Obituaries
Maria Esther Garcia
Maria Esther Garcia, 92, of Valrico, Fla., born in Vieques, Puerto Rico on Oct. 8, 1930, entered into eternal rest on Oct. 19, 2022.
Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.
Hiram ‘Jim’ Smith Jr.
Hiram “Jim” Smith Jr., 85, of Plant City, Fla., born on March 7, 1937 in Oak Grove, Miss., entered into eternal rest on Oct. 21, 2022.
Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.
Jean Miller, 65
Jean Miller, 65, of Lakeland, Florida, born on February 22,1957 in Dover, entered into eternal rest on October 22, 2022. Memorial contributions may be made to your local SPCA.
Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.
Johann Riede
Johann Riede, 89, of Sun City Center, Fla., formerly of Florence, Miss., born on Nov. 1, 1932 in Linz, Austria, entered into eternal rest on Oct. 23, 2022.
Expressions of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com.
John ‘Wayne’ Clark
John “Wayne” Clark, 79, of Brandon, Fla., born on Aug. 7, 1943 in Bonifay, Fla., entered into eternal rest on Oct. 19, 2022.
Expression of condolence at www.HopewellFuneral.com
Alfred ‘Gator’ Dunbar
Alfred “Gator” Dunbar, age 67, of Plant City, Fla., passed away on Oct. 18, 2022. Services will be held privately.
Online condolences may be left for the family at haught.care.
Ernestine Elizabeth Duckworth
Ernestine Elizabeth Duckworth, 80, of Plant City, Fla., passed away on Oct. 19, 2022. The family will receive friends Nov. 1, 2022 from 10 to 11 a.m. at Haught Funeral Home Chapel, 708 W. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563. Funeral services will follow at 11 a.m.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.
Maria Morales
Maria Morales, 82, of Lakeland, Fla., passed away on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.WellsMemorial.com for the Morales family.
Betty Jo Williams
Betty Jo Williams, 83, of Lakeland, Fla. passed away on Monday, Oct. 17, 2022.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.WellsMemorial.com for the Williams family.
Charles Bernard Layton
Charles Bernard Layton passed into Heaven on Sept. 30, 2022 at home in Phoenix, Oregon.
He was born in Plant City, Florida June 12, 1935 to William & Josephine Layton, youngest of eight children. Determined to get an education, he graduated from Plant City High School in 1953. He joined the Coast Guard, then via the G.I. Bill attended Florida State University and graduated, majoring in mathematics. Afterwards he moved to California and by 1964 was teaching in Cambria.
By 1967 he was in Arroyo Grande, CA, teaching and coaching. In 1969 he met the woman he would be married to for 50 years, Joan Arlene Richter. In 1970 they would marry, moving to Brookings, OR where he taught physics and coached wrestling one year, then started very successful insurance and real estate careers, continued while living in Sunriver, OR, and various locales until moving to Lake Shastina, CA.
With Joni, Charles took on three children from her previous marriage; Denise, Randy and Scott, also having a son together, Charles Bernard “Chip” Layton, Jr. in 1972.
He enjoyed the outdoors with the family, fishing, camping. He coached the boys’ junior basketball teams as well.
Joni passed in 2020, which was very difficult, but with the help of his son Chip went back to Plant City and saw family and friends; fishing and outdoor trips. Made him very happy after a long hiatus from those things.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother, and by siblings Curtis, James, Gladys, Willie Clyde, Lloyde, and Cecil. Preceding him also was daughter Denise in 2000. She had three children, Molly, Shandy and Shane. He is survived by his sister Ida Bledsoe, and his three sons.
Randy has three sons- Matthias, Christian, and Kyle. Scott has four children, Alex, Ashley, Bradley and Sam. Chip’s two sons are Parker and Hayden. He enjoyed all of these grandchildren and several great-grandkids also.
Charles (Chuck) Layton is missed by all of us, but we are grateful he is now in with the Lord, and united again with his beloved Joni.
