Alice Davis Mackenzie

 

Alice Davis Mackenzie, 95, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend and long-time Winter Park resident died at home April 15, 2024.

Born in 1929 and raised in Katonah, New York, Alice graduated Bedford Hills High School at 16 and attended Russell Sage College and the Maryland College for Women earning a B.A. in 1949.

After raising her six children, she pursued her love of running, completing four marathons, including the infamous New York City Marathon in 1988 at age 59, and the inaugural Walt Disney World Marathon in 1994. A familiar participant in Central Florida road races, she celebrated her 90th birthday at the Winter Park Road Race and enjoyed a huge crowd rendition of happy birthday.

Running, hiking, and traveling were Alice’s passions and she participated in many Road Scholar programs. In 1992, she met Jack Burns and together they navigated much of the Appalachian Trail. With family and friends, Alice traveled to Germany, Spain, Israel, and had extended stays in England and Italy.

Alice loved her garden.  We will always think of her when we “deadhead” our plants. Her yard was truly a paradise of native plants.  She also served as a regular volunteer in the Winter Park Library’s New Leaf Book Store for 15+ years.

Survived by Margaret “Marti” Mackenzie (George) of New York, NY; John Mackenzie (Sandi) of North Salem, NY; James Mackenzie of Sterling, VA; Betsy Hughes (Jon) of Orlando, FL; Kit Mackenzie of Dubuque, IA and Mary Hooper (Duane) of Atlanta, GA as well as 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. 

Alice was a devoted member of St. Richard’s Episcopal Church in Winter Park where a Funeral Service will be held Friday, May 10th at 4 pm with a Remembrance Reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to one of Alice’s favorite non-profits.

Track Shack Youth Foundation

Track Shack Youth Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization that supports health and fitness programs for our youth. Track Shack - TrackShack Foundation

Saint Richard’s Episcopal Church, Winter Park, Florida

We are a church on a mission to discover God’s Grace, change ourselves, and change the world. https://www.strichards.org/give-online

Mead Botanical Garden,

Mead Botanical Garden Inc. is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to connecting people with nature. Make a Memorial or Tribute Gift – Mead Botanical Garden

Teresita Telleria-Herrero

Teresita (Tere) Telleria-Herrero passed away peacefully on Friday, March 22, 2024.  Tere was born on September 27, 1951, in San Antonio de los Banos La Habana, Cuba to Jorge and Haydee Herrero.    Tere didn’t live an extraordinary life, but she did manage many obstacles that would have broken a lesser person.  She fled Cuba to Spain to be freed from communism, emigrated to the United States to New Jersey and made her way with her young family to Florida.  She was funny, sharp, and witty; loved art, music, obsessed with crime dramas, and would talk off your ear, if you let her.  She is survived by her former husband and close friend Jorge, parents Jorge and Haydee, her siblings, Esther, Norma and Jorge, her children Raul, Teresita and Natalie, and her grandchildren, Nathan, Sadie, and Violet.  While she will be desperately missed, we find solace in knowing that she’s now in heaven with her granddaughter Gianni.  Services will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2024, at 11AM-1PM at Dobbs Funeral Home at 430 North Kirkman Road, Orlando Florida 32811

Rupert Byfield

Rupert Ricardo Byfield, lovingly referred to as Ronnie, was born on March 12, 1945, in Kingston, Jamaica, and departed this life on March 11, 2024. He was the adored son of the late Issac Byfield and Rachel Baker. His wife, Cecile Byfield, and his two children, Jennifer Williams, married to Willie Williams, and Richard Byfield, married to Wynel Byfield, survive him.

Ronnie’s memory is kept alive through his three grandchildren: Latoya, Lakeisha, and LeSean Williams, and his four great-grandchildren: Brandon, Carter, Areya, and Dawson Yates. His brother, Rudolph Byfield, sister in laws Jennifer and Jacqueline Carroll, brother in laws Paul and Michael Carroll and niece Tamara Plummer also survive him.

Before retiring, Rupert worked as an accountant at the Long Island Rail Road in New York City. Ronnie was an enthusiastic cricketer and was actively involved in the Kingston Cricket Club in Jamaica and the Staten Island Cricket Club in the United States after he migrated. Ronnie was known for his service to others, especially his efforts to assist the homeless in New York City through the Brotherhood of St. Andrew.

His devotion to God was apparent in his service to his fellow church members at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in New York and the Church of the Ascension in Orlando after relocating to Florida.

In his spare time, Ronnie enjoyed playing dominoes with friends, traveling around the world, and baking—a hobby he nurtured from a young age. His renowned Easter bun, which he shared with family and friends around the world, will be greatly missed during Easter celebrations.

Eugene Hafich

Eugene Joseph Hafich passed away very peacefully at his home on March 2, 2024 after loosing his brave 4year battle with cancer.

He received outstanding care from Lake Nona VA hospital physicians and Advent Hospice Home Care.

Gene was born in Dunmore,Pa., graduated Dunmore High School in 1964.

He was a Vietnam Veteran serving in the Ft. Riley,Ks. 9th Army Infantry Artillery division  from 1966-1968.

Gene has lived in Orlando since 1976 working in screen printing and inks making lifelong friends of coworkers and clients.

He enjoyed his passion of gardening while volunteering as a Master Gardener with the UF extension agency and Head Start programs in Orange County schools.

Along with numerous friends Gene will be deeply missed by his life partner, Victoria Black, his daughter Amanda Bond(Kent), 2 grandsons Keegan and Connor Bond and 3 sisters Kathryn Ogden ,Martha Hafich,Ann Carenzo and 4 nephews. Thomas Ogden, Michael Carenzo,Peter Carenzo and Christopher Carenzo.

  

Florencia Rincon

 

Florencia Noemi Rincon (Noni) moved from life on earth to eternal life in heaven on March 13, 2024 at age 87.

Noni was born is Santa Ana Misiones, Argentina. She moved to Boston, Mass USA in 1965 where she meet her husband Jose Manuel Rincon. In 1976 she moved to Bogota Colombia with her husband and daughter. In 1990 she moved to Orlando, FL where she lived until the end with her husband and son.

Noni  enjoyed homemaking, cooking, sewing, her plants, she loved her Merriday and adored her grandkids. She was a big futbol fan, there was no team better than Argentina. No better player than Maradona and later Messi. She was the happiest woman when Argentina again,  won the World Cup in 2023. 

Noni was loving, fun, thoughtful, welcoming and supportive. 

 Noni is survived by her husband of 53 years, Jose Manuel (Manolo) Rincon; daughter Diana Wagner-Rincon: son Manuel Jose Rincon; grandchildren Megan K. Wagner (Languell); Veronica M. Rincon; Eli M. Wagner; Bailey M. Wagner; Andres Rincon and Leonardo Rincon.

A celebration of life will be held on Tueaday March 19, 2024 at the family home after the burial. Viewing is at Dobbs Funeral Home 430 N Kirkman Rd Orlando on March 18, 2024 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Mass at St James Cathedral Catholic Church downdown Orlando at 2:00 pm. Burial at Greenwood Cementary following mass.

The family graciously requests that in lieu of flowers since they are not allow do to lent, donations to offset last minute expenses can be place in envelops provided at the funeral home or  

https://gofund.me/c06b5d50

Natividad Westcomb

 Westcomb, Natividad 01/01/1952 - 02/29/2024 Orlando, FL Natividad (Vida) Westcomb, age 72, of Kissimmee, Florida passed away Thursday, February 29th, 2024 at the Halifax Health Hospice facility of Ormond Beach, FL. She was born in Manila, Philippines the daughter of the late Capitulina Sano Ginete and Pedro Andoy Ginete. 

Natividad met her husband in San Diego, CA, moved to Muskegon Michigan and resided in Michigan for over 30 years before settling in Florida. She retired from computer room operations at Alcoa Howmet Corporation. She was an avid volunteer at VA Medical Center of Orlando and Advent Health Kissimmee. She was a member of First Baptist Orlando Church, the First Orlando choir, Heartsong, Todo Divas, and an honorary member of PNACF. She loved to travel with her sister and family, sing and dance, and was a light to all who knew her. 

Natividad is preceded in death by her parents, brother Rolando Ginete, husband Stephen Westcomb, and son Jared Ryan Westcomb (1986) and leaves to cherish her memory, daughter Heidi Lanae Warnez (Daniel) of Orlando; son Matthew Stephen Westcomb (Christy) of Arvada, CO; twin sister Susie Uyeji (George) of San Diego, CA; two brothers, Junior Ginete of San Diego, CA and Reynaldo Ginete (Delia) of Virginia Beach, VA; one loving sister-in-law Amelia Ginete of Daly City, CA; grandchildren - Kennedy, Sarah and Finley Warnez of Orlando, Grayson, Ava and Olivia Westcomb of Arvada. 

The family will have a viewing at 12:30 PM with a funeral service to follow at 1:30 PM on Friday, March 22nd, at First Baptist Church of Orlando with Dr. David Uth, Pastor officiating. A small reception will be provided afterward. 

 

 

Rinaldo Fabrizio

 

Rinaldo “Ron” Fabrizio, a devout Catholic and loving family man with a gift for making others laugh, departed this life on Monday, March 4, at age 90.

Ron was born in Manhattan, New York, and grew up a huge fan of the New York Yankees and playing stick ball in the streets with his three brothers and other Italian boys. Asked one time who was the best at stick ball among the brothers, Ron said, “If I have to be honest, it was me.”

Ron was drafted by the Army and served for a time in Germany as a medical tech. He was discharged in 1957 and moved to Florida, reuniting with his brothers and living with them for a time. The brothers had fine singing voices, and a couple of them played instruments, so they enjoyed making music together.

Around the time of his Army discharge, Ron would occasionally show up to his older sister Sally’s hair appointment. The young hairdresser was named Carol, and she would become Ron’s wife of 61 years. They would raise six children and celebrate the arrival of eight grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

Ron and Carol settled in Pinellas Park and became mainstays at the Davis Fields ballfields, where all four of their boys were standout athletes. Ron was especially adept at teaching the kids baseball, and he would often hit his sons and their cousins fly balls in the Skyview Elementary School field behind their house.

The family were longtime parishioners at Sacred Heart Church in Pinellas Park and, later, at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Clearwater. After Carol’s passing in 2020, Ron remained very devout in his faith. He moved in with his son, Paul, and daughter-in-law, Lourdes (Lulu), and attended Incarnation Catholic Church in Orlando.

Ron was a jokester and a prankster – so much so that people he worked with long ago at the General Electric plant in Largo still talk about his antics today. He was famous for his unexpected animal impressions and his relentless teasing of anyone who was a little tight with the dollar bill. He was also known for his love of Notre Dame football and the great Italian quarterbacks in the NFL, although he tired of the politics in big-time sports and finally turned to the Golf Channel.

He always counted his blessings, but Ron experienced profound sadness in his later years, losing Carol and three of their six children. Ron’s three brothers and a sister also went before him, and they had all been especially close. He remained close with his remaining children, his grandchildren, and a niece, Amber Tidwell who visited frequently.

Two days before he died, great-granddaughter Gianna came to visit and he erupted with joy. Together with daughter Debra, Grandchild Kara, and sister Madeline, they laughed and sang and told stories until he fell asleep.

Ron is survived by sons Paul (Lourdes-Lulu) and Steven (Gina); daughter Debra; grandchildren Gregory Jr., Timothy, Johnathon, Megan, Kara, Katelynn, Jon Paul, Nina, and 4 great grandchildren; His sisters Madeline (Ed) Leberator and Faye Scaglione are also still living.

He is in preceded in death by his wife, Carol, sons Gregory, Chris, and daughter Therese (Mike) Rickards, as well as brothers Vincent, Louis, Anthony (known as Tex) and sister Sally.

A requiem Mass service will take place on March 14, 2024, at 7 a.m. at Incarnation Catholic Church, 1515 Edgewater Drive, Orlando, FL 32804. Following the funeral mass, a small service will take place at 12 noon at the Chapel at Calvary Cemetery , 5233 118^th Ave. N., Clearwater, FL 33760. For those attending the mass, please allow an extra 40 minutes due to very heavy traffic on I-4. Because the church was destroyed by a fire in 2023, the social hall has been converted to worship space. It’s the two-story building on the right side of the church. Please enter through the doors located at the center of the building from the sidewalk on Edgewater Drive.

In lieu of flowers, a donation for the re-building of the church would be appreciated. Envelopes will be available at the mass.  

Jerry Arthur Lake

 

Jerry Arthur Lake, 90, of Windermere, FL, died March 6, 2024

Jerry was born in Jacksonville, FL in 1933 to William Perry Lake, Jr. and Violet Larner Lake. He attended Landon HS and Jacksonville University before graduating from the University of Florida in 1955 with a bachelor degree and later a master’s in mechanical engineering. 

His first job was at the Bendix Corporation in Baltimore MD, where he worked on a top-secret project with the U.S. Navy on the world's first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus (SSN-571).

He met Patricia Ann Davis in Jacksonville on a blind date and they married a year later in 1956.

In 1958, he accepted a new job and moved to Orlando to work at what is now Lockheed Martin. He worked his entire career on the guidance system of the US Army’s Pershing ballistic missile. His career was cut short in 1985, when he was hit head-on in a car accident.

In 1959, Jerry and Pat moved to the Town of Windermere on Lake Down. He helped start the original Windermere Little League in 1971. His lifetime hobbies included boating, salt-water fishing, real estate investing, genealogy, troubleshooting any problem, and his favorite - working on engines of any kind.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings: William Perry Lake III, Arlene Garrett, Herbert Lake, Thomas Lake, and Robert Lake. He is survived by his loving wife: Patricia Davis Lake, sons: Don (Debi) and Jay: grandchildren Danielle (Brett) Evans, Bethany Stiles, Julie, Davis, and Violet and great grandson Bode Evans.

Services will be held Wednesday, March 13 at Dobbs Funeral Home 30 N Kirkman Rd, Orlando, FL 32811 - Visitation 10:00 am / Service 11:00 am. Burial will follow at the Winter Garden Cemetery.

Neal Blancato

Neal Blancato, 73, of Englishtown, NJ passed away Friday, February 23rd, at Saint Joseph Hospital, Wayne, NJ. 

Neal was born in Manhattan, NY on March 21, 1950,.

He served in the U.S. Army National Guard during the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged.

A graveside service with military honors was held for Neal on Friday March 1, 2024 at Woodlawn Memorail Park in Orlando, FL.