Obituaries

Dorothy Sparks

Dorothy Sparks, 73

Adam's Packing

Lakeland - Mrs. Dorothy Estelle "Dee" Sparks of Lakeland died of pneumonia Thursday (Jan. 27, 2005) at Good Shepherd Hospice, Auburndale. She was 73.

Born Dec. 19, 1931, Lacoochee, Mrs. Sparks came here from there in 1955. She worked for Adam's Packing. She was a member of Southside Baptist Church, Messiah Association of Polk County and Lakeland Choral Society.

Mrs. Sparks is survived by her sons, Michael B. Powers, Lakeland, Stephen C. Powers, Fort Walton Beach, Daryl C. Sparks, Largo; six grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday (Jan. 30, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel. Services will be at Fitzgerald Cemetery, Monday (Jan. 31, 2005) at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers donations may be sent to Good Shepherd Hospice or Florida Baptist Children's Home.

Arrangements By Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

Naomi Grinde

Naomi Grinde, 83

Homemaker

Lakeland- Mrs. Naomi Winters Grinde of Lakeland, died January 25, 2005 at Highlands Lake Center. She was 83.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland on September 11, 1921, Mrs. Grinde moved to Lakeland from Baltimore 12 years ago.

Mrs. Grinde is survived by her husband, Vernon Grinde; brother, George Winters, Lakeland; and several neices and nephews.

Arrangements By Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel

Betty Smith

Betty Smith, 69

Cafeteria Manager

Lakeland - Mrs. Betty L. Smith of Lakeland died Saturday (Jan. 22, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. Cause of death is pending medical examination. She was 69.

Born Jan. 13, 1936, in Valdosta, Ga., she came here from Valdosta in 1946. She was a cafeteria manager for Crystal Lake Middle School.

Mrs. Smith is survived by her husband, Willis L. Smith; son, Mark Higgins, Lakeland; daughter, Gail Higgins, Lakeland; sister, Barbara Sharp, Athens, AL.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 26, 2005) at Socrum Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Alzheimer's Association, Tampa Charter, or American Cancer Society.

Arrangements By Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel

Jacqueline Lee

Jacqueline Lee, 53

Bartender

Lakeland - Ms. Jacqueline "Jackie" Nayman Lee of Lakeland died of an aneurysm Sunday (Jan. 23, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. She was 53.

Born in Sewanee, Tenn., on March 10, 1951, she came to Lakeland from Michigan in 1996. She was a bartender.

Ms. Lee is survived by her companion, Timothy Theis, Lakeland; son Aaron DeLauder, Stockbridge, Ga., twin brother, Jackie Ray Nayman, Bartow; brother, G.W. Nayman, Ider, AL; sisters, Geneva Woods, Huntland, Tenn., Frances Green, Kathleen Weiss, Peggy Graham and Nina Christian, all of Lakeland.

Arrangements By Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel

Chuck Cook

Chuck Cook, 85

General Electric

Lakeland - Mr. Chuck Cook of Lakeland died of complications of surgery Sunday (Jan. 23, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 85.

Born in Osgood, IN on July 15, 1919, he cam to Lakeland from Decatur, IN in 1996. He worked for General Electric. He was an Army veteran of World War II. He was a former Grand Knight with the Knights of Columbus and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Elks and the Sandpiper Golf League.. He won five gold medals in bowling in the Senior Olympics and gave 19 gallons of blood to the Red Cross. He was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church.

Mr. Cook was preceded in death by his first wife, Elizabeth Young Cook. He is survived by his wife, Georgia Cook; sons, Charles E. Cook and Gregory A. Cook, both of Decatur, IN; daughter, Patricia A. Poinsatte, Fort Wayne, IN, Judith L. Baker, Decatur, IN, Carol S. Wisley, Margaret A. Surgener, both of Noblesville, Ind; stepson, Roger Graziano, Pittsburgh; stepdaughter, Donna Racz, Courtland, Ohio; brother, Robert Cook, Decatur; 15 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 8:30 a.m. Thursday (Jan. 27, 2005) at St. Anthony's Catholic Church. The family will receive friends following the service at Sandpiper Clubhouse. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine or the American Red Cross.

