BALL - Mr. Russell Lamar Ball, 63, of, St. Cloud passed away Sunday, January 29, 2012.
Arrangements under the direction of Osceola Memory Gardens, St. Cloud.

BENTON - JD Benton, 93 of Whiteville, North Carolina and former resident and businessman of Kissimmee passed away Monday, January 30, 2012. Born in Sugar Berry, N.C. he was the son of the late Isaac Monroe and Mary Olympus Sellers Benton. The youngest of 13 children, his parents gave him only initials as a name, joking that they had run out of names by the time he came along. He attended the Sugar Berry School off of Bosewell Road south of Whiteville near what is today Sellerstown, NC. Although he never graduated from high school he was home schooled and  self-taught. At the age of 12 he had a bicycle accident and broke his hip. After over 15 operations, it was finally fused together at a 45 degree angle. He was one of the first people to have this surgery performed. And while he walked with a limp for over 75 years he never let it slow him down.
In 1939 his brother, Lee Benton sent him to watchmaking and jeweler’s school in Spencer, N.C. JD was told he was too young and inexperienced to go into business for himself but he did anyway and was very successful at it. He opened his first store in downtown Whiteville, selling it after a few years and moving to Florida. He settled in Kissimmee, FL, because when he was driving through the downtown area they were having their “Good Ole Fashioned Bargain Days” and he liked the feel  of the then small town. This was long before Walt Disney thought about creating Disney World however, he was President of the Kissimmee/Osceola Chamber of Commerce when Disney announced plans to build the park. Other community activities included being a Life Member of the Kissimmee Lions Club, Charter Member of the B.P.O. Elks Lodge #1873, Kissimmee JC’s, United Way and the Florida Jewelers Association.
JD opened Benton’s Jewelry in 1948 which he owned until he retired in 1995. After retiring, he and his wife Gladys moved back to Whiteville so he could be closer to his sisters, Maybell Powell and Ruth McKey Bass. He loved spending time with his family and friends. Travel was also one of his great loves, so every summer he would pack up the RV and take his wife and granddaughters all over the continent. They went to places like Booth Bay, Maine, the Dakotas, Colorado, Vancouver and Prince Edward Island. One year he even took them to Hawaii.
JD is survived by his wife Gladys Haen Benton; son, J. DeVon (Mary) Benton of Kissimmee; granddaughters, Beth (Donald) Pechin of Clermont, FL and Christi Matt) Ash of Lakeland, FL; great-grandchildren, Ella Bailey Pechin, Donald William Pechin and Mason Taylor Ash and sister Ruth McKey Bass of Whiteville, N.C. JD was a very loving and compassionate man who will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Funeral Services for JD will be held Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 2:00 P.M. at the First United Methodist Church in Kissimmee with the Reverend Dr. Bob Wooten, pastor, officiating. Entombment will follow at the Christus Mausoleum in Osceola Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends at Conrad & Thompson Funeral Home Monday, February 6th from 5:30 PM until 7:30 PM. Those who wish may donate in his memory to the American Cancer Society.
The Benton Family is being cared for by  CONRAD & THOMPSON FUNERAL HOME, 511 Emmett Street in Kissimmee, FL 34741; PH: 407/847-3188.
www.conradandthompson.com

BURK – Mr. Samuel James Burke, 71, of St. Cloud, Florida  passed away Friday, January 27, 2012 at St. Cloud Regional Medical Center after a long battle with heart disease.  Samuel was born in Nankin Township, Michigan on April 12, 1940, the son of the late Duncan John and Edna Jane (Mauk) Burke. Samuel and his family relocated to St. Cloud  in 1976 where he resided until his death.
He served in the U.S. Air Force as a Staff Sgt during the Vietnam War as an bomber mechanic until April of 1966.  After his service he became a police officer with the Westland Police Department in Westland, Michigan until 1976. After relocating to St. Cloud he spent 22 years with the Kissimmee Police Department retiring as a  911 Communication Supervisor.
He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Verna M. (Moore) Burke; daughter, Tina D. Willoughby and husband  Irvin L. of St. Cloud,  two sons, Dennis J. Burke of St. Cloud, and Jimmy A. Burke and wife Dyana of Orlando, FL;  9 grandchildren: and 3 great-grandchildren; a sister, Dorothy J. Krachenfels of Westland, MI.; and  brother, Donald E. Burke of Cape Coral, FL; Samuel is preceded in death by parents, Duncan and Edna; 2 brothers, Jack and Bob; and a granddaughter, Christina.
An informal  Memorial Service to celebrate his life will be held at his daughter's residence in St. Cloud on Saturday, February 4th from 2-4 PM.
Funeral arrangements under the direction of Fisk Funeral Home, 1107 Massachusetts Avenue, St. Cloud, FL 34769 (407) 892-2155  www.fiskfh.com

CHOY - Samuel W. Choy, 92, of Kissimmee, passed away Wednesday, January 25, 2012.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Osceola Memory Gardens Funeral Homes, Cemetery and Crematory; Kissimmee.

CRUZ - Daniel Cruz, 87, of Kissimmee, passed away Saturday, January 28, 2012.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Osceola Memory Gardens Funeral Homes, Cemetery and Crematory; Kissimmee.

GARCIA - Sheyla Marie Valentin Garcia, age 24, of Orlando, Florida.  Passed away on Thursday, February 1, 2012.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Funeraria Porta Coeli, 2801 E. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee.
407-846-2804
www.PortaCoeliFH.com

HOUCHINS - Mrs. June A. Houchins, 84, of St. Cloud, Florida passed away Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at St. Cloud Regional Medical Center.
June was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma on July 29, 1927, the daughter of the late Robert and Vivian (Barthloma) Woosley. June is survived by a son, Dewayne E. Hardy and wife Dawn of  St. Cloud; daughter, Kristina Marsh; Step-son Roy Houchins and his wife, Rheann; several grandchildren and great-grandchildren; two sisters, Katherine "Kat" of Wichita, KS. and Karen Battles also of Wichita; two brothers, J.W. Woosley and wife Irma of Brunswick, GA. and  R. Wayne Woolsey also of Brunswick.  June is preceded in death by husband, Oscar Houchins; sons, J.D. Hardy, and Thomas L. Hardy and his wife Shirley of St. Cloud.
June and her husband, Oscar, were longtime business owners (auto dealerships) in Osceola County.  They will be greatly missed by family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her memory to the Alzheimer's Association at 1.800.272.3900 or www.alz.org.
Arrangements entrusted to Osceola Memory Gardens Funeral Home, 2000 13th Street, St. Cloud, FL 407-957-2511.
www.osceolamemgds.com

PEREZ - Mario Hernández Pérez, age 85, of Orlando, Florida.  Passed away on Thursday, January 26, 2012.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Funeraria Porta Coeli, 2801 E. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee.
407-846-2804

SANCHEZ - John Raymond Sanchez, 30, of Kissimmee, passed away Saturday, January 21, 2012.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Osceola Memory Gardens Funeral Homes, Cemetery and Crematory; Kissimmee.

SANTOS - Jose A. Santos, age 78, of Orlando, Florida.  Passed away on Tuesday, January 24, 2012.
Arrangements entrusted to the care of Funeraria Porta Coeli, 2801 E. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee.
407-846-2804
www.PortaCoeliFH.com