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ROBERT DURRANCE, 60
USDA Inspector
AUBURNDALE -- Mr. Robert L. Durrance of Auburndale died of pancreatic cancer Tuesday (Sept. 9, 2003) at home. He was 60.
Born in Chelsea, Mass., on March 31, 1943, he came to Auburndale from Fort Myers in 1988. He was an inspector for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He was a member of Lena Vista Baptist Church.
Mr. Durrance is survived by his wife, Glenda Durrance; sons, Benjamin Matthew Durrance, Auburndale, and Timothy David Durrance, Orlando; mother, Edith Pauline Durrance, Fort Myers; sister, Paula Stewart, Alva; brothers, Larry Durrance, Alva, and Richard Durrance, North Carolina; and five grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Kersey Funeral Home, 108 E. Lake Stella Drive, Auburndale.
STEPHEN CASEY, 19
Self-Employed
POLK CITY -- Mr. Stephen M. Casey of Polk City died Saturday (Feb. 15, 2003) of injuries sustained in an auto accident. He was 19.
Born in Winter Haven on Oct. 13, 1983, he was a lifelong resident of the area. He was self-employed. He was a member of the Car Club.
Mr. Casey is survived by his mother, Debra Casey, Polk City; stepfather, Chris Anderson, Polk City; father, Stephen Lee, Eloise; brother, George Lawhorne, Winter Haven; sister, Destiny Anderson, Polk City; grandmothers, Bobby Phillips, Polk City, and Turabelle Lee, Winter Haven; grandfather, James Casey, Wilmington, Ill; and great-grandmother, Katie Casey, Eloise.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Cypress Cathedral.
Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven.
JASON SMITH, 26
Mechanic
BARTOW -- Mr. Jason Scott Smith of Bartow died of cancer Sunday (Aug. 22, 2004) at Bartow Memorial Hospital. He was 26.
He was born in Keene, N.H., on Oct. 10, 1977. He worked at a bowling alley as a mechanic. He also worked at Cypress Gardens and CJ Cleaning Co. He attended Central Baptist Church.
Mr. Smith is survived by his mother, Carmen M. Castor, Auburndale; father, Lewis C. Smith Jr., Keene; brothers, Jeremy Smith, Joshua Smith, both of Bartow; grandmother, Betty Castor, Bartow.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 this evening at Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Oak Hill Burial Park, Lakeland.
LEONARD DOTTERWEICH, 81
Hoisting Engineer
LAKELAND -- Mr. Leonard A. Dotterweich of Lakeland died of heart disease Aug. 12, 2004, in Haines City. He was 81.
Born in Buffalo, N.Y., on Sept. 11, 1922, he came to Lakeland from there in 1987. He was a hoisting engineer for W.W. Kimmins in Buffalo for 50 years, and a member of the International Union of Operations Engineers. He was a member of the Niagara German-Canadian Club, and the Tonawanda Island Launch Club Inc. He was the captain of the Volunteer Fireman's Benevolent Association Act of Hose Company in North Tonawanda, N.Y., for more than 35 years. He was a member of St. Ann Catholic Church in Haines City.
Mr. Dotterweich was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Joyce Peacock Dotterweich. He is survived by his son, Wayne L. Dotterweich Sr., N. Tonawanda, N.Y.; stepson, Richard C. Peacock Sr., Lakeland; daughter, Mary Ann Weinheimer, Tonawanda, N.Y.; 14 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be held at a later date in New York.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Haines City Health Care Center, P.O. Box 1476, Haines City, FL 33845, or Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL 33823.
Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Haines City.
RONALD ELLIS, 49
Machine Operator
LAKE WALES -- Mr. Ronald Lee "Frog" Ellis of Lake Wales died Saturday (Aug. 21, 2004) at home. The cause of death is pending autopsy results. He was 49.
Born in Montgomery, Ala., on Nov. 30, 1954, he came to Polk County from Indianapolis 15 years ago. He was a machine operator in the citrus industry. He was a Baptist.