Arrangements By Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel

Helen Coultas

Helen Coultas, 101

Credit Manager

Lakeland - Mrs. Helen Coultas of Lakeland died of colon cancer Friday (Jan 21, 2005) at The Cross Roads. She was 101.

Born in Colfax, Iowa, on April 14, 1903, she came to Lakeland from Iowa in 1969, She was a credit manager. She was a member of the Eastern Star.

Mrs. Coultas was preceded in death by her husband, Stanley Coultas. She is survived by her sister, Mary Bode, Columbus, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Life Path Hospice.

Arrangements By Gentry-Morrison Beacon Hill Chapel

William Lynch

William Lynch, 69

Marion-Merrell Dow

Lakeland - Mr. William Charles Lynch, Jr. of Lakeland died Jan. 21, 2005 at home of melanoma cancer. He was 69.

Born in Savannah, GA on August 17, 1935, he came to Lakeland from Savannah in 1972. He was a member of the US Army, Lakeland High School Booster Club, Florida Southern Sixth Mans Club, and a member of First United Methodist Church.

Mr. Lynch is survived by his wife, Marilyn Lynch; daughters, Gina Lynch Becker, Plant City, Karyn Lynch Cabrera, Lakeland; son, William Charles Lynch, III, Lakeland; seven grandchildren.

Visitation will be Mon. (Jan. 24, 2005) from noon to 2 p.m. at First Untied Methodist Church. Services will follow at 2 p.m. at the church. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Lakeland Regional Cancer Center, P.O. Box 91057, Lakeland, FL 33804-1057.

Arrangements By Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel

Thomas Baxter

Thomas Baxter, 78

Truck Driver

Lakeland - Mr. Thomas "Lucky" Baxter of Lakeland died of heart failure Sunday (Jan. 16, 2005). He was 78.

Born May 25, 1926, in Crystal Beach, Mr. Baxter came here from Cairo, GA, in 1967. He was a truck driver. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving in World War II. He was a member of the National Rifle Association and VFW. He was a baptist.

Mr. Baxter is survived by his wife, Geneva Baxter, Cairo; stepsons, Tommy Sheffield and Roger Sheffield and Virgil McClelland, Cairo; 12  grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday (Jan. 24, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday (Jan. 25, 2005) at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell.

Arrangements By Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel

Faith Novak

Faith Novak, 24

Lakeland - Mrs. Faith Lynn Novak of Lakeland died Thursday (Jan. 20, 2005). She was 24.

Born Feb. 4, 1980, in Nashua, NH, Mrs. Novak came here from Nashua in 1987.

Mrs. Novak is survived by her husband, Joseph Vladimir Novak, Lakeland; parents, Brenda and James Stancombe, Lakeland; son, Joey Novak, Lakeland; daughter, Makenzie Stancombe, Lakeland; brother, James Stancombe Jr., Riverview.

Arrangements By Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel

Hubert Lacey

Hubert Lacey, 60

Peace River Center

Bartow - Mr. Hubert Lamar "Bert" Lacey Jr. died of cancer Jan. 20, 2005. He was 60.

Born in Birmingham, Ala., on Nov. 5, 1944, Mr. Lacey obtained his bachelor's and master's degrees in special education for the mentally retarded and physically handicapped from the University of Alabama. He served as CEO at Lifestream Center in Leesburg before coming to Lakeland and joining the staff at Peace River, where he was CEO from 1996 to 2004. He retired after being diagnosed with cancer.

Mr. Lacey is survived by his wife of 38 years, Shirley Braun Lacey; sons, Hubert Lamar "Sonny" Lacey III, Dallas, Dan Brian Lacey, Hollywood, FL; mother, Betty Lacey, Silverhill, AL; brothers, Michael Lacey, Decatur, GA, Timothy Lacey, Guin, AL, and Christopher Lacey, Silverhill, AL.

A memorial requiem Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Monday (Jan. 24, 2005) at the Resurrection Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Bert Lacey Memorial Fund at Peace River Center, P.O. Box 1559, Bartow, FL 33831, or the American Cancer Society.

Arrangements By Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel