill' Preston Nall, and was married to him...

Jun 15, 2018

Harold “Hal” Meloy Smeltzly died on June 15, 2018. He was born October 24, 1931, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Hal began a fifty-year association with Florida Southern College in 1950 as a student majoring in education and playing basketball and baseball. In 1953 he signed a professional baseball contract and was drafted into the Army in the same year. In...

Jun 13, 2018

Harold Hunt Snow, 92, died on June 13, 2018 at Lake Morton Plaza in Lakeland, Florida. He was born in Haleyville, Alabama on July 25, 1925 to Henry Robert Snow and Minnie Dunn Snow. Snow served in the United States Navy and the United States Marine Corps as a corpsman during World War II and was in the Battle...

Jun 13, 2018

Lakeland - Robert E. Jones, 65 years old of Lakeland, Fl, formerly of Toledo, Ohio passed away peacefully in his wife’s arms on June 12, 2018. Bob was born on September 30, 1952 in Detroit, Mich, to Earl and Joann (Steins) Jones. Bob is survived by his wife, Joy (Twiss) Jones. Also surviving are his brothers, Steven (Theresa) Jones;...

Jun 12, 2018

Jun 12, 2018

Gene Allen Gettig Retired Air Force Lakeland – Gene Allen Gettig passed away Tuesday, June 12, 2018. He was born on March 10, 1930, in Bellefonte, PA, to Henry Gettig and Elsie Johnstonbaugh. He is survived by his wife, Mary; 3 children, Janet, Frank, Keith; 4 grandchildren and 4 great- grandchildren. Services will be held on Thursday, June 21,...

Jun 7, 2018

Jun 6, 2018

Dr. Merlyn Edward Eckelberg Radiologist Lakeland – Beloved father of three, devoted husband of Jean, Dr. Merlyn Eckelberg of Lakeland, Florida, went to be with the Lord, surrounded by family and friends, on June 6, 2018. Merlyn was born in Wilton, Wisconsin, on November 18, 1937, to Albert George Eckelberg and Almeda Tonn Eckelberg. He grew up in the...

Jun 4, 2018

Rodolfo ‘Rudy’ Garcia Miro, MD, 85 Lakeland - Rodolfo Garcia Miro passed away June 4, 2018. Rodolfo Garcia Miro was born December 15, 1932, in Havana, Cuba to Armando Garcia Comesana and Graciela Miro. He graduated from University of Havana Medical School in 1960. Involved in the revolution against the Castro regime, he was forced to flee the country...

Jun 4, 2018

Janet Hodges Tucker 1940 – 2018 Lakeland – Janet Hodges Tucker Janet was born October 13, 1940, in Moultrie, Georgia, to Edgar Eugene Hodges, Jr. and Janet Groover Hodges. She passed into the arms of her Lord on June 4, 2018. Janet grew up in Moultrie and graduated from Moultrie High School. She continued her education at Florida State...

Jun 3, 2018

Margaret J. Fritzler LAKELAND - Margaret J. Fritzler, 77, passed peacefully on June 3, 2018. She was born February 19, 1941. Jan was adventurous, free-spirited, and loved her family and her Lord with every breath she took. She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Carl E. Fritzler; 4 children: Phyllis Fritzler of Cleveland, TN; David Fritzler (Wendy)...

Jun 2, 2018

Clyde Watkins, Jr. Lakeland - On Saturday June 2, 2018, Clyde Watkins, a lifelong backpacker, runner, canoeist, kayaker, and cyclist, quit pedaling and coasted on to the hereafter. He passed peacefully with his family by his side at Florida Presbyterian Homes where he had resided since 2004. Shirley Clyde Watkins, Jr. was born in Alton, Illinois on March 6,...

Jun 1, 2018

Pending