Obituaries

Lessie Thompson

LESSIE THOMPSON,90

Homemaker

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Lessie Thompson of Lakeland died of lung failure Saturday (May 28, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. She was 90.

Born Dec. 28, 1914, in Kanawha County, W. Va., she came here from Dunbar, W. Va., one year ago. She was a homemaker.

Mrs. Thompson was preceded in death by her husband, Charles William Thompson. She is survived by her sons, Robert L. Thompson and Stephen Thompson, both of St. Albans, W. Va., Charles R. Thompson, Rockeville, Md.; daughters, Geraldine "Gerry" Byrnside, Grayson, Ga., Lou Butts, Lakeland, Pat White, Crosslanes, W. Va.; 20 grandchildren; and 15 greatgrandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday (June 2, 2005) at Bartlett and Chapman Funeral Home, St. Albans. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday (June 3, 2005) at the funeral home.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Funeral Home.

Pansy Powell

PANSY POWELL, 88

Housewife

AUBURNDALE -- Mrs. Pansy Mae Powell of Auburndale died of respiratory failure Friday (May 27, 2005) at Winter Haven Hospital. She was 88.

Born June 29, 1916, in Lakeland, she was a lifelong resident of this area. She was a housewife. She was of the Pentecostal faith.

Mrs. Powell was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel A. Powell Sr. She is survived by her sons, Jimmy C. Powell and Samuel A. Powell Jr., both of Auburndale; daughter, Carol F. Francis, Auburndale; two grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday (June 1, 2005) at Fitzgerald Cemetery, Lakeland.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Funeral Home.

Raymond Newell

RAYMOND NEWELL, 77

General Motors

LAKELAND -- Mr. Raymond "Bud" Newell of Lakeland died of complications from surgery Tuesday (May 24, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 77.

Born May 29, 1927, in Lapeer, Mich., he came here from Michigan in 2002. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving in World War II. He worked for General Motors for 30 years. He was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Masonic Lodge, Knights of Columbus, VFW, NRA and Fraternal Order of Police. He was a colonel in the Flint, Mich., Police Reserves.

Mr. Newell is survived by his wife, Barbara A. Newell; daughters, Marilynn Newell, Michigan, Marge Holt, Orlando, Lauretta Bedtelvlon, Michigan, Kimberly Morgan, Wisconsin, Kathy Pearce, Michigan; sons, Patrick Newell, Mark Pearce and Bill Pearce, all of Michigan; sisters, Kathleen LaValley, Fort Walton Beach, Ethel Hart, Michigan.

Services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday (May 31, 2005) at St. Anthony's Catholic Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Lung Association.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel.

Beulah Spencer

BEULAH SPENCER, 88

Administrative Assistant

LAKELAND -- Ms. Beulah M. Spencer of Lakeland died of complications of pneumonia Thursday (May 26, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. She was 88.

Born Aug. 10, 1916, in Albion, Mich., she came here from Battle Creek, Mich., in 1977. She was a comptroller and administrative assistant at the Rehab Center, Battle Creek, Mich. She was a member of All Saints Episcopal Church of Lakeland, where she was a member of the Alter Guild.

Ms. Spencer was preceded in death by her husband, Carl H. Spencer. She is survived by her daughters, Carlene Johnson, Portland, Mich., Mary Fahrenholz, Lakeland; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday ( May 31, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel. Services will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

Arvin Hand

ARVIN HAND, 64

Mechanic

LAKELAND -- Mr. Arvin Y. Hand of Lakeland died of heart failure Monday (May 23, 2005) at home. He was 64.

He was born in Hazelhurst, Ga., on April 17, 1941. He was a mechanic.

