Obituaries

Robert Snapp

ROBERT MOODY SNAPP, 80

LAKELAND -- Mr. Robert Moody Snapp of Lakeland, who worked for four presidential administrations as a Secret Service agent, died of cancer Saturday (Jan. 28, 2006) at Good Shepherd Hospice Palm Terrace. He was 80.

Born Dec. 2, 1925, in Strasburg, Va., Mr. Snapp moved to Lakeland from Alexandria, Va., in 1970.

After serving in the Army Air Corps during World War II, Mr. Snapp joined the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department. When the opportunity to join the Secret Service arose in 1951, he jumped at the chance.

"(Being a police officer) was just a stepping stone to get to the White House," his granddaughter, Debbi Jones of Orlando, said. "He was extremely patriotic, and it was another way to serve his country."

Mr. Snapp's tenure with the Secret Service spanned four administrations: Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. He retired in 1968 at the age of 43.

The regimented lifestyle of a police officer turned Secret Service agent left Mr. Snapp very disciplined, Jones said.

"He was very proud of his career," she said.

He was a member of American Legion Post 4 in Lakeland.

He is survived by his wife, Elsie Snapp; daughters, Rosemary Snapp, Charlene Bell and Ruth Hess, all of Lakeland; stepdaughter, Catherine Brewer, Ohio; stepson, Richard Hoye, Maryland; 11 grandchildren; and six greatgrandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 this evening (January 30, 2006) at Gentry-Morrison Southside, Lakeland. Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday (January 31, 2006) at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL 33823.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

Inez Walker

INEZ WALKER, 70

Homemaker

POLK CITY -- Ms. Inez Geneva Walker of Polk City died of cancer Saturday (Jan. 28, 2006). She was 70.

Born Dec. 12, 1935, in Auburndale, Ms. Walker lived in this area her entire life. She was a homemaker. She attended Mount Olive Baptist Church.

Ms. Walker is survived by her son, John Walker, Auburndale; daughter, Donna Tash, Polk City; brother, Ronnie Harrell, Lakeland; sister, Lorreta Campbell, Lenoir, N.C.; 15 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday (January 31, 2006) at Gentry-Morrison Southside, Bartow. Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday (February 1, 2006) at the funeral home.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

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James LaMothe

JAMES LAMOTHE

Oneida Limited

LAKELAND - Mr. James Lee LaMothe, Sr. of Lakeland died of heart failure Thursday (Jan. 26, 2006) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 73.

Born in Oneida, NY on June 8, 1932, he came to Lakeland from there in 1998. He worked for Oneida Limited for 35 years. He was an Army veteran and member of AmVets. He was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose and the Owls Club. He also was an Eagle Scout, and member of SPEBSQA.

Mr. LaMothe is survived by his wife, Sara LaMothe; sons, James L. LaMothe, Jr., Lynn, MA, Robert D. LaMothe, East Kingston, NH; daughter, Jean C. LaMothe, Danville, NH; sister, JoAnn Van Wie, Camp Springs, MD; four grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held Saturday (Jan. 28, 2006) at 2 p.m. at Gentry-Morrison Dukes Steen Beacon Hill Chapel.

Ella Jager-Burkett

ELLA JAGER-BURKETT, 74

Deli-Bakery Worker

LAKELAND -- Ms. Ella Jager-Burkett of Lakeland died of heart failure Friday (Jan. 20, 2006) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. She was 74.

Born Nov. 29, 1931, in Muskegon, Mich., Ms. Jager-Burkett moved to Lakeland from Houghton Lake, Mich., in 2003. She worked for a deli and bakery. She was a member of the Eagles Club, Moose Lodge and VFW.

Ms. Jager-Burkett is survived by her daughters, Susan Alfonso, Lakeland, Bonnie Hook, Wildwood; brother, John L. Cross, Mio, Mich.; sister, Edith DeYoung, Spring Lake, Mich.; four grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday (January 24, 2006) at Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel.

Ansel Weathers

ANSEL WEATHERS, 80

Frito Lay

LAKELAND -- Mr. Ansel Ross Weathers of Lakeland died of lung failure Wednesday (Jan. 25, 2006) in Lakeland. He was 80.

Born in Greenville, S.C., on March 22, 1925, he came to Lakeland from Whiteville, N.C., 26 years ago. He retired from Frito Lay and People's Bank. He was recently employed with the Lakeland Tampa Bay Auto Auctions. He attended Medulla Baptist Church.

