Communication Builds Our Community
Communication Builds Our Community
Sorted by date Results 126 - 150 of 193
I am so blessed to live in such a wonderful and diverse state. Not only do we get to boast about being the happiest place on earth because Disney World is not too far down the road, but we also are a huge agriculture state - from citrus to cattle to fruits and vegetables. Sometimes I take it for granted how blessed I am to have all this bounty around me. When my sister asked if I wanted to go pick blueberries three weeks ago, I was so excited. Growing up, I thought...
Christopher "Stewart" Vince, 33, of Lake Wales passed away on Wednesday June 17, 2020 at Bay Pines Healthcare Facility. He entered this world on November 2, 1986. He attended Lake Wales High School and went on to receive his bachelor's degree in business management from Keiser University. Christopher served in the Army during Operation Enduring Freedom as a combat engineer. His time in Afghanistan was not easy, while serving he was awarded the Purple Heart along with many...
Lillian Keller Fessler, 97, of Babson Park passed away Tuesday, June 16, 2020 at Grace Health Care. She was born August 2, 1922 in Selma, NC, the late Rory and Pearl Baker. She has been a resident of Babson Park since 1974. Lillian was a retired Beautician. She attended Babson Park Community Church. Lillian was preceded in death by her husband; and son, Leslie E. Keller, Jr. in 2017. Survivors include her daughter, Susan Lea Keller Rojas of Babson Park; and two grandchildren. No services are scheduled. Condolences can be...
Richard Vernon Price, 71, of Frostproof passed away Sunday, May 24, 2020 at his residence. He was born November 9, 1948 in Rockford, IL to the late Charles and Verna Price. Richard was a retired Sgt. Major for the U.S. Army following 30 years of service. Richard was awarded the Legion of Merit Award, Bronze Star, Meritorious Unit and Air Medal. He was very proud of his military service. Richard is survived by his wife of 21 years, Beth Vogel; daughters, Shawn Scott (Buck) of Babson Park, and Meri An Bell (Dan) of Buckle, TN;...
When Gus hops on the bus he may have some extra stop options in Lake Wales. Erin Killebrew, director of external affairs with the Citrus Connection, gave city commissioners an update on the four local routes at their May 19 meeting. Killebrew said the current routes take riders from Lake Wales to Haines City, Lake Wales to the Eagle Ridge Mall, the mall to Legoland and the mall to Babson Park. The transit system is asking the city to nearly double its annual contribution to...
Erin Lee McCallister, "Mrs. Mac", passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 12, 2020 at Good Shepherd Hospice in Auburndale. Mrs. Mac was born April 1, 1935 in Hammond, IN to the late William and Ellen Jones. She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 60 years, James McCallister. She is survived by her son - William L. McCallister and his wife Helga, daughter - Ruthie Welch and her husband Ken, granddaughter - Michelle Heath and her husband Trey, great-granddaugher – B...
Edward Williams, 68 of Babson Park died May 9, 2020 in Sarasota, FL. He was born Oct. 19, 1951 and was a U.S. Army veteran. Services are incomplete. Epps Memorial Funeral Home in Lake Wales is handling arrangements....
William C. "Bill" Acree, Sr., 84, of Lake Wales passed away Friday, April 17, 2020 at Bridgeport Senior Living in Orlando. He was born January 20, 1936 in Lake Wales to the late Mack and Oradee Acree; he was a lifelong resident of Lake Wales. He was in the cattle and citrus industries and worked for USPS for 16 years. He attended Westside Baptist Church, was an avid fisherman and an avid Atlanta Braves fan. Bill was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Donald...
Mark Lombardo, 62, of Babson Park passed away Friday, March 27, 2020 at his residence. He was born June 4, 1957 in Flushing, NY, to Angelo and Marilyn Lombardo. He was a retired mechanic for Sky Motor Sports. Mark was preceded in death by his father, Angelo Lombardo. He is survived by his mother, Marilyn Lombardo; niece, Michelle Pena and husband Al of Coral Springs, Florida and great nephew, Allen Pena. No services are scheduled at this time. Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Lake Wales is handling arrangemen...
Timothy W. "Timmy" McCullough, 60, of Babson Park passed away Tuesday, March 31, 2020 at his residence. He was born September 27, 1959 in Charleston, SC, to the late Lawrence and Joyce Wheeling. Mr. McCullough was a self-employed citrus tree budder. He was an avid hunter and fisherman, and was of the Pentecostal faith. He was preceded in death by his sister, Tawny McCullough. Survivors include his wife of 37 years, Brenda McCullough; sisters, Lisa McCullough of Texas, and...
Friends say when 22-year-old Kaitlyn Kinard smiled the atmosphere grew happier and more positive. "She had such a contagious type of personality - whenever she walked into a room you could feel an energy change - just the positivity she brought," explained Elise Coon, Kinard's longtime friend and co-captain of the color guard at Frostproof Middle-Senior High, where the two graduated in 2016. Coon is now mourning the loss of her friend, who died March 22 along with her dog...
Kaitlyn "KT" Marie Kinard, 22, of Babson Park passed away on Sunday, March 22, 2020 in Vero Beach, FL. She was born January 9, 1998, in Walterboro, SC to Stephen Todd Kinard and Ginny Marie Castle. She has been a resident of the area for 18 years, moving from South Carolina. KT was preceded in death by her father Stephen Todd Kinard, paternal grandparents, Jerry and Gale Kinard and her fur-baby, "JoJo", who passed with her. Survivors include her mother, Ginny; brother Stephen...
