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LORETTA GOTSCH, 65
Registered Nurse
LAKE HAMILTON -- Mrs. Loretta Gotsch of Lake Hamilton died of heart failure Tuesday (March 29, 2005) in Davenport. She was 65.
Born in Lake Hamilton on Nov. 1, 1939, she moved to Lake Hamilton from Dover in 1945. She was a registered nurse, having worked for Brown and Brunguard in private duty. She was a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Wales.
Mrs. Gotsch is survived by her husband, Henry Gotsch; sons, Henry Gotsch Jr., Newberry, Louis Gotsch, Sebring, John Gotsch, Deland; daughter, Susan Porter, Holly Grove, Ark.; brothers, Jimmy Chastain, Haines City, Mike Chastain; 10 grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, 1001 Grace Ave., Haines City. Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery in Haines City.
Memorials may be made to Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Wales.
Sallie Nolan, 90, Cafeteria Manager
BARTOW -- Mrs. Sallie Long Nolan was described as a family oriented lady who enjoyed to cook, particularly for her family.
The retired cafeteria manager for Bartow High School died of lung failure Sunday (March 13, 2005) at the Bartow Center. She was 90.
"She was a home-type lady and liked to be with her family -- her children and her grandchildren, " said her daughter-inlaw, Ruth Long, of Bartow. "She did a lot of cooking and everything she cooked was good. I especially liked her macaroni and cheese."
Born in Branford on June 22, 1914, she came to Bartow from Tampa 56 years ago.
She worked for the Polk County School Board for several years, retiring as the cafeteria manager of Bartow High School.
Her son, Clarence Long of Bartow, described her as a devout Christian. "She was a great Christian lady, " he said. "She lived it, and she taught us about Jesus all of our lives, and she was just a great lady and we know without a doubt, the way she raised us, we'll see her again."
She was a member of the Order of the Easter Star. She was a member of Main Street Baptist Church in Bartow.
Mrs. Nolan was preceded in death by her first husband, Jesse L. Long, in 1978; and second husband, James H. Nolan, three years ago. In addition to her son, Clarence Long, she is survived by her daughter, Laura Clark, Bartow; sons, Denver E. Long, Bartow, Jesse E. Long, Winter Haven; sisters, Mary Langford, Dorothy Golladay, both of Dade City; nine grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and six great-great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 this evening at WhiddenMcLean Funeral Home, 650 E. Main St., Bartow. Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Gandy Cemetery, Connersville.
EMMA LUSTER, 85
Orange Co. of Lake Hamilton
HAINES CITY -- Mrs. Emma Lou Luster of Haines City died of heart failure Thursday (March 31, 2005) in Davenport. She was 85.
Born in Haines City on March 27, 1920, she came to Haines City from Rogersville, Tenn., in 1959. She was a citrus packer for Orange Co. of Lake Hamilton. She was a member of Landmark Baptist Church.
Mrs. Luster was preceded in death by her husband, James G. Luster. She is survived by her sons, James Lacy Luster, Haines City, William Carl Luster, Theriot, Orlin J. Luster, Dixon, Tenn., Jerry Paul Luster, Church Hill, Tenn.; daughters, Joyce Powell, Ann Waycaster, both of Haines City; brothers, Orlin J. Bernard, Clinton, Tenn., Harlan Z. Bernard, Bristol, Tenn.; 18 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Haines City. Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery in Haines City.
Barbara Hightower, 61, Citrus Inspector
DAVENPORT -- Mrs. Barbara Hightower, an avid gardener who grew roses and enjoyed the time she spent near her Koi fish pond, died of lung failure Saturday (March 26, 2005) in Davenport. She was 61.
Born in Pine Knot, Ky., on March 7, 1944, she came to Davenport from there in 1954.
Mrs. Hightower was employed by Holly Hill Fruit Products in Davenport before she went to work as a quality control inspector at Florida's Natural Growers. She was employed there for 10 years.
She enjoyed water and flowers.
"She had a large screen porch on the front of her house that is L-shaped. It's built around an oak tree that went up through the center, where she had a Koi fish pond, " said her daughter, Angela Harnage of Frostproof.
Mrs. Hightower was familyoriented and an animal lover. She had a number of dogs over the years, including two or three Pomeranians.
Mrs. Hightower was preceded in death by her husband of 30 years, Charles Hightower, in 1994. In addition to her daughter, Angela Harnage, she is survived by her son, Brian Hightower, Davenport; brothers, J.R. Cordell, Davenport, and Howard Cordell, Harbert, Mich.; sisters, Joan Britton, Carol Thorson and Sharon King, all of Niles, Mich., and Brenda Archer, Galien, Mich.; four granddaughters; and one great granddaughter.
Visitation will be this evening from 5 to 7 at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, 1001 Grace Ave., Haines City. Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Davenport.
VIRGINIA HIGHT, 87
Village Food Mart
DUNDEE -- Mrs. Virginia Martha Hight of Dundee died of lung failure Monday (March 28, 2005) in Davenport. She was 87.
Born in Detroit on Nov. 14, 1917, Mrs. Hight came to Dundee from Chicago in 1980. She was a partner and operator of the Village Food Mart of Stone Park, Ill. She was a former Girl Scout leader of Troop 682 in Itasca, Ill. She was a member of Dundee United Methodist Church.
Mrs. Hight is survived by her husband, Walter S. Hight; son, Douglas S. Hight, Green Bay, Wis.; daughter, Debra Miller, Fox River Grove, Ill.; three grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Del Lake Village Community Center in Dundee.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dundee United Methodist Church or any charity.
Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Haines City.
Horace L. Smith, 82, Orange Co.
HAINES CITY -- Mr. Horace L. Smith, a retired sales manager for Orange Co. of Florida, died of heart failure Thursday (March 31, 2005) in Davenport. He was 82.
Born in Mitchell County, Ga., on Feb. 2, 1923, Mr. Smith came to Haines City from Georgia at age 3. He attended Dundee Elementary School and graduated from Haines City High School.
"He played in the first band that they had in Haines City. He played the trombone, " said his wife of 58 years, Martha N. Newman Smith.
Mr. Smith fought in four major battles during World War II and received the Bronze Star.
His career in the citrus industry spanned 29 years. It began at Lake Hamilton Co-op, where Mr. Smith worked as a checker. The company was later bought by Orange Co. of Florida, where Mr. Smith worked in sales.
"We traveled every summer for the company, calling on customers and meeting the buyers, " Martha Smith said. "He sold fruit all over the country -- even in Japan and the European market."
Mr. Smith retired in 1980. He also served as a director for the Tom lang Trucking Company in St. Louis.
A 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge of Haines City No. 219 F&AM;, Mr. Smith belonged to Eastside Baptist Church.
In addition to his wife, Mr. Smith is survived by his son, Terrell Mason Smith, Memphis, Tenn.; daughters, Macklyn Fairchild, Lawrenceville, Ga., Tammy Congdon, Haines City; eight grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, 1001 Grace Ave., Haines City. Services will follow at 11 a.m. at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Forest Hill Cemetery, Haines City.
Memorials may be made to the Arthritis Foundation, 6221 14th St. W., Suite 305, Bradenton, 34207, or Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, 33823-3229.
