Arthur D. Raynor

Arthur Daniel Raynor, 88, died April 11 at Good Shepherd Hospice from complications of Parkinson's disease. Mr. Raynor was born in Brooklyn, NY, May 30, 1920 and graduated from the Westhampton Beach, NY, Class of '37. After Pearl Harbor, he stood in line 2 days to volunteer for service in the Army Air Force. He was stationed at Drew Field, Tampa, FL, where he met and married his wife, Marguerite Day. After marriage, he served in the Pacific Theater and was discharged in 1945. Mr. Raynor moved to Florida and worked as a citrus box salesman until he opened his own citrus degreening room design and construction business. He also was active in his community in ham radio, civil defense, church work as Sunday school teacher, district youth leader and lay minister at Homeland UMC; Bartow Kiwanis serving as Club President in 1983, Division Lt. Governor in 1991. Mr. Raynor was a self-taught musician who was a composer and entertainer and at one time had his own band, the Long Island mountaineers. He also enjoyed genealogy, astronomy and clock making. On January 1, 2009, he and his wife, Marguerite, celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. Mr. Raynor is survived by his wife, Marguerite Raynor, Bartow; daughters Pearle (Tom) Wood, St. George Island, FL, and Dayl Davis, Griffin, GA, and was preceded in death by his sister, Frances Bisesi. He is survived by his brother-in-law Bud Bisesi, Lakeland, Fl, 5 grandchildren: Donna (Mike) Ebaugh, Columbia, MD, Danny Wood, Tallahassee, FL, Meg Wood, Melbourne, FL, Michelle Gerlosky, Griffin, GA, and Greg Gerlosky, Lakeland; and his only great-grandchild, Madison Ebaugh. A memorial service will be held at 1 P.M., Monday, April 13, at the Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, Bartow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Wycliffe USA Bible Translators, P.O. Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862-8200. Condolences to family at www.whiddenmcleanfuneralhome.com