Minister's of Polk County
  Obituaries
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Rev. Emmett Guy MATHEWS - 1928 - 2011
--------------------------
 Rev. Emmett Guy Mathews of Lake Wales passed away Sunday, April 24, 2011 at his residence. He was born November 15, 1928 in Opp, AL to the late Lona H. & Carrie Lee (Mooneyham) Mathews; and came to Lake Wales from Bartow in 1964. He was a retired Baptist minister, and his pastorates include Central Avenue Baptist Church of Lake Wales, Southside Baptist Church of Frostproof and Lake Garfield Baptist Church.
 Rev. Mathews was preceded in death by his first wife, Clara Mathews.
 Survivors include his wife of 11 years, Vera Mathews; son, Randall Mathews of Silver Spring, MD; step-son, Charles Cunningham of Lake Wales and Steve Cunningham of Vero Beach;step-daughter, Lisa Cunningham of Lake Wales; brother, Elmer Mathews of Rome, GA; 2 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild
 Visitation was held. Wednesday, April 27, 2011,and the funeral service was held  Thursday, April 28, 2011 at the Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Lake Wales with Rev. Darrol Hood and Rev. Charles Cooper officiating. Interment will follow at the Wildwood Cemetery in Bartow
Rev. Curtis A. ARNOLD, Sr.  -  1914 - 2011
--------------------------------
  Rev. Curtis A. Arnold, Sr. of Frostproof passed away Saturday, March 26, 2011 at the Winter Haven Hospital. He was born July 28, 1924 in Shorter, AL to the late Evetus Ethel & Julia Willard (Kirkland) Arnold;  He came to Frostproof as a child in 1936 from Montgomery, AL, spent his youth here until moving away for college and the beginning of his pastoral career. His pastorates include Church of God in Brownville, VA, Zanesville, OH, Sebring, FL, Louisville, OH and retired from the Frostproof Church of God. He enjoyed hunting and fishing.
  Survivors include his wife, Alvena Arnold; daughters, Raggi Hollinshead of Temecula, CA and Lujean Plair of Lakeland; sons, Curtis A. Arnold, Jr. of Alabama and Danny Blackwelder of Avon Park; 14 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
  A memorial service will be held 2:00pm, Thursday, March 31, 2011 at the Christian Fellowship Assembly in Frostproof with Pastor Thelma Gandy and Dr. Jim Adams officiating.
Rev. Samuel J. WHITENER   -  1971
---------------------------
Rev. Samuel died Sunday at Naples Community Hospital.  A native of North Carolina, Rev. Whitener had been a minister in the Church of God for 42 years. He founded a church in Bowling Green and pastored churches in Naples, Avon Park, LaCoochee, MacClenny, Newberry, Palmetto, Bartow, and Highlands City, all in Florida.
 Survivors include :3 sons, Wilford W. Whitener of Palmdale, George A. Whitener of Naples, and Samuel E. Whitener of Atlanta.;
4 daughters, Mrs. Lotchie Hatcher of Riverside, Calif., Mrs. Marie Braswell of Tampa, Mrs. Walter Lauster of Naples and Mrs. Frieda Courson of Atlanta, 14 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren, and 19 brothers and sisters.
 Funeral services were held Tuesday in the Bartow Church of God with the Rev. D. A. Biggs, the Rev. Walter Montz and the Rev. Walter Lauster  officiating.
 Burial will be in the Bartow's Wildwood Cemetery. The family suggests that contributions be made to the Whitener Memorial Mission Fund in care of the Church of God. Friends may call today from 7 to 9 pm at Pittman's Naples Chapel.
Permission for use by: Mary - Naples Daily News - Sept.20, 1971 -
Rev. Larry Raymond KILGORE - 1947 - 2012
 Lakeland- The Rev. Larry Raymond Kilgore age 64, of Lakeland, died February 11, 2012. He was born in Lakeland on June 25, 1947. Larry was a Church of God Minister, serving for 42 years. He was a member of the Abundant Life Church of God. He graduated from Haines City High School in 1965, and Florida State University in 1969. He got his Masters from Southeastern University in 2010 and his Doctorate from Crossland Christian University in 2011.
 Rev. Kilgore is preceded in death by his father, Clifford Raymond Kilgore.
 He is survived by his mother, Betty Marie Kilgore, Lakeland; wife of 45 years, Lynn Kilgore,; sons, Larry Raymond and his wife Stacy Kilgore, Jr., Darren Scott and wife Niki Kilgore; dauhters, Christi Lynn and husband Tod Cole, Marcy Marie and husband Don Le; sister Marilyn Marie and husband Glen Tarvin; 11 grandchildren.
 Visitationo on Tuesday Feb 14, Funeral on Wednesday, Feb.15, 2012 at Abundant Life Church of God. Interment in Mt. Tabor Cemetery.
( The Ledger, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012 )
 Rev. J. P. FLOYD, Jr. - age 44 died Tuesday, June 20, 1978, after a three month illness. Rev. Floyd had only lived in Bartow  for 3 years, he was well known about the city for his community work and unorthodox manner in dealing with people and his beliefs.
 A unique man who was both liberal and conservative at the same time. Local residents and close friend, David Haoolck said Rev. Floyd was a man who could see God's work in a movie, a poem as some small child might do.
 Hallock, president of the local Rotary Club, said, when a person ment Rev. Floyd, they would come away with the feeling that the guy really cared about me. He was a very loving and caring man.
 Roy H. Gallomore, a member of the local governing body of the First United Methodist Church, said Rev. Floyd will be greatly missed by the community.
 The pastor of the First Uniter Methodist Church in Bartow, Rev. Floyd was actively involved in the Bartow Performing Arts Council. He produced one play and acted in several others.
 Anative of Atlanta, he was on the staff of the Lakeland Methodist Conference Organization for 6 years and served as secretary of the Rotary Club.
 Survivors include his wife Beverly B. Floyd, Bartow; son, Paul Garrett Floyd, daughter, Alison Floyd and father, J. P. Floyd, Sr., Tampa.
Funeral services were held Friday at First United Methodist Church in Bartow. Rev. Floyd was cremated. Rev. Dr. Melton Ware officated. ( The Ledger, Thursday, June 22, 1978 ) 
REV. BUFORD "BUDDY" LEE PAUL, 87
 LAKELAND - Rev. Buford "Buddy" Lee Paul, of Lakeland, FL passed away on Monday, March 19, 2012 due to complication of an injury from a fall. Mr. Paul was born September 12, 1924 in Ashford, Alabama and came to Lakeland from Plant City in 1957. He was a Minister in the Assemblies of God and a Carpenter in the construction field. Bro. Paul was ordained in the Assemblies of God over 50 years, retired from Carpenters Local and the Polk County School Board, and a member of Fellowship Church Assembly of God.
 Rev. Paul is survived by his wife, Dorothy E. Paul, Lakeland, FL; sons, Ronnie Lee Paul (Brenda) and Steve Michael Paul (Kathy), Plant City, FL; daughters, Rhonda Carol Applewhite (Rev. Danny) and Sheryl Lynn Turcotte (Rev. Keith), Lakeland, FL; brothers, Gene Paul, Plant City, FL, and Earl Paul, Zephyrhills, FL; 10 grandchildren & 18 great-grandchildren.
 Visitation will be held on Friday, 3/23/12, at Fellowship Church Assembly of God. Funeral services will take place on Saturday, 3/24/12. at Fellowship Church Assembly of God. Interment will be in Mt. Tabor Cemetery.
( Polk Co.,Fl. -The Ledger, March 22, 2012 )

