Sara F. Long
Oct 16, 2025
Bartow - Sara F. Long, age 92, passed away on October 16, 2025, at Good Shepherd Hospice in Lakeland. Born on October 17, 1932, in Plant City, FL, she was the daughter of the late John E. and Leila Jane ( Keen) Farabaugh. Mrs. Long was a longtime Bartow resident and a Member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Mrs....
Anne Stuart Pipping
Oct 15, 2025
Anne Stuart Pipping of Lakeland, FL, passed Wednesday, October 15, 2025. She was born March 10, 1932, in Bartow, FL, to Alice and J.K. Stuart. She was the second of six daughters. Anne was a graduate of Summerlin Institute in Bartow, and went on to study at Queens College in Charlotte, NC, where she majored in home economics and was...
Linda Jean Powers
Oct 14, 2025
Linda Jean (Gurney) Powers (75) June 4, 1950 - October 14, 2025. Linda Gurney was born in Waterville, Maine. Linda was one of 10 girls and 2 boys born to John and Mabel Gurney.
Linda graduated from Fairfield High School in the class of 1969. On October 18, 1969 Linda married Lynn F Powers of China. The couple moved to Florida...
Juan Roberto Ramirez
Oct 9, 2025
Fort Meade - Juan Roberto Ramirez, age 72, passed away Thursday, October 9, 2025 at home surrounded by his family. He was born October 23, 1952 in Elsa, TX to Carlos & Maria Guadalupe Ramirez. Juan was the Owner & Operator of Ramirez Trucking & Harvesting in Fort Meade, FL. His Legacy will continue with his sons running the Family...
John R. DeYoung, Jr.
Oct 7, 2025
Bartow – John Ray DeYoung, Jr., age 98, passed away on October 7, 2025, at Lakeland Regional Health and Medical Center. He was born on February 27, 1927, in Ludington, MI, the son of Ray and Eleanor (Laidlaw) DeYoung. He joined the U.S. Army and served in the Army of Occupation in Germany until November 1946. In 1947, John was...
Margaret Alicia Foster
Oct 3, 2025
Margaret Alicia Foster, age 62, passed away Friday, October 3, 2025. She was born October 15, 1962 in Bartow, FL to Wm. Rueben & Marcella Smith. She was a General Manager at McDonald's in Fort Meade. Margaret was a member of First Baptist Church of Fort Meade. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister Emmy Lou Smith....
Brent F. Hicks
Oct 2, 2025
Lakeland -Brent F. Hicks , age 66, passed away on October 2, 2025, at Lakeland Regional Health and Medical Center. He was born on May 2, 1959, in Huntington, WV. He was a dedicated Firefighter for Polk County Fire Rescue. He enjoyed hunting, mowing, target practice and sitting on his porch. Above all, he loved spending time with his grandchildren...
James Michael Ford
Sep 30, 2025
James Michael Ford, was born Tuesday, September 30, 2025 and went to be with his Lord & Savior Jesus Christ an hour after he was born. He is survived by his loving parents Joseph John Ford III & Laura Elizabeth Ford of Lakeland, brother Leo Hunter Ford, grandparents Andy & Laura McGinnis and Cara & John Ponton. Memorial service will...
Betty A. Card
Sep 30, 2025
Lakeland - Betty A. Card, age 85, passed away on September 30, 2025, at Forsythe Hospice House in Auburndale. She was born on June 22, 1940, in Jacksonville, IL. She was a devoted homemaker who found joy in caring for others. She enjoyed going to church, traveling with friends, and cooking. Above all, she cherished time spent with her grandchildren...
Braden M. Fredericks
Sep 27, 2025
Lakeland – Braden M. Fredericks, age 24, passed away on September 27, 2025. He was born on January 21, 2001, in Cooperstown, NY.
Braden worked as a skilled motorcycle mechanic after completing his associates degree with honors at MMI,in Orlando. He lived life fueled by his passions—racing quads, dirt bikes, motorcycles, animals, playing guitar, and anything music related. Known for his...