Quinton Lockley, 81 of Babson Park, Florida, died March 18 at AdventHealth Hospital in Lake Wales. He was born Dec. 24, 1938. Services are incomplete. Epps Memorial Funeral Home in Lake Wales is handling arrangements....
James Henry “Jimmy” Bolden, Jr., 56, of Lake Wales passed away Friday, March 6, 2020 at his residence surrounded by his loving family. He was born Oct. 20, 1963 in Lake Wales to James Henry Bolden Sr. and Linda Gail (Willis). Jimmy was a firefighter and EMT for the City of Lake Wales for seven years before becoming a lineman for Florida Power and an engineer for Duke and Progress Energy. Jimmy was a member of the First Baptist Church of Lake Wales. He was a lifetime vol...
Meg Smith calls herself "the luckiest girl in the world." She says she's filled 10 bucket lists by being blessed to play her violin with the likes of famous musicians Yo-Yo Ma and Itzhak Perlman and for noted composer John Williams. For nearly a decade she's played in the orchestra on tour with opera singer Andrea Bocelli, whose voice is considered one of the finest in the world. Smith's newest endeavor is directing an adult stringed orchestra sponsored by the Lake Wales Arts...
Henry Loyal Seay, 70, of Babson Park passed away Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020 at Advent Health Davenport. He was born August 14, 1949 in Bartow to the late Chalmer L. and Dorothy May (Pylant) Seay. He has been a resident of the area for 25 years coming from Bartow. He was a Sergeant for the Polk County Sheriff Office and a member of the National Guard, VFW, Moose Lodge, National Rifle Association, and he enjoyed hunting and the outdoors He is preceded in death by his sister Ann Marie...
Jean Yvonne Bryan, 84, of Babson Park passed away peacefully Thursday, Jan.16, 2020 at her residence. She was born January 21, 1935 in Cedartown, GA to the late James A. and Nellie (Collins) Shaw. She has been a resident of the area since 1978 coming from Ft. Lauderdale. She was a homemaker and a member of the First Baptist Church in Lake Wales where she served as a greater. She was the past president of the Babson Park Woman's Club, and an artist that loved to paint. She is...
The annual Crooked Lake Heritage Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1 to celebrate the rich history of Babson Park. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. lakeside on the campus of Webber International University at 1201 N. Scenic Hwy. in Babson Park. The event will feature live music, family fun, food trucks, history displays and art activities. The performance schedule includes: Bok Academy steel drums, 10-10:30 a.m.; Babson Park Elementary Chorus, 10:45-11:15;...
Beryl G. Lamons, 95, of Frostproof passed with family by her side on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Beryl was preceded in death by her husband, Roy; infant daughter, Melanie Kay; two sons-in-law, Jimmy Scarborough and Charles Esposito. She was born Dec, 27, 1923, in Wellington, New Zealand to the late Edwin Bishop and Remua (Bradley) Edwards. During WWII Beryl met and married Roy Lorenda Lamons of the U.S. Navy in Auckland, New Zealand. Arriving in Frostproof in 1946, the family...
Lake Wales Police would like to hear from anyone who might have witnessed a fatal accident where a pedestrian was hit by a car shortly after 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 3 on U.S. 27 at Lakeside Drive. A 22-year-old Lake Wales woman, Regina Kelly, was attempting to cross U.S. 27 when she was hit by a car traveling south driven by Jill Smeal of Babson Park. Police said Kelly apparently walked into the path of Smeal's Buick. Kelly was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is encouraged...
Mary Louise Jones, 87, of Lake Wales passed away Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2019 at AdventHealth Lake Wales. She was born July 26, 1932 in Geneva, AL to the late Julius R. and Grace A. (Harris) Hodge. She has been a lifetime resident of the area. She was a homemaker and member of Grace Life Family Church. She is preceded in death by her husband Ira Albert Jones, daughter Carol Ann Stewart, son Cecil Lewis Jones, brother Ernest Hodge. She is survived by her daughter Barbara Jean...
The life of David McArthur Smith Sr. was celebrated Dec. 21 by a large crowd filled with his law enforcement brothers and sisters and many, many friends. Sheriff Grady Judd told of his close working relationship with Smith, affectionately called "Junebug." Various classmates, family members and fellow church members remembered the large man with a big heart who left a lasting imprint on the Lake Wales community. Smith died Dec. 9 after a lengthy illness, seven years after his...
Lake Wales Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Council Board Chairman Maryemma Bachelder celebrated a successful year at the annual holiday luncheon Dec. 6 as she prepared to turn the reins over to Andy Oguntola. Past board chairmen, formerly called presidents, lined up in date order for the annual tradition of passing the gavel. First in line this year was Edwin Friedlander, who was Chamber president 60 years ago in 1959. Oguntola has the distinction of...
The Lake Wales Charter Schools Foundation has kicked off it's 2019-20 giving campaign, committed to improving the educational opportunities for all students in the community, according to campaign chairman and Foundation chair James Tully. With the opening of Bok Academy North two years ago, the charter system now operates seven schools, serving a total of approximately 4,750 students. For the fiscal year that ended June 30, the system realized overall revenues of $39.5 millio...
Lieutenant David McArthur Smith aka " June Bug", 77 of Babson Park died Dec. 9 at Advent Health Hospital in Lake Wales. He was born April 14, 1942 in Lake Wales. He was a retired Polk County Deputy Sheriff and longtime president of the local NAACP chapter. Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 21. Location to be announced. Epps Memorial Funeral Home in Lake Wales is in charge of arrangements....
