Obituaries

Gail Miglia

GAIL MIGLIA, 42

Homemaker

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Gail Alise Miglia of Lakeland died of cancer Friday (May 26, 2006) at home. She was 42.

Born in Bradenton on June 4, 1963, she came to Lakeland from Miami in 1997. She was a homemaker and a licensed therapeutic foster parent. She was a Protestant.

Mrs. Miglia is survived by her husband, Daniel J. Miglia; sons, Daniel Miglia II, Benjamin Miglia, both of Lakeland; daughters, Rachael Miglia, Angela Dixon, Wendy Lane, Adrianna Ventura, Ashley Ventura, all of Lakeland; brothers, Tom Woodard, Parrish, Sam Woodard, Bill Woodard, Andy Woodard, all of Lakeland; sister, Barbara Beckley, Miami, Chris Woodard, Lakeland; one grandson.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Dukes-Steen Beacon Hill Chapel.

Ronald McGahee

RONALD McGAHEE, 52

LAKELAND -- Mr. Ronald Kenneth McGahee of Lakeland died of heart failure Saturday (May 27, 2006) at home. He was 52.

Born in Union, S.C., on March 3, 1954, he came to Lakeland from there 40 years ago. He was an Army Reserves veteran. He was a Protestant.

Mr. McGahee is survived by his brothers, William "Bill" McGahee, Lakeland, Charles W. McGahee, Aiken, S.C.; sister, Sandra McGahee, Plant City; caregiver, Jane Galipault, Lakeland.

Gentry-Morrison Northside Funeral Home.

Margarett Brinson

MARGARETT BRINSON, 77

Publix Bakery

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Margarett P. Brinson of Lakeland died of heart failure Sunday (May 28, 2006) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. She was 77.

Born in Minor Hill, Tenn., on Dec. 16, 1928, she came to Lakeland from Tennessee more than 60 years ago. She worked in a Publix bakery. She attended First Baptist Church at the Mall.

Mrs. Brinson was preceded in death by her husband, Rudy Brinson. She is survived by her sons, Richard Brinson, Mike Brinson, both of Lakeland, Terry Lipham, St. Petersburg; daughter, Sandra Lawhorn, Lakeland; brothers, Toby Powell, Troy Powell, both of Tennessee; sister, Ruth Kochert, Albuquerque, N.M.; eight grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 this evening (May 31, 2006) at Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel. Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday (June 1, 2006) at the funeral home chapel.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

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Katherine Smith

KATHERINE SMITH, 80

Griffin Baptist Church

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Katherine Elizabeth Smith of Lakeland died of cancer Sunday (May 28, 2006) at Tandem Healthcare. She was 80.

Born May 12, 1926, in Lakeland, Mrs. Smith lived in Lakeland her entire life. She worked as a secretary for Griffin Baptist Church, where she was a member.

Mrs. Smith was preceded in death by her husband, Claire H. Smith. She is survived by her daughters, Mary E. Folds, Polk City, Stacy L. Dewey, Lakeland; brothers, Wilburn L. Borders and Charles David Borders, both of Lakeland; eight grandchildren.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday (May 30, 2006) at Gentry-Morrison Northside. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday (May 31, 2006) at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Griffin Baptist Church.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel.

Dale Smart

DALE SMART, 75

Wausau Insurance Co.

LAKELAND -- Mr. Dale Glen Smart of Lakeland died of cancer Friday (May 26, 2006) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 75.

Born Feb. 25, 1931, in Sault Saint Marie, Mich., Mr. Smart moved to Lakeland from Minneapolis, Minn., nine years ago. He served in the Army during the Korean conflict. He worked as a loss control manager for Wausau Insurance Co., Minneapolis. He was a member of the Masons, Shriners and Scottish Rite. He attended North Lakeland Presbyterian Church.

Mr. Smart is survived by his wife, Gertrude I. Smart; son, Jon A. Smart, Brooklyn Park, Minn.; sister, Marjean Smart, Sault Saint Marie.

Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday (May 31, 2006) at North Lakeland Presbyterian Church. Military honors will be at 11 a.m. Thursday (June 1, 2006) at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Northside Chapel.

Marcella Graves

MARCELLA GRAVES, 85

Homemaker

AUBURNDALE -- Mrs. Marcella Louise Graves of Auburndale died of respiratory failure Friday (May 26, 2006). She was 85.

Born Feb. 22, 1921, in Marion, Ind., Mrs. Graves moved to Auburndale from Fort Wayne, Ind., in 2003. She was a homemaker. She attended Broadway Christian Church, Fort Wayne.