Julia Lucille DeVane Mitchell
Sep 21, 2025
Julia Lucille Devane Mitchell, age 101, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sunday, September 21, 2025.
She was born on October 10, 1923, in Bereah, Florida, to Lacy and Julia DeVane. A lifelong resident of Fort Meade, Lucille graduated from Fort Meade High School, Class of 1941. She was a devoted member of the First Baptist...
Virginia Laverne Layton
Sep 20, 2025
Virginia Laverne Layton went to heaven to be with Jesus on September 20, 2025 at the age of 83. Laverne was born in Bartow Florida to Loyd and Elsie Cook on March 12, 1942. She graduated from Fort Meade High School in 1961 and began working in retail. Laverne worked at Smiling Jack’s Grocery Store, TG&Y Department Store and Wal-Mart...
Gregory A. Beam
Sep 19, 2025
Lakeland - Gregory A. Beam, age 78, passed away on September 19, 2025, at Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center. He was born on October 19, 1946, in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. Gregory proudly served in the United States Army and later worked as a Realtor. He enjoyed the simple pleasures of life, including watching television. He is survived by his sister,...
Bessie M. Bender
Sep 19, 2025
Mulberry - Bessie M. Bender, age 81, passed away on September 19, 2025, at Lakeland Hospice House in Lakeland. She was born on November 1, 1943, in Mulberry, FL. She worked as a School Bus Driver for Polk County. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and family, watching game shows & soap operas and making Thanksgiving dressing. She was...
Zenaida Gutierrez
Sep 18, 2025
Bartow – Zenaida Gutierrez, age 70, entered into eternal rest on September 18, 2025, at Forsythe Hospice House in Auburndale, surrounded by the love of her family. She was born on July 2, 1955, in Hatillo, Puerto Rico.
Zenaida dedicated many years of her life as a Para Educator for the NYC Board of Education, where her kindness, patience, and love...
Barbara-Jean Cox
Sep 15, 2025
Barbara-Jean Cox, age 64, passed away at home on Monday, September 15, 2025. She was born on February 10th, 1961, in Yonkers, NY to Richard Albert and Arline Becconsall. She enjoyed spending time with her family, reading, teaching and Tom Petty. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother Richard. She is survived by her husband Glenn, Stepmother...
Susan M. Goeltzenleuchter
Sep 13, 2025
Lakeland- Susan M. Goeltzenleuchter , age 69, passed away on September 13,2025, at Lakeland Hospice House. She was born on March 20, 1956, in Bartow, FL. She worked as a Medical Transcriptionist and Secretary for Watson Clinic. She enjoyed traveling, sightseeing, country cooking and going to the mountains. She was a member of FAMT. She was preceded in death by...
Wilma Jean Coulter
Sep 12, 2025
Wilma Jean Coulter, age 97, passed away Friday, September 12, 2025. She was born October 3, 1927 in Lorida, FL to Jesse & Eliza Waldron, Wilma was a devoted Wife and Mother. She worked for several years as an assistant Bookkeeper for Peace River Packing Company in Fort Meade. She was a member of Cornerstone Church of God in Fort...
Betty Jane (Allen) Johnson Luttrell
Sep 10, 2025
Mrs. Betty Jane (Allen) Johnson Luttrell, age 94, of Gainesville, Georgia, passed away Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
Betty Jane was born February 3, 1931, in Centralia, Illinois. She was the daughter of the late Lawrence Allen and Kathryn Porter Allen. She was preceded in death by both of her husbands, Robert S. Johnson and Jack Luttrell and her sister, Sue E....
Walter "Walt" G. Hron
Sep 10, 2025
Bartow - Walter G. Hron ‘slipped the surly bonds of earth, put out his hand and touched the face of God’ Sept. 10, 2025 on his 95th Birthday, surrounded by the loving presence of his family.
Walt leaves this world a more colorful, spirited and friendly world than he found it. He was an accomplished artist in every sense of the...
