Willie May Skinner Jeffries

Willie May Skinner Jeffries May 30, 1940 - May 2, 2010 Willie May passed peacefully into the loving arms of her Lord and Savior on May 2, 2010 at Winter Haven Hospital following a short illness. She was surrounded by her loving family and friends. Willie May was a loving mother, devoted sister, adored grandmother and cherished aunt. She was a life long resident of Bartow, graduating from Bartow High School in 1958. She was the owner of Willie May Jefferies Income Tax and Accounting for the past 40 years. She was a member of ZONA, and was renowned for her cooking and baking skills actively raising money for worthy causes in the Bartow community. Willie May was devoted to her family first, her friends second, and always put her needs last. Her work was her passion. She was a trusted and honorable business woman who served her clients faithfully. Willie May was predeceased by her parents, James Leroy and Madeline Skinner; husband, Donnell Jeffries; and brother, James Lamar Skinner. She is survived by her sons, Kenneth Leroy Jeffries and Kevin Wayne Jeffries, both of Bartow; one sister, Edith Skinner Mercer of Arcadia; three brothers, Robert Skinner (Pat) of Summerville SC, Carl Skinner (Tammy), and Grady Skinner (Janet), both of Arcadia; her close and special aunt, Lavada Skinner Croom (JD), of Bartow; sister-in-law, Raynae Skinner, of Naples; her cousin, Junior Drawdy, raised as a brother, of Arcadia; three grandchildren, Kelsey Jordan Jeffries, Kelly Ann Caruthers, and Austin Wayne Jeffries; and fourteen nieces and nephews. Arrangements are being handled by Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, 650 East Main Street in Bartow, FL, where the family will receive friends from 6:00-9:00 PM Friday, May 7, 2010. Graveside services will be held at Joshua Creek Cemetery in Arcadia at 1:00 PM Saturday, May 8, 2010, with Rev. Michael O. and Linda Grear officiating. God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be, So he put his arms around you and whispered "Come to me". With tearful eyes we watched you, and saw you pass away, And though we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay. A golden heart stopped beating, hard-working hands at rest, God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.