Mr. Weathers is survived by his wife, Jean Grey Weathers; daughters, Robin Richie, Deerfield Beach, Vicki Hand, Conroe, Texas; sons, Kerry Rudd, Marshall, Mich., Michael Rudd, Weatherford, Texas; sisters, Sybil Godwin, Greenville, S.C., Nira Griffin, Carrollton, Ga., Barbara Shelton, Lauren, S.C., Carrie Lou Stephens, Greenville, S.C.; brother, Henry Weathers, Fountain Inn, S.C.; 13 grandchildren; one great-grandchild.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 this evening (January 27, 2006) at Gentry-Morrison Duke Steen Funeral Home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Lowe's Funeral Home, Burlington, N.C.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison / Dukes-Steen Funeral Home.

Nadine McGill

NADINE MCGILL, 88

Publix

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Nadine McGill of Lakeland died of heart failure Tuesday (Jan. 3, 2006) at home. She was 88.

She was born in Brookfield, Mo., on Jan. 10, 1917. She was a former cake decorator for Publix and a rural mail carrier. She was a member of New Beginnings Ministry in South Lakeland.

Mrs. McGill was preceded in death by her husband, Levi Cloyde McGill. She is survived by her sons, Lauren McGill, Lakeland, Franklin McGill, Jacksonville, Michael McGill, Sautte, Ga.; daughter, Nancy White, Erlanger, Ky.; sisters, Ruth Gillette, Burlington, Iowa, Annie Crooks, Letts, Iowa; nine grandchildren; six great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be at 10 this morning (January 6, 2006) at Lakeland Memorial Gardens.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Beacon Hill Chapel.

Brian Fielding

BRIAN FIELDING, 38

Computer Programmer

GAINESVILLE -- Mr. Brian Edward Fielding of Gainesville, whose wife grew up in Lakeland, died of cancer Monday (Jan. 23, 2006) in Gainesville. He was 38.

He was born in Tampa on May 30, 1967. He was a computer programmer. He was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Gainesville.

Mr. Fielding is survived by his wife, Cindy Haer Fielding; children, Jonathan Edward Fielding, Jenna Katlyn Fielding, Jessica Ruth Fielding, all of Tampa; parents, Ed and Jean Fielding, Stuart; brothers, Dodd Fielding, and Laird Fielding, both of Tampa; grandparents, Evelyn and Verl Fielding, Palmetto; maternal grandmother, Thelma Rossman, Sun City.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 this evening (January 25, 2006) at Gentry-Morrison DukesSteen Beacon Hill Chapel. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday (January 26, 2006) at First United Methodist Church.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison / Dukes-Steen Funeral Home.

Lillian Rand

LILLIAN RAND, 88

Homemaker

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Lillian Rand of Lakeland died of heart complications Thursday (Jan. 19, 2006) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. She was 88.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Dec. 1, 1917, she came to Lakeland from there in 1985. She was a homemaker and a member of the Lakeland Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary.

Mrs. Rand was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Rand. She is survived by her son, Michael Rand, Lakeland.

Visitation will be from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday (January 23, 2006) at GentryMorrison Duke-Steen Beacon Hill Chapel. Services will follow at 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home chapel.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Dukes-Steen Funeral Home.

Russel Meares

RUSSEL MEARES, 96

Homemaker

SARASOTA -- Mrs. Russel Lee Sumner Meares of Sarasota, formerly of Polk County, died of heart failure Sunday (Jan. 15, 2006) in Arkansas. She was 96.

Born in Thomasville, Ga., on March 29, 1909, she lived in Polk County before moving to Sarasota. She was a homemaker. She was a member of South Sarasota Church of God and Lake Wire Church of God.

Mrs. Meares was preceded in death by her husbands, the Rev. Burle Sumner, and Paul S. Meares. She is survived by her son, Ronald L. Sumner, Morrilton, Ark., seven grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

Visitation will be from 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday (January 21, 2006) at Gentry-Morrison Southside Funeral Home. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday (January 21, 2006) at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lakeland.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Funeral Home.

Hanne-Lore Hoffman-Heyden

HANNE-LORE HOFFMAN-HEYDEN, 81

Homemaker

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Hanne-Lore Crystal Hoffman-Heyden of Lakeland died of heart complications Tuesday (Jan. 17, 2006) at Carrollwood Care of Tampa. She was 81.

Born in Germany on Oct. 10, 1924, she came to Lakeland from Satellite Beach in 1996. She was a homemaker and an actress in Berlin during the World War II era.

Mrs. Hoffman-Heyden was preceded in death by her husband, Adolf E. Hoffmann-Heyden. She is survived by her daughters, Birgit Blommel, Lutz, Carola Kenney, Lakeland; brother, Uve Laufenberg, Melbourne; half sister, Dorte Frohnhofer, Martfeltd, Germany; five grandchildren.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.