Obituaries

Arlene Kyle

ARLENE KYLE, 80

Homemaker

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Arlene M. Kyle of Lakeland died of heart failure Friday (Aug. 26, 2005) at Palm Terrace of Lakeland. She was 80.

Born March 25, 1925, in Wilmington, Del., Mrs. Kyle moved to Lakeland from Lake Panasoffkee 16 years ago. She was a homemaker. She was a Protestant.

Mrs. Kyle was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Kyle. She is survived by her daughters, Bonnie Jacobsen, Lakeland, Phyllis Love, Manzanita, Ore.; five grandchildren; one great-grandchild.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 115 S. Missouri Ave., Suite 500, Lakeland, FL 33815.

Gentry-Morrison Northside Funeral Home.

Dorothy Martorana

DOROTHY MARTORANA, 73

Homemaker

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Dorothy N. Martorana of Lakeland died of complications following a stroke Thursday (Aug. 25, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. She was 73.

Born in Manhattan, N.Y., on Aug. 10, 1932, Mrs. Maratorana came to Lakeland from Manorville, Long Island, in 1981. She was a homemaker. She was a member of the Wedgewood Homeowner's Association.

Mrs. Martorana is survived by her husband, Anthony Martorana; sons, John Martorana, Anthony Martorana, both of Lakeland; brothers, Richard Gray, Long Island; three grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday (August 28, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Northside Funeral Home. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday (August 29, 2005) at the funeral home chapel.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Norhtside Chapel.

Shawn Armstrong

SHAWN ARMSTRONG, 32

Construction

LAKELAND -- Mr. Shawn Armstrong of Lakeland died Wednesday (Aug. 24, 2005) at Lake Parker. The cause of death is pending autopsy results. He was 32.

He was born in Bartow on Aug. 10, 1973. He worked in construction.

Mr. Armstrong is survived by his father, Richard Armstrong; brothers, Ronald A. Valle and Ryan Williams, both of Lakeland; daughter, Kylee Armstrong, Madison; grandmother, Jean D. Albritton, Marianna; grandfather, Waymon A. Byars, Auburndale.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday (August 28, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Southside Funeral Home. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday (August 29, 2005) at the funeral home chapel.

Arrangementst by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

Bertha Rupert

BERTHA RUPERT, 93

Administrative Clerk

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Bertha Virginia Rupert of Lakeland died of respiratory failure Saturday (Aug. 27, 2005) at Palm Terrace of Lakeland. She was 93.

Born June 17, 1912, in Millboro Springs, Va., she moved to Chesapeake, Va., in 1972. She worked as an administrative clerk for Wilson Trucking Corp. in Fishersville, Va. She was Methodist.

Mrs. Rupert is survived by her husband, Frank D. Rupert; son, Howard Fitzgerald, Lakeland; sister, Frances Sutton, Lynhurst, Va.; and two granddaughters.

Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. this afternoon (August 29, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday (August 30, 2005) at the funeral home.

Sylvia Thompson

SYLVIA THOMPSON, 77

Secretary

LAKELAND -- Miss Sylvia Thompson of Lakeland died of cancer Monday (Aug. 22, 2005) at home. She was 77.

Born Oct. 22, 1927, in Brooksville, she came here from Brooksville 52 years ago. She was a secretary for the Federal/State Agricultural Weather Service. She was a member of First Baptist Church at the Mall.

Miss Thompson is survived by her sisters, Thelma Pentz, Brooksville; Audrey Rundle, Lynchburg, Va., and Chris Coburn, Gainesville.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to First Baptist Church at the Mall, Building Fund, 1010 E. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland, FL 33801.

Visitation will be Thursday ( August 25, 2005) from 1 to 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church at the Mall. Funeral services will follow at the church.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside.

Ann Huffer

ANN HUFFER, 64

Homemaker

BARTOW -- Ms. Ann Huffer of Mulberry died of pancreatitis Wednesday (Aug. 17, 2005) in Bartow. She was 64.

