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Emily Hendry, 88, Minister of Music
PLANT CITY -- During the 41 years that Mrs. Emily W. Hendry served alongside her husband, the late Rev. E. Pierce Hendry, she organized and directed choirs of adults, youth and children in United Methodist churches.
The retired diaconal minister of music in the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church and schoolteacher died of complications following a stroke Monday (June 7, 2004) at home. She was 88.
"Piano is what she was brought up learning to play, " said her daughter, Dale H. Alderman of Plant City. "She and her sisters sang as a trio just like she trained me and my sisters to do, too.
"She trained in the company of the Florida songwriter who wrote the hymn `I Surrender All, ' " Alderman said.
Mrs. Hendry, whose father was a United Methodist minister, was born in Pelston, Mich., on Dec. 27, 1915.
She met her future husband, E. Pierce Hendry, while attending Florida Bible Institute in Tampa and the couple wed on May 12, 1937, following her graduation.
She received her bachelor of science degree from Florida Southern College and her master of arts in music education from the University of South Florida.
Mrs. Hendry did additional work in music at Stetson University which she attended for two years, Florida Atlantic University, Johns Hopkins Conservatory in Baltimore, and the University of Tampa. She studied the organ with Cliff Cameron in Atlanta.
"They served all over Florida, from as far north as Jacksonville and as far south as Fort Myers, " Alderman said. "The last church that my father served before he retired was in Highland City."
Her parents lived in the Highland City area until they moved to Plant City, she said.
Mrs. Hendry was also a public schoolteacher of music of all levels and an elementary educator, retiring in 1978.
She was an officer in local, district and conference units of the United Methodist Women. She was a member of the Florida Fellowship of Worship, Music and Other Arts, and the American Guild of Organists. She taught Sunday school to children and adults. She was a member of College Heights United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Hendry was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, the Rev. E. Pierce Hendry, in December 2001. In addition to her daughter, she is survived by her daughters, Sallie H. Wilkinson, Plant City, and the Rev. Dr. Judith H. Weger, Roanoke, Va.; son, Gene Hendry, Lakeland; sister, Evelyn Wheeler Towler, Dunedin; 10 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at College Heights United Methodist Church.
Memorials may be made to College Heights United Methodist Church, 942 South Blvd., Lakeland, FL 33801; the United Methodist Children's Home, P.O. Box 6299, Deltona, FL 32728; or Life Path Hospice of Tampa, 3010 W. Azeele St., Tampa, FL 33609.
Heath Funeral Chapel.
Ronald Spears, 40, Property Appraiser's Office
FORT MEADE -- Baseball was a longtime passion of Mr. Ronald "Ronnie" L. Spears, who served for many years as an assistant coach for Auburndale High School and Fort Meade High School.
Mr. Spears, the office manager for the Polk County Property Appraiser's Office, died of cancer Wednesday (Feb. 11, 2004) at H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center. He was 40.
"Our sons all play baseball. He helped coach several teams that they had been on, " his wife, Rhonda W. Spears, said. "Our 15-year-old was on the varsity team this past season when he was helping coach at Fort Meade."
A lifelong resident of Polk County, Mr. Spears was born in Winter Haven on Sept. 11, 1963. He was raised in Auburndale where he graduated from Auburndale High. He attended South Florida Community College in Avon Park, Edison Community College in Fort Myers, and the University of South Florida in Tampa, where he played outfield on their baseball teams.
Mr. Spears met his future wife when they were 11 years old and vacationing in Englewood with their families. "Every year, we went to the same place and we would see each other on vacation. I lived in Fort Meade and he lived in Auburndale, " Rhonda Spears said, noting that for many years, the only time they saw each other was while on vacation with their families.
The couple would have celebrated their 17th anniversary in April.
Mr. Spears, who had lived in Fort Meade for five years, had been employed with the Polk County Property Appraiser's Office in Winter Haven for 18 years.
"He was a hard and loyal worker with his job. He loved his job and took pride in his work, " Rhonda Spears said.
She said her husband was very family oriented. In addition to spending time with his family, and being involved with baseball, he enjoyed saltwater fishing.
