Plant City Observer

Obituaries 10.29.20

Margie Lee Boyette Johnson

Margie Lee Boyette Johnson, 90, of Plant City, born on February 6, 1930, entered into eternal rest on October 20, 2020. 

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Woodrow ‘Woody’ Wilson Nail, Jr.

Woodrow “Woody” Wilson Nail, Jr., 80, of Plant City, born on January 16, 1940 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, entered into eternal rest on October 22, 2020. 

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

William ‘Bill’ Conant Dryden, Sr.

William “Bill” Conant Dryden, Sr., 74, of Plant City, born on August 27, 1946 in Wicomico, Maryland, entered into eternal rest on October 22, 2020. 

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

LaMoyne Eloise Sutton

LaMoyne Eloise Sutton of Seffner, formerly of Greenville, Illinois, passed away on October 23, 2020. 

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Antonio Carreras

Antonio Carreras, 86, of Valrico, born on May 10, 1934 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, entered into eternal rest on October 22, 2020. 

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Karen Marie Crosby

Karen Marie Crosby, 56, of Plant City, born on January 29, 1964 in Dallas, Texas, entered into eternal rest on October 21, 2020. 

Expressions of condolence at HopewellFuneral.com.

Alicia Aceves

Alicia Aceves, 70, of Mulberry, passed away on October 20, 2020. Funeral services were held October 26, 2020 at Haught Funeral Home, 708 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563. 

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.

Sherry L. Dailous

Sherry L. Dailous, 72, of Mulberry, passed away on October 26, 2020. Services will be held privately. 

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.

Emelia Maldonado

Emelia Maldonado, 91, of Lakeland, passed away on October 25, 2020. The family will receive friends Friday, October 30, 2020 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Haught Funeral Home, 708 W. Dr. MLK Jr. Blvd., Plant City, FL 33563. Funeral services will follow at 4:00 PM. 

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.haught.care.

Judith Ellen Shayder

Judith Ellen Shayder, 73, of Plant City, passed away on Tuesday, October 20, 2020. Judith was born on June 26, 1947. 

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be left at www.WellsMemorial.com for the Shayder family.

Jerry E. Yancey

Jerry E. Yancey, 77, of Plant City, passed away on Wednesday, October 21, 2020. Jerry was born on July 24, 1943. 

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be left at www.WellsMemorial.com for the Yancey family.

Melbourne Glass Sr.

Melbourne Glass Sr., 87, of Plant City, passed away on Sunday, October 25, 2020. Melbourne was born on August 11, 1933. 

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be left at www.WellsMemorial.com for the Glass family.

Courtesy of the Thomson family

Jonathan Paul ‘Jody’ Thomson

Jonathan Paul “Jody” Thomson, 53, of Plant City, passed away on October 17, 2020.

He was the son of Robert Thomson and Sandra Thomson Zellner, of Lakeland. He was preceded in death by his father; stepsister Mary Delaney and half-brother Robert J. Thomson.

He is survived by his wife; Samantha Anne Thomson; brother Scott Thomson; stepsisters Jude Story and Sue Teifke of Mexico, New York; stepsons Gregory Salisbury and Zachary Klein; stepdaughter Tempest Norris; son Jonathan Thomson and Kortnie of Mt. Gilead, Ohio; and two grandchildren.

Throughout his life, he touched so many lives and encouraged them to be better people, such as Nichole “Nixy” Van Riper, James “Bubba” Grimes, Lindsy Gonzalez and Nathan Artis.

He was a United States Navy veteran. He learned from an early age to use a hammer and make houses beautiful through construction and plumbing throughout most of his life. He was never seen without his boots and hat. He loved Tampa Bay Buccaneers football and greatly cherished his family.

A Celebration of Life was held October 25, 2020 at Samantha’s Social Hall and Banquet Room, 4753 State Road 574 W., Plant City FL 33566.

Courtesy of the Lopez family

Marilyn M. (Brandt) Lopez

Marilyn M. (Brandt) Lopez passed away suddenly on Tuesday, October 20 at the age of 69. She was born in Jacksonville, Florida on December 29, 1950 but has been a lifelong resident of Plant City since 1987. 

Marilyn graduated from Armstrong State College with a BA in Speech and Language Pathology. She went on to teach and touch many children’s lives for 25 years. 

She leaves behind a loving husband of 51 years, Don Lopez; daughter Lauren Lopez-Brigante; two grandkids, C.J. and Nicko Brigante; brother, Frank Brandt; sister, Rachel Ramsey; other nieces and nephews; not to also forget her precious fur babies, Roxy and Sadie.

Marilyn was blessed to be able to retire in 2004 and travel the world with Don. They loved going on cruises. In retirement, she was passionate about nature and volunteerism, donating many years to Meals on Wheels and managing multiple nature online sites. She could tell you the calls of birds and name any Florida flower. But her real passion was following her grandkids’ lives, whether it be attending school functions or yelling at the baseball games, Marilyn loved those boys with all of her heart! 

HAPPINESS: She was a glass half full kind of person. FRIENDLINESS: She did not meet a stranger. BEAUTY: Not only on the outside but more so on the inside. Those are the ways in which to describe the life of Marilyn Lopez.

Her Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, November 7 from 3:30-6 p.m. at Peterson Park Pavillion, 3700 Clevelend Heights Blvd., Lakeland, FL 33803. Drive straight past ballfields and veer left to the back. Her family is requesting that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to one of her favorite organizations: Best Friends Animal Society online at bestfriends.org in memory of Marilyn Lopez.

Courtesy photo

Melba Irene Barker Cox

Melba Irene Barker Cox was born in Arcadia on August 3, 1926. 

She was the first born of Inez Georgia Brown and Earl Barker. They soon moved to Crystal Springs near the extended Brown family, who was sharecropping strawberries and following the Seventh Day Adventist Faith.

Melba attended Plant City schools but actually graduated from Charleston High School as her parents were working in the Naval Ship Yard as part of the war effort.

Melba’s first job was at the Woolworths in downtown Plant City. She married Jack Cox and later began a career with GTE in Plant City and Lakeland that lasted 40-plus years. In retirement, she was the owner of B&S Florist in downtown Plant City. 

She was a longstanding member of Eastside Baptist Church and is survived by two daughters, Cheryl Ann Tibbits and Patti Susanne Sunday. She is preceded in death by her parents; two younger sisters, Jewel Fudge and Earlene Dapolito; and her husband, Jackie Doyce Cox. She is survived by one sister, Betty Gene Beck. 

Melba was incredibly active and vibrant into her 90s. She was a profound inspiration and cherished role model to her six grandchildren: Amber Henderson, Ashley Tibbits, LT Otto Sunday, Etienne Sunday, Armis Sunday and Zia Sunday. She also has left four and 3/4 great grandchildren and devoted nieces and nephews cloaked in her love. 

The family is in praise for her life and goodness while on earth. She went to our Lord Jesus on October 23rd, 2020: the wedding anniversary of her beloved parents.

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