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DONALD MINSON, 67
Security Guard
LAKELAND -- Mr. Donald B. Minson of Lakeland died of heart failure Saturday (April 2, 2005). He was 67.
Born Oct. 15, 1937, in Herrin, Ill., Mr. Minson came here from there in 1975. He was a security guard.
Mr. Minson is survived by his wife, Ann Marie Minson; sons, John David Minson, Lakeland, Robert Nicholas Minson, Rockford, Ill., Kevin Todd Minson, Streamwood, Ill.; daughters, Lori Kay Minson, Streamwood, Amy Catherine Gonzalez, Huntley, Ill.; mother, Pauline Pyle, Herrin; sisters, Pat Adams and Lana Mira, both of Herrin, Judy McMullen, Tampa; brother, Tom Mezo, Herrin; nine grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Lakeland Funeral Home. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home chapel.
JOSEPH TOROK, 77
Field Engineer
AUBURNDALE -- Mr. Joseph L. "Papa Joe" Torok of Auburndale died of pulmonary failure Friday (April 1, 2005) at Auburndale Oaks Healthcare Center. He was 77.
Born July 6, 1927, in Mentor, Ohio, Mr. Torok came here from Texas in 1996. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving in World War II. He was a field engineer in the steel industry. He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Winter Haven.
Mr. Torok is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mary Lou Torok; daughter, Cynthia Farmer, Perry, Ohio; son, Michael Torok, Madison, Ohio; sisters, Mary DeCola, Mentor, Jane Fay, Long Beach, Calif.; brother, Frank Torok, New Haven, Conn.; five grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church Chapel, Winter Haven.
Kersey Funeral Home, Auburndale.
HENRY SEXTON, 44
McDonald Construction
LAKELAND -- Mr. Henry "Eddie" Edward Sexton of Lakeland died of complications following a stroke Tuesday (Feb. 1, 2005) at Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale. He was 44.
Born in Huntington, W. Va., on Dec. 25, 1960, he came to Lakeland in 1991. He was a heavy equipment mechanic for McDonald Construction in Lakeland for 15 years.
Mr. Sexton is survived by his wife, Phyllis McCoy Sexton; sons, David Edward Payne, Lakeland, Matthew A. Sexton, Wayne, W.Va., James Payne, Lakeland, Tom Horn, Columbus, Ohio; daughters, Elizabeth Payne, Lakeland, Lisa Horn, Columbus; mother and stepfather, Elanor and Harlin West, Albany, Ga.; brothers, Jeff Sexton, Brian West, both of Albany; nine grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 7 to 9 this evening at Central Florida Casket Store and Funeral Chapel. Burial will be in the Sexton Family Cemetery in Huntington, W.Va.
Mary Scott, 97, Teacher, Principal
LAKE WALES -- Mrs. Mary Pearl Hodges Scott spent 40 years working in Lake Wales public schools and was the founding principal for Hillcrest Elementary School.
"I have a picture of her with a shovel breaking the ground. She was a part of it from the very beginning, " said her granddaughter, Catherine Frank of Winter Haven .
"She made you feel like you could be your very best. She was a real neat lady."
Mrs. Scott died of heart failure Tuesday (Feb. 8, 2005) at home. She was 97.
Born in Mooresville, Tenn., on June 30, 1907, she graduated from Winter Haven High School in a class of 27 in 1925. Her career as an educator began in 1927, teaching in the auditorium at Lake Wales High School where she taught until 1928. After obtaining her master's degree from Florida Southern College, she was principal for the primary school in Lake Wales from 1947 to 1954. In 1954, she became the founding principal for Hillcrest Elementary School and served until her retirement in 1975.
"She loved Lake Wales, " Frank said. "She was just so proud of her city and it has changed so much from the time she was growing up."
Mrs. Scott was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, the American Association of University Women and the Colonial Dames. She was a member of First United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Scott was preceded in death by her first husband, Henry Vincent Hodges Sr., in 1972; and son, Henry Vincent Hodges Jr., in 1995. She is survived by her husband of 29 years, Elbert B. Scott; six grandchildren; four great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Marion Nelson Funeral Home of Lake Wales. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Lake Wales Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First United Methodist Church, 230 N. Fifth St., Lake Wales, FL 33853, or the Methodist Children's Home, c/o First United Methodist Church.
JOSE MARTINEZ, 48
Watson Clinic
LAKELAND -- Dr. Jose S. "Pepe" Martinez of Lakeland died in a plane crash Friday (Jan. 14, 2005) in Lakeland. He was 48.
Born May 5, 1956, in Havanna, Ohio, Dr. Martinez came here from Winter Garden 20 years ago. He was a veteran of the Army. He worked as an internist at Watson Clinic. He was a member of the Lakeland Rotary Club and First United Methodist Church, Lakeland.
Dr. Martinez is survived by his wife, Jill Anne Johnson Martinez; daughters, Mary Anne Martinez and Robin Martinez, both of Lakeland; son, Jonathan Martinez, Lakeland; parents, Dr. Jose R. and Dr. Rosita N. Martinez, both of Lakeland; sister, "Nena" Pobjecky, Tallahassee, Dr. Charilyn Martinez, Miami.
Services will be 10 a.m. Monday at First United Methodist Church Sanctuary, Lakeland.
Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church, 72 Lake Morton Drive, Lakeland, FL 33801; Florida Southern College, Science Department, 111 Lake Hollingsworth Drive, Lakeland, FL 33801; or Dr. Rosita N. Martinez Scholarship Fund at Valencia Community College, P.O. Box, Orlando, FL 32802.
Heath Funeral Chapel, Lakeland.
Mable Wrenn, 90, Wrenn Furniture Co.
LAKELAND -- For six decades, Miss Mable Louise Wrenn and her brother owned and operated Wrenn Furniture Co. at 711 N. Florida Ave. in Lakeland, and sold quality furniture to residents all over Polk County.
"They really were a pillar in the community. Just about everybody of old-time Lakeland bought their furniture there, " said Miss Wrenn's nephew, James Tew of Lakeland.
"They treated people fairly and provided good service. When something wasn't right, they made it right, just an old ethical standard. That was their way."
Miss Wrenn, a third-generation Lakeland native, died of lung failure Monday (Jan. 31, 2005) at the Health Center of Plant City. She was 90.
Born in Lakeland on July 19, 1914, she graduated from Lakeland High School in 1933. Miss Wrenn, whose parents founded Wrenn Furniture in 1923, worked as an assistant payroll clerk for Peninsular Telephone Co. for several years before joining the family business. After her father passed away, she left her job at the phone company and went to work at the furniture store. She retired in 2000 when the business closed.
"They would take a model A truck and go to Tampa and pick up furniture and then come to Lakeland and sell it, " Tew said. "A lot of nights, they would be coming back from Tampa on a little old road late at night in that model A. They worked hard."
"She loved to be around people. She had a great sense of humor and she didn't mind stating her opinion, " Tew said. "She was kind and generous -the most unselfish person that I've ever known."
Miss Wrenn enjoyed traveling, and was known for buying a new Cadillac every year.
"When she was still at the furniture store at the age most people would be retiring, she thought, `I need to buy a motor home.' She and her elderly mother bought this motor home that was 30 feet and they drove back and forth to the mountains. She was not afraid of anything. She was an adventurer. She loved trying new things, " Tew said.
Miss Wrenn was a Baptist.
She is survived by nieces, nephews and cousins.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Gentry Morrison Southside Funeral Chapel. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at the funeral home chapel.