Mr. Hand is survived by sons, Calvin Hand, Norman Hand, both of Dowagiac, Mich.; brothers, Leon Hand, Lakeland, T.J. Hand, Lake Wales; sisters, Phyllis Dunn, Mulberry, Maude Smith, Lakeland, Fannie Ame Causey, North Carolina, Joyce Dieffenwierth, Jesup, Ga.; three grandchildren.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

Eric Butler

ERIC DANIEL BUTLER, 32

Rhino Truck Liners

LAKELAND -- Mr. Eric Daniel Butler of Lakeland died Wednesday (May 25, 2005) at home. The cause of death is pending autopsy results. He was 32.

Born in Lakeland on March 31, 1973, he was a lifelong resident. He was the owner and operator of Rhino Truck Liners. He was a Christian.

Mr. Butler is survived by his wife, Jessica Butler; daughters, Zoe Faith Butler, Hannah Brooke Butler, Samantha Tova Butler, all of Lakeland; brother, Daniel Butler Jr., North Carolina; grandparents, George and Gloria Butler, Lakeland; sisters, Leah Marie McDermott, England, Kathryn Michelle Butler, Canada, Ginny Lyn Butler, Tallahassee; father, Daniel Butler, Lakeland; mother, Jo Ann Fairbanks, Lakeland.

Memorial Mass will be at 10 a.m. Saturday (May 28, 2005) at St. John Neumann Catholic Church.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Beacon Hill Funeral Chapel.

Albert Thurston

ALBERT THURSTON, 78

Police Officer

LAKELAND -- Mr. Albert Royal Thurston of Bartow died of heart failure Thursday (May 19, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 78.

Mr. Thurston was born March 15, 1927. He was a police officer in Boston.

Mr. Thurston is survived by his wife, Mary Thurston; sons, William Thurston, New Port Richey, Paul Thurston, Cadiz, Ky., Maureen Bell, Taunton, Mass., Delores Kelly, Knottingham, Pa.; 17 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. today (May 23, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Southside.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

Roy Fischer

ROY FISCHER, 78

C.F. Industries

OCALA -- Mr. Roy J. Fischer of Ocala died of complications from a stroke Friday (May 20, 2005) at Legacy House of Marion County. He was 78.

Born Dec. 21, 1926, in Bartow, he came here from Franklin, N.C., a year and a half ago. He was a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, serving in World War II and the Korean War. He worked for C.F. Industries. He was a member of Main Street Baptist Church, Bartow; Experimental Aircraft Association and Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

Mr. Fischer is survived by his wife, Marjorie Fischer, Dunnellon; sons, Glenn Fischer, Fort White, Craig Fischer, Jacksonville; seven grandchildren; and nine greatgrandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 this evening (May 22, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel. Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday (May 23, 2005) at Oak Hill Burial Park.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Marion County Hospice.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

Calvin Osborne

CALVIN OSBORNE, 77

U.S. Army

LAKELAND -- Mr. Calvin Edmund Osborne of Lakeland died of cancer Saturday (May 21, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 77.

Born Jan. 30, 1928, in Tallahassee, Ala., he came here from Huntsville, Ala., in 1975. He was a sergeant first class in the U.S. Army. He worked on the Apollo 11 Program in Huntsville.

Mr. Osborne is survived by his wife, Inge Osborne; brother, Tommy Osborne, Rockwall; sisters, Mary Reeder, Irving, Texas, Martha Glenn and Gail Higgins, both of Lakeland; and three grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Monday (May 23, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel. Services will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home.

Deena Mulvihill

DEENA MULVIHILL, 51

Homemaker

LAKELAND -- Ms. Deena Ann Mulvihill of Lakeland died of heart failure Monday (May 16, 2005). She was 51.

Born Aug. 14, 1953, in Terre Haute, Ind., Ms. Mulvihill came here from South Charleston, Ohio, in 1980. She was a homemaker.

Ms. Mulvihill is survived by her brothers, Tim Mulvihill, Blanchester, Ohio, Greg Mulvihill, O'Brien, Kevin Mulvihill, Lakeland, and Bradley Mulvihill, Lakeland.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today (May 19, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday (May 20, 2005) at the funeral home chapel.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel.