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THOMAS ALCOCK, 69
PCSO Sergeant
LAKELAND -- Mr. Thomas Frederick Alcock of Lakeland died of respiratory failure Sunday (Aug. 21, 2005) at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 69.
Born Nov. 13, 1935, in East Liverpool, Ohio, he came here from Salem, Ohio, in 1982. He was a sergeant in the Bailiff Division of Polk County Sheriff's Office. He was a Presbyterian.
Mr. Alcock is survived by his wife, Elizabeth M. Alcock; son, Thomas C. Alcock, Lakeland; Beth Ann Hall, Winter Haven; step-son, Robert A. Goode, Salem, Ohio; sister, Joann Graham, Pennsylvania; and six grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to American Heart Association, 1545 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland, Fla., 33805.
Funeral services will be held at a later date. Graveside services will be held at Fairview Cemetery in Bareville, W. Va.
Heath Funeral Chapel.
CLARA PHELPS, 63
AUBURNDALE -- Ms. Clara Ann Phelps of Auburndale died of congestive heart failure Saturday (Aug. 20, 2005). She was 63.
Born in Baltimore, Ms. Phelps moved to Auburndale 17 years ago.
Ms. Phelps is survived by her daughters, Kathleen "Ameerah" Ebrahim, Auburndale, Vickie Garrett, Edgewood, Md., Annmarie Walker, Winter Haven, Linda Phelps, Santa Barbara, Calif., Connie Phelps, El Cajon, Calif.; sons, Paul W. Phelps, Winter Haven, Douglas Phelps, Auburndale, William T. Phelps, California; sister, Paulette Wicks, Spencerville, Md.; 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.
Services will be from noon to 1 p.m. Monday at Coney Funeral Parlor Chapel, Lakeland.
EDITH DIXON, 85
Homemaker
WINTER HAVEN -- Mrs. Edith Frances Dixon of Winter Haven died of complications from Alzheimer's disease Friday (Aug. 19, 2005). She was 85.
Born June 27, 1920, in Lake Butler, Mrs. Dixon lived in Polk County for 60 years. She was a homemaker. She attended the Assembly of God Church in Dundee.
Mrs. Dixon was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Dixon Sr. She is survived by her son, Ralph Dixon Jr., Dundee; daughters, Judy Selby, Dundee, Frances Stebbins, Winter Haven; brothers, Dick Waters, Winter Haven, Purvis Waters, Lake Wales, Pete Waters, Auburndale, Jackie Waters, Auburndale; sisters, Carol Harris, Winter Haven, Opal Watson, Mulberry; four grandchildren; five great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Haines City. Services will follow at 10 a.m. at the funeral home.
Memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL 33823.
STEVEN SHAW, 86
Administrative Assistant
WINTER HAVEN -- Mr. Steven D. Shaw of Winter Haven died of heart disease Thursday (Aug. 18, 2005) in Winter Haven. He was 86.
He was born Nov. 11, 1918, in Bingham, Maine, and came here from Maine 20 years ago. He was administrative assistant to the governor of Maine. He served in World War II as a U.S. Marine.
He was a member of the American Legion.
Mr. Shaw is survived by his wife, Donna Shaw; daughter, Jo Hoguet, Old Orchard Beach, Maine; son, William Bachelder Shaw, Bingham, Maine; and sister Rena Johnston, York Beach, Maine; several grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Winter Haven.
Oak Ridge Funeral Care.
ROBERT GESKE, 78
Carpenter
Mr. Robert Charles Geske of Lakeland died of congestive heart failure Thursday (Aug. 18, 2005). He was 78.
Born in Chicago on March 11, 1927, Mr. Geske moved to Central Florida in 1979 from Illinois.
He served in the Army and later worked as a carpenter. He was a member of the Foresters.
Mr. Geske is survived by his wife, Gwendolyn Geske; daughters, Pamela Owens, Auburndale, Sally Zupancic, Illinois, Loris geske, Lakeland; sons, Robert Geske, Wisconsin, Ronald Geske, Illinois; 13 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren.
National Cremation Society.
CHARLES DAVIDSON SR., 54
Painter
FORT MEADE -- Mr. Charles E. Davidson Sr. of Fort Meade died at home Wednesday (Aug. 17, 2005) of cancer. He was 54.
Born Jan. 20, 1951, in Whitingham, Vt., Mr. Davidson moved to Fort Meade from Winter Haven six years ago. He was a painter.
Mr. Davidson's son, Charles Jr., preceded him in death. His survivors include his wife, Bonnie Davidson; daughter, Gina Landers, Winter Haven; son, Randy Davidson, Lakeland; sisters, Lillian Powers and Sylvia Honeysett of Fort Worth, Texas, Linda Achilles, N.H., Dianne Stainbrook, Lakeland; brothers, Michael Davidson, Halifax, Vt., George Davidson, Texas; six grandchildren.
McLean Funeral Home, Bartow.
Lillian Farrier, 91 The Bicycle Shop
LAKELAND -- Ms. Lillian Farrier knitted toboggan hats -- thousands and thousands of them -- that she gave away to local charities for more than 60 years.
"She's been making hats for 62 years, " said her daughter, Anita Farrier of Lakeland. "One of her greatest joys was seeing a kid wearing her hat. We used to keep them in the car and give them to kids in parking lots, and the kids got a big kick out of it."
The longtime Polk County resident died of heart failure Thursday (Aug. 18, 2005) in Lakeland. She was 91.
Born May 14, 1914, in Brooklyn, N.Y., Ms. Farrier moved to Lake Wales 41 years ago, drawn by the beauty of Bok Tower and the security of small-town life.
She owned and ran The Bicycle Shop in Lake Wales during the 1960s and early 70s.
But Ms. Farrier left her biggest mark on the community with her hats.
Ms. Farrier learned to sew as a child from her grandmother. Her charitable efforts began when she started donating handicrafts and clothing to the missions at Sunset Gap and Ruskin with the sewing club at West Minister Presbyterian.
She donated toboggan caps to Polk County elementary schools, Lakeland Regional Medical Center's pediatric unit, Lighthouse Women's and Children's Shelter, mission programs and a variety of other charities.
She was inspired to make the hats after seeing elementary school students walking to school in cold weather, covering their ears with their hands.
In recent years, Ms. Farrier's productivity increased to the point where she was giving away between 300 and 500 hats a year, her daughter said.
She also crocheted, embroidered and knitted other things.
"She probably made as many afghans as she did hats, " her daughter said. "She was known by our family for her homemaking. It's so unpopular now, that I think it's hard to find someone who's able to make those old-timey handworks, and she just loved it."
Ms. Farrier was a member of West Minister Presbyterian in Lakeland.
Her survivors include her daughters, Anita Farrier of Lakeland and Alice Brooks of California; four grandchildren; three great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 115 S. Missouri Ave., Suite 500, Lakeland, FL 33815.