Mr. Ellis is survived by his son, Brandon Lee Ellis, Camp LeJeune, N.C.; brothers, Joe David Ellis, Lake Wales, Donnie Ray Ellis, Auburndale, Rickey L. Ellis, Polk City; sisters, Joan Lands, Betty Jester, both of Auburndale; mother, Ruby Schofield Ellis, Lake Wales.
Memorial services will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at Kersey Funeral Home, 108 E. Lake Stella Drive, Auburndale.
EMORY HILLIS, 82
Navy
EAGLE LAKE -- Mr. Emory Leon Hillis of Eagle Lake died of complications of dementia Sunday (Aug. 15, 2004) at Palm Garden Nursing Home in Winter Haven. He was 82.
Born in Giles County, Tenn., on Dec. 11, 1921, he came to Eagle Lake from Eloise in 1960. He was a retired Navy veteran of 14 years, having served in World War II and the Korean War. He was a member of Eagle Lake Church of Christ.
Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday at Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven. Services will follow at 1 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Burial will be in Eagle Lake Church of Christ Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mount Dora Christian Home Bible School, Mount Dora.
ALTA PILKENTON, 87
Homemaker
EAGLE LAKE -- Mrs. Alta Mae Pilkenton of Eagle Lake died of complications of Alzheimer's disease Thursday (Aug. 12, 2004) at Life Care Center of Winter Haven. She was 87.
Born in Pound, Va., on Oct. 22, 1916, she came to Polk County from there in 1956. She was a homemaker. She was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels and the city of Eagle Lake Senior Center. She was a member of Bethel Church of God in Bartow.
Mrs. Pilkenton is survived by her sons, Roger Pilkenton and Randall Pilkenton, both of Winter Haven; daughters, Carolyn Varnadore, Eagle Lake, and Janice Jackson, Immokalee; brother, Carl Kiser, Oregon; sisters, Loretta Maggard and Elsie Sturille, both of Pound; 12 grandchildren; and 14 greatgrandchildren.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Kersey Funeral Home, 108 E. Lake Stella Drive, Auburndale. Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home chapel.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, 1835 N. Gilmore Ave., Lakeland, FL 33802.
ALTA PILKENTON, 87
Homemaker
EAGLE LAKE -- Services for Mrs. Alta Mae Pilkenton, who died Thursday (Aug. 12, 2004), will be at 10 this morning at Kersey Funeral Home, 108 E. Lake Stella Drive, Auburndale.
William Hoffses, 77, Vocational Center
WINTER HAVEN -- His ability to talk to students allowed Mr. William J. "Will" Hoffses of Winter Haven to have a successful career in education.
Mr. Hoffses died of cancer Friday (Aug. 20, 2004) in Auburndale. He was 77.
Born Nov. 3, 1926, in Brooklyn, N.Y., he came to Winter Haven from Lakeland in 1947.
A graduate of Florida Southern College, Mr. Hoffses began his teaching career at Eloise Elementary. He taught at several area schools before becoming the diversified cooperative training coordinator for Winter Haven High School, placing students in jobs and training them for real-world experiences.
"At high schools, sometimes he taught English and sometimes math, " said his wife, Josephine Hoffses. But she said the DCT program was his specialty.
In 1973, Mr. Hoffses became director of Polk Vocational Technical Center.
"While he was director, he doubled the size of the school, " his wife said.
His personality was what allowed him to go far in life, his wife said. He made time to talk with people -- whether they were students or colleagues, she said.
"He was interested in people which, to us, made him a success, " she said. "He was not afraid to listen to people and their suggestions."
Mr. Hoffses was a veteran of the U.S. Navy who served in World War II. He was a member of the Elks Club, Moose Club and American Legion Post 8. He also belonged to the NEA, FEA, AARP and attended St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Winter Haven.
Along with his wife, Mr. Hoffses is survived by his daughters, Jody Miller, Auburndale, Peggy Kennedy, Winter Haven; and three grandchildren.
Services will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Winter Haven.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Camp Wingmann.
Steele's Family Funeral Services, Winter Haven.
