Huge Marriages Search Engine!
ALEXANDER KOVALCHUKOFF, 80
Stationary Engineer
HAINES CITY -- Mr. Alexander Kovalchukoff of Haines City died of heart failure Monday (Dec. 20, 2004) in Winter Haven. He was 80.
Born in Lawrence, Mass., on June 10, 1924, he came to Haines City from Rochester, N.Y., in 1989. He was a stationary engineer. He was a Marine Corps veteran of World War II. He was a member of the Marine Corps League, Heart of Florida Detachment No. 1107. He was a member of First Baptist Church of Lake Hamilton.
Mr. Kovalchukoff is survived by his wife, Thelma Kovalchukoff; daughters, Julie VanAcker, Florence, Colo., Tanya Sergeant, Rochester, N.Y., Niki Brown, Lake Wales; eight grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at First Baptist Church of Lake Hamilton.
Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 21475, St. Petersburg, 33742, or First Baptist Church of Lake Hamilton.
Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Haines City.
CLARENCE KITCHEN, 62
Seaboard Coast Line
EATON PARK -- Mr. Clarence Kitchen Sr. of Eaton Park died of cancer Dec. 13, 2004, at Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was 62.
He was born in Plant City. He was a machine operator for Seaboard Coast Line. He was a 32nd degree Mason and a member of the Lakeland Masonic Lodge No. 52. He attended Bethel Missionary Baptist Church in Mulberry.
Mr. Kitchen is survived by his wife, Ora Lee Kitchen; daughters, Rita Kay Kitchen, Frieda Kay Williams, Regina Cafe' Cummins, all of Lakeland; sons, Clarence Kitchen Jr., Chapelle Carlos Kitchen, both of Lakeland; brothers, Willie C. Kitchen Jr., Tampa, Samuel L. Kitchen, Melville, Charles Jackson, Tampa; sisters, Martha K. Harris, Nadine Stewart, Patsy Ross, all of Tampa; stepmother, Rosa Lee Kitchen, Tampa; one great grandson.
Visitation will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday at H.W. Oldham Funeral Home, Lakeland. Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at New Birth Ministry, 412 N. Massachusetts Ave., Lakeland.
JOHNNY PARHAM, 76
Contractor
ORLANDO -- Mr. Johnny Parham of Orlando, who has family in Polk County, died of kidney failure Sunday (Dec. 19, 2004) at The Palms at Park Place in Orlando. He was 76.
He was born in Woodbury, Ga., on July 13, 1928. He was a contractor.
Mr. Parham is survived by his daughters, Linda Parham Holt, McDonough, Ga., Kay Riley, Jonesboro, Ga., Rhonda Parham, Lakeland; son, Johnny Parham Jr., Orlando; sisters, Edna Mooney, Las Vegas, Irene Peterson, Bartow, Juanita Couba, Tampa; brother, Roger Parham, Bartow; 12 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 3 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Gause Funeral Home, 625 S. Holland Parkway, Bartow. Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at First Providence Missionary Baptist Church. Burial will be in Wildwood Cemetery, Bartow.
Gene Hyde, 74, Gene Hyde Trucking
PLANT CITY -- In 1952, Mr. Gene Hyde and his wife, Shirley, started Gene Hyde Trucking, a one-truck operation that over the years evolved into a major trucking carrier.
"They probably have about 150 (trucks) right now, " Shirley Hyde said. "Our children are running the business, and we have our office in Conyers, Ga."
Mr. Hyde died of heart failure Sunday (Dec. 19, 2004). He was 74.
He was born in Oklahoma on Feb. 26, 1930.
The couple started their trucking company in Georgia and relocated to Lakeland in 1968, later moving to Plant City. They originally leased their only truck to Watkins Motor Lines.
"He stayed with them until 1983, " Shirley Hyde said.
The couple would have been married 53 years today. "We worked side by side. We worked together, we lived together, we slept together, " Shirley Hyde said.
Although his wife retired after 35 or 36 years in the business, Mr. Hyde still went to the office daily. "He was all business but everybody he came in to contact with loved him. He was a very loyal. Everybody knew him at the office and everybody fell in love with him. Once you had been around him for three or four times, you just loved him, " Shirley Hyde said.
As an avid hunter and fisherman, Mr. Hyde enjoyed his annual trips to Alaska where he fished with a group of his friends.
He was an Army veteran. He was past president and a member of the Kathleen Lion's Club. He was a member and deacon at First Baptist Church of Midway.
In addition to his wife, Shirley, Mr. Hyde is survived by his daughter, June Hargraves, Lakeland; sons, James Hyde, Plant City, Dewell Hyde, Lakeland, David Hyde, Jefferson City, Tenn.; brothers, Willie Hyde, Thomasville, Ga., Herman Hyde, and Ed Hyde, both of Canton, Ga.; seven grandchildren; three step grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
Services will be at 2 this afternoon at First Baptist Church of Midway in Plant City.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Newspaper with a Heart, P.O. Box 408, Lakeland, 33802.
Lakeland Funeral Home.
DELLA WOOD, 75
Wood Brothers Equipment
LAKELAND -- Mrs. Della Mae Wood of Lakeland died of congestive heart failure Sunday (Dec. 19, 2004) at Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale. She was 75.
Born in Lakeland on Jan. 7, 1929, she was a lifelong resident. She was the owner and bookkeeper for Wood Brothers Equipment. She was a member of Griffin Baptist Church.
Mrs. Wood was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon B. Wood. She is survived by her daughters, Judy A. Steele, Lakeland, Donna F. Wood, Philadelphia, Laurie Grace Wood, Broomfield, Colo.; sons, Mike V. Wood, Jeff J. Wood, both of Lakeland; sisters, Ann Spearing, Fort Myers, Elsie Giddens, Tampa; two grandchildren.
Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Countryside Funeral Chapel. Services will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Lakeland Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to Grace Church, 2320 Sleepy Hill Road, Lakeland, 33805.
ROBERTA WILSON, 87
Nutritionist
HAINES CITY -- Mrs. Roberta Wilson of Haines City died of heart failure Saturday (Dec. 18, 2004) at Haines City Health Care. She was 87.
Born in Lakeland on Jan. 19, 1917, she came to Haines City from Winter Haven seven years ago. She was a retired nutritionist for Beechnut and Gerber. She was a Navy WAVES veteran. She was a Girl Scout leader in Naples and a charter member of the Toast Mistress Club. She was in the Women's Club and a lifetime member of the Polk County Historical Society. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Naples.
Mrs. Wilson was preceded in death by her husband, Edgar M. Wilson. She is survived by her daughter, Lydia W. Daugherty, Winter Haven, and one grandson.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Winter Haven.
Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven.
