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WILLIE BRYANT, 67
Banking Industry
JACKSONVILLE -- Mrs. Willie Jean Bryant of Jacksonville, a native of Lakeland, died of heart failure Sunday (April 3, 2005) at Cedar Hills Senior Care in Jacksonville. She was 67.
Born in Lakeland on Oct. 5, 1937, she moved to Jacksonville in 1974. She worked in the banking industry as a secretary at Family Finance. She was a member of New Home Baptist Church in Lakeland.
Mrs. Bryant is survived by her son, Blake Bryant Jory, Los Angeles; mother, Anzie "Annie" E. Collins, Lakeland; sister, Priscilla Cornelius, Lakeland; one grandchild.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Mount Enon Cemetery in Plant City.
Central Florida Casket Store and Funeral Chapel.
Columbus Thornhill, 88, Cattle Rancher, TECO
WINTER HAVEN -- Mr. Columbus "C.L." Thornhill was a true Florida Cracker, with family roots in Polk County dating to just after the Civil War.
The longtime rancher and retired line crewman for TECO died of heart failure Wednesday (Jan. 25, 2006) at home. He was 88.
"When he was working for TECO, he would get up before daylight. We had hogs to take care of, and he had to milk some cows before he went to work or we went to school, " his son, Lum Thornhill of Winter Haven, said. "He would work until dark at night."
He was born in Winter Haven on April 16, 1917, and graduated from Bartow High School. Mr. Thornhill served for four years in the Army in the 34th Infantry in World War II.
He worked for TECO as a line crewman for 35 years before retiring in the mid 1980s. During the peak of his career as a rancher, he had a couple of hundred head of cattle, and he still had cattle at the time of his death.
He was described as an outdoorsman who enjoyed ranching and hunting.
"He hunted deer mostly, " Lum Thornhill said. "He hunted in Ocala, River Ranch and some places back in the old days where you weren't even supposed to hunt."
He was a longtime member of Eagle Lake Church of Christ, where he was formerly an elder.
Mr. Thornhill was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Alice Thornhill, in 2003. In addition to his son, Lum Thornhill, he is survived by his son, Edward M. Thornhill, Mississippi; brother, Roscoe Thornhill, Haines City; sisters, Grace Duke, Ruth Strickland, both of Lakeland; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild.
DALE MORRIS, 52
Fish Farm Caretaker
LAKELAND -- Mr. Dale Morris Jr. of Lakeland died of a heart attack Thursday (March 31, 2005) at home. He was 52.
Born in Michigan, on July 23, 1952, he came to the area from Michigan in 1986, and lived in Dade City and Lakeland. He was a caretaker for a fish farm. He was a member of the Spirit Abounds Band. He was a member of Grace Church on Sleepy Hill Road and a member of the Worship Band Team.
Mr. Morris is survived by his son, Adam Dale Morris, Lakeland; mother, Dawnell O'Malley, Lakeland; stepfather, Mike O'Malley, Lakeland; brothers, David Morris, Polk City, Scott Morris, Lakeland; stepbrother, Edwin O'Malley, Lakeland; stepsister, Yvonne Jones, Mulberry; stepmother, Carol Morris, Monroe, Mich.
Lanier Funeral Home.
PEARL STRAIT, 85
Butcher
BABSON PARK -- Mrs. Pearl Strait of Babson Park died of cancer Saturday (April 2, 2005) at The Grove Center in Lake Wales. She was 85.
Born in Akron, Ohio, on Dec. 15, 1919, she came to Lake Wales from Miami 27 years ago. She was a retired butcher for Winn-Dixie. She was a Protestant.
Mrs. Strait is survived by her husband of 64 years, Stanley L. Strait; daughters, Bette McCrady, Rockaway Beach, Mo., Sandra Strait, Babson Park; son, Greg Strait, Lake Wales; seven grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren.
Memorial Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Johnson Funeral Home, Lake Wales.
JOHN SPISHOCK, 90
JOHN SPISHOCK, 90
Machine Shop Owner
HAINES CITY -- Mr. John J. Spishock of Haines City died of pneumonia Friday (April 1, 2005) at Good Shepherd Hospice, Auburndale. He was 90.
Born Feb. 1, 1915, in Charleroi, Pa., he came here from Troy, Mich., in 2000. He owned a machine shop. He was a Protestant.
Mr. Spishock is survived by his wife, Betty J. Spishock; daughter, Rita Niederriter, Franklin, Pa.; brother, Donald Spishock, Macomb, Mich.; one grandson.
Visitation will be from noon to 2 p.m. Tuesday at Steele's Family Funeral Services, Winter Haven. Services will follow at 2 p.m. at the funeral home. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Friday at White Chapel Memorial Cemetery, Troy, Mich.
Steele's Family Funeral Services, Winter Haven and A.J. Desmond and Son's Funeral Home.
TELESFORD CHEBAT, 97
GM Welder
WINTER HAVEN -- Mr. Telesford I. Chebat of Winter Haven died of congestive heart failure Saturday (April 2, 2005) at Palm Gardens of Winter Haven. He was 97.
Born Jan. 4, 1908, in Lithuania, he came here from Clearwater 10 years ago. He was a welder for General Motors. He was a member of the Masonic Order in Illinois. He was a Catholic.
Mr. Chebat was preceded in death by his wife of 72 years, Stella Chebat. He is survived by his daughters, Vivian Sentz, Winter Haven, Janet Eitutis, Lakeland; two grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Trinity Funeral and Cremation Center.
GERALDINE HAROLD, 87
Polk County Abstract
BARTOW -- Mrs. Geraldine G. Harold of Bartow died of lung failure Friday (April 1, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. She was 87.
Born in Brooklyn, Conn., on Aug. 14, 1917, she came to Bartow from Connecticut 49 years ago. She was a bookkeeper for Polk County Abstract in Bartow. She was a member of Bartow Memorial Hospital Auxiliary for 17 years.
Mrs. Harold was preceded in death by her husband, Milton Harold. She is survived by her daughters, Lynda Harold, Sandra Downs, both of Bartow, Barbara Grise, San Antonio, Sally Curtis, Palm City; sister, Jacqueline Young, Lake City; 10 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, 650 E. Main St., Bartow.
Memorials may be made to Bartow Memorial Auxiliary, 2200 Osprey Blvd., Bartow, FL 33830.
GERALD BROWN, 95
Bendix Corp.
LAKE ALFRED -- Mr. Gerald E. Brown of Lake Alfred died of pneumonia Sunday (April 3, 2005). He was 95.
Born in Elmira, N.Y., he came to Lake Alfred from New York in 1972. He was a retired machinist for Bendix Corp. He was a member of Elks Lodge No. 2153, Port Charlotte.
Mr. Brown was preceded in death by his wife, Iva M. Brown. He is survived by his daughters, Judith A. Gilbert, Nancy M. Sabatini, both of Haines City; brother, Percy Brown, Elmira, N.Y.; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; two great great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held later in New York.
National Cremation Society, Winter Park.