Born April 11, 1941, in Union City, Ind., she came here from Shelby, Ohio, in 1985. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star in Union City, Ill., and Imperial Lake Golf Association. She was a Protestant.

Ms. Huffer is survived by her sisters, Judy Shreves, Downers Grove, Ill., and Nancy Coon, Sundance, Wyo.; and brothers, Perry Blankley, Powell, Tenn., and Michael Blankley, Union City, Ind.

Gentry-Morrison Beacon Hill Chapel.

John Fikes

JOHN FIKES, 84

Steel Draftsman

LAKELAND -- Mr. John L. Fikes of Lakeland died of respiratory failure Friday (Aug. 19, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 84.

Born July 28, 1921, in Birmingham, Ala., Mr. Fikes moved to Lakeland from Birmingham 35 years ago. He worked for Steel Construction Co. as a structural steel draftsman. He was a member of the American Legion for 64 years.

Mr. Fikes was preceded in death by his wife, Georgia Fikes. He is survived by his daughters, Elizabeth Kapke and Alice Pollard, both of Lakeland, two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday (August 24, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

Donations may be made to the American Lung Association

Arnold Flippo

ARNOLD FLIPPO, 99

Salesman

Mr. Arnold G. Flippo of Lakeland died of heart failure Thursday (Aug. 18, 2005) at Carpenter's Home Manor. He was 99.

Born in Hixson, Tenn., on March 14, 1906, Mr. Flippo moved here from Chattanooga in 1978. He was a hardware salesman for Sears.

Mr. Flippo served with the Navy during World War II.

He belonged to the West Lakeland Church of God and previously attended Lake Wire Church of God.

His survivors include his wife, Wilma Johnson Flippo and several nieces and nephews.

A visitation is scheduled for Monday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Gentry-Morrison Northside. Services will follow at the funeral home. Mr. Flippo will be buried at 1 p.m. in the Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the West Lakeland Church of God or the Carpenters Home Estates Scholarship Endowment Fund.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Northside.

James Booth

JAMES BOOTH, 76

Nuclear Weapon Technician

LAKELAND -- Mr. James D. Booth of Polk City died of lung cancer (Aug. 18, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 76.

He was born Dec. 16, 1928, in Waukegan, Ill., and came here from Shreveport, La. In 1996. He was a member of Southeast Motorcoach Assoc., Southeast American Coach Association, FMCA, and VFW. He retired from the U.S. Air Force as a nuclear weapons technician. He attended Crestview Baptist Church.

Mr. Booth is survived by his wife, Jean Booth, Polk City; sons, David L. Booth, Tyler, Texas, and Ray E. Booth, Stonewall, La.; daughter, Cheri B. Richardson, Shreveport, La.; brothers, Richard Ohlson, Makanda, Ill., and Earnest Booth, Nettleton, Miss.; sister, Grace Herman, Makanda, Ill.; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral service will be held today at 11 a.m. (August 22, 2005) at Crestview Baptist Church.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Northside.

George Bristow

GEORGE BRISTOW, 92

Sheet Metal Worker

LAKELAND -- Mr. George F. Bristow of Lakeland died of heart failure Wednesday (Aug. 10, 2005). He was 92.

Born Sept. 20, 1912, in Detroit, Mich., he moved to Lakeland from there in 1998. He worked with sheet metal in the air conditioning industry. He was a member of Sheet Metal Worker Local 80 in Detroit. He was a Baptist.

Mr. Bristow is survived by his wife, Emmogene Bristow; daughter, Carolyn Camilleri, Lakeland; son, Donald Bristow, Tuscon, Ariz.; sister, Annabelle Stone, Christmas; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday (August 16, 2005) at Gentry-Morrison Funeral Home, Beacon Hill Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice House at Palm Terrace, 1919 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland, FL 33805.