Stacy Smith, 73, Smith Builders
LAKELAND --

 The Rev. Stacy C. Smith began talking to people about the Lord while he was working as a general contractor through his business, Smith Builders, in Lakeland. The retired contractor, pastor and evangelist died of heart failure Wednesday (July 11, 2001) at home. He was 73. "He had a great zest for life. He liked doing things, never staying still and having fun," said his daughter, Gloria Smith Perez of Valencia, Calif. "He had one of those minds that he could just retain everything."  A native of Lakeland, he was born April 14, 1928, and lived in Polk County his entire life. He met his wife, Alta, when she was visiting his cousin. They were married 53 years. "We both played guitars and sang on the radio station a little bit right after we were married," said Alta Smith. "We had a good life together." He operated Smith Builders in the 1960s, building custom homes and other structures, including the Polk City Fire Station and the New Home Baptist Church parsonage. "He could do plumbing, wiring, drawing up his own blueprints -- he could do everything. He was my angel," Alta Smith said. She said he was called to work full time for the Lord while on his way home from meeting with a family he was doing work for. He served as pastor of the Bartow Pentecostal Church of God for five years and the Miracle Hour House of Prayer for six years. "When he started pastoring churches, if they couldn't afford a pastor, he would do it for free," Alta Smith said. The Smiths traveled in their motor home to Pennsylvania, Illinois, Alabama, California and other states, where Rev. Smith was an evangelist for several years until his health would no longer permit him to do this. "He wanted to be healed and get out and preach. He still prayed with people on the phone," Alta Smith said. Perez added that her father had just prayed with someone over the phone two days before his death.
 In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by his sons, Carl Christopher Smith, Belton, S.C., Jared Stacy Smith, Valencia; sister, Evelyn Rogers, Lakeland; 10 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren.
 Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Lakeland Funeral Home. Services will be at 3 p.m. Monday at the funeral home chapel.






return to Church Index

return to Polk County Home

page by: Peggy