Mrs. Graves was preceded in death by her husband, Lee G. Graves. She is survived by her son, David Lee Graves, Springfield, Ind.; daughters, Sharon Lee Preston, Springfield, Ohio; Mary Ann Paulk, Auburndale; six grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

Services will be in Fort Wayne.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Funeral Home Southside Chapel.

John Pequito

JOHN PEQUITO, 86

Factory Worker

LAKELAND -- Mr. John F. Pequito Jr. of Lakeland died of lung disease Friday (May 26, 2006) at Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale. He was 86.

Born in New Bedford, Mass., on Sept. 7, 1919, he came to Lakeland from there 11 years ago. He worked in a shoe factory. He was an Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church.

Mr. Pequito is survived by his wife, Mary Pequito; daughter, Rosemary Silva, Lakeland; sons, David Pequita, Freetown, Mass., Timothy Pequita, Dighton, Mass.; brothers, Ernest Pequita, New Bedford, Mass., Joseph Pequita, Port Charlotte; seven grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren.

Services will be at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday (May 30, 2006) at St. Anthony's Catholic Church, 820 Marcum Road, Lakeland.

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

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Northside Funeral Home.

Edward Hollan

EDWARD HOLLAN, 90

Crowder Bros. Hardware

LAKELAND -- Mr. Edward Thomas Hollan was an avid golfer who played on Cleveland Heights Golf Course five or six days a week.

"He has golfed his whole life," his daughter Carol Ann Smith of Lakeland said. "When he was about 87 years old, he got a hole in one. He golfed up until two or three years ago."

The retired iron worker and former employee for Crowder Bros. Hardware died of congestive heart failure Thursday (May 25, 2006) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 90.

He was born in Scranton, Pa., on Dec. 17, 1915. Mr. Hollan served two years in World War II as a Navy Seabee where he was an apprentice iron worker, and he participated in the battle of Iwo Jima.

Following his discharge, he continued as an iron worker, working in bridge construction in Cleveland. Following his retirement, he came to Lakeland from there in 1976.

Mr. Hollan worked parttime for Crowder Brothers Hardware Store on South Florida Avenue for several years.

He maintained an active lifestyle, playing golf and collecting coins up until about three years ago. He attributed his longevity to a shot of Canadian whiskey daily.

"We always said that kept him immune from everything," Smith said. "He has all his own teeth and never had surgery in his whole life except for one knee surgery."

He was a member of Iron Worker's Local No. 17 in Cleveland. He was a member of the VFW, American Legion, and AmVets. He was a member of the Elks Lodge BPOE in Lakeland. He was a longtime member of Cleveland Heights Golf Club. He was a member of Resurrection Catholic Church in Lakeland.

Mr. Hollan was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Anna Rose Hollan, in 1984. In addition to his daughter, Carol Ann Smith, he is survived by his daughter, Rosalyn Devine, Jacksonville; brothers, Charles Hollan, Columbia Station, Ohio, Jerry Hollan, North Las Vegas; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Sunday (May 28, 2006) at Oak Hill Burial Park in Lakeland.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Funeral Home.

Hugh Brown

HUGH BROWN, 45

Bobby Costine Fencing

LAKE WALES -- Mr. Hugh Lopez Brown of Lake Wales died of heart failure Monday (May 22, 2006) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 45.

He was born in Haines City on Nov. 12, 1960. He worked for Bobby Costine Fencing of Lakeland.

Mr. Brown is survived by his wife, Sharon; daughters, Teresa Brown, Lake Wales, Melissa Palmer, Sissy Brown, both of Bartow; brothers, Timothy Brown, Chuckey, Tenn., Rodney, and Randy Brown, both of Auburndale; sisters, Joan Copeland, and Marie Brown, both of Auburndale; stepmother, Bertha Meeks, Lake Wales; five grandchildren.

Services will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday (May 30, 2006) at West Memorial Baptist Church in Lakeland.

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.

Valerie Higgins

VALERIE HIGGINS, 45

Talk of the Town

LAKELAND -- Mrs. Valerie Ann Higgins of Lakeland died of lung cancer Wednesday (May 24, 2006) at home. She was 45.

Born in Providence, R.I., on March 28, 1961, she came to Lakeland from Rhode Island, in 2002. She was a hairdresser for Talk of the Town in Lakeland. She was a member of First Baptist Church at the Mall.

Mrs. Higgins is survived by her husband, Steven Higgins; mother, Lillian Poissant, Lakeland; son, Nathan Poissant, Lakeland; daughter, Destiny Higgins, Lakeland; brother, Michael Poissant, Alamaba; sisters, Michelle Traylor, Lakeland, Rhonda O'Brien, Tampa.

Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday (May 27, 2006) at First Baptist Church at the Mall.

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

Arrangements by Gentry-Morrison Southside Chapel.