He served as president of the Dixie Youth Baseball League of Fort Meade in the late 1990s. He was a member of Cornerstone Church of God.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Spears is survived by his sons, Trevan Spears, Trenton Spears and Travis Spears, all of Fort Meade; stepson, Troy Matthews, Fort Meade; mother, Virginia Spears, Auburndale; father, Waylon Spears, Auburndale; and brother, Randy Spears, Auburndale.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday at McLean Funeral Home, 306 E. Broadway, Fort Meade. Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Cornerstone Church of God. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Meade.
JOSHUA HAAS, 13
Student
AUBURNDALE -- Mr. Joshua Douglas Haas of Auburndale died Sunday (Nov. 2, 2003) of injuries sustained in an auto accident. He was 13.
Born in Winter Haven on Sept. 7, 1990, he was a lifelong resident. He was a seventh-grade student at Stambaugh Middle School. He was a Catholic.
Mr. Haas is survived by his father, Douglas Haas, Auburndale; mother, Michele Haas, Lakeland; sisters, Ashley Haas, Lakeland, Rebecca Justice, Cassandra Haas and Amanda Haas, all of Auburndale; brothers, Justin Haas, Brandon Rea, both of Lakeland; maternal grandmother, Nancy Rea, Lakeland; paternal grandparents, Norbert and Helen Haas, Orlando; great-grandfather, Anthony Rocco, Lauderhill; stepmother, Karininia Haas, Auburndale; stepfather, Mike Traina, Lakeland.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday with a wake service at 7:30 p.m. at Heath Funeral Chapel. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Resurrection Catholic Church.
SANDRA BERMUDEZ, 37
Florida Labor Solutions
FORT MEADE -- Mrs. Sandra Lee Bermudez of Fort Meade died of injuries sustained in an auto accident Sunday (July 11, 2004) near Fort Meade. She was 37.
Born in Lansing, Mich., on Jan. 19, 1967, she came to Fort Meade from Michigan in 1986. She was a secretary for Florida Labor Solutions. She was also a mechanic. She was a Catholic.
Mrs. Bermudez is survived by her sons, Roberto Bermudez, Juan Bermudez, Enrique Bermudez and Antonio Jose Bermudez, all of Fort Meade; daughters, Reyna Bermudez, Hilaria Bermudez and Rosa Linda Bermudez, all of Fort Meade; sisters, Iris Helsel, Belding, Mich., Bernice Vasquez, Lansing, and Delores Vasquez, Six Lakes, Mich.; brothers, Michael Bur and Luciano Vasquez, both of Sparta, Mich.; and mother, Irene Vargas, Sparta.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the First Baptist Church, 307 E. Broadway, Fort Meade. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Fort Meade.
McLean Funeral Home, Fort Meade.
Annibelle Mulkeen, 81, Teacher
LAKELAND -- After Mrs. Annibelle Brown Mulkeen retired from Santa Fe Catholic High School, she continued working as a private tutor.
The retired home economics teacher died of lymphoma cancer Thursday (May 27, 2004) at Good Shepherd Hospice at Grace Healthcare. She was 81.
Born in Pittsburgh on March 24, 1923, she graduated from Carlow College in Pittsburgh with a bachelor's degree to become a dietician.
"I think she was always interested in being a dietitian but when we moved to Chicago there was a need for a teacher so she took some extra courses to become a teacher, " said her son, William "Bill" Mulkeen of Atlanta.
Mrs. Mulkeen worked as a dietitian at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Pittsburg before moving to Chicago. Her career in education was spent teaching home economics in Catholic schools. She had her start at St. Louis de Marrillac Catholic School in Lagrange Park, Ill.
After relocating to Lakeland from Chicago in 1967, she began working at Sante Fe Catholic High School. She retired in 1980.
Mrs. Mulkeen had recently completed a computer course at First Presbyterian Church on Lake Hollingsworth. She enjoyed painting and crocheting.
"She enjoyed bragging about her granddaughter, Lucy. She is 7, " Bill Mulkeen said. "My mom was an active seamstress and she made seven Halloween costumes for Lucy."
Mrs. Mulkeen also was known for her cooking and her love for pets, especially dogs.
She was a member of Resurrection Catholic Church.
In addition to her son, Mrs. Mulkeen is survived by her husband of 53 years, Francis Mulkeen; sister, Lois Gaffney, Pittsburgh; and one grandchild.
Memorial services will be held at a future date.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society.
Gentry-Morrison Southside Funeral Home in Lakeland is in charge of arrangements.
