The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 19

FLOMQfi The Tampa Tribune, Saturday, January 28, 1995 FloridaMetro-7 Loner mentality aids escapee SIMPSON, Vernon 71, of Spring Hill died Thursday. Pine-crest Funeral Chapel, Brooksville. Highlands Fernandez fights that image, recalling him praying and reading the Bible. "He was polite and mild-mannered," she recalled. "Not the way police have portrayed him to be." To the FDLE's Royal, the crimes are the telling part of Fleitas' REESE, John 70, of Enfield, seasonal resident of Arcadia, died Friday.

Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home, Avon Park. TERRY, Duane 90, of Avon Park died Thursday. Stephenson-Nelson Funeral Home, Avon Park. ELRING, Mary 81, of St. Petersburg died Wednesday.

Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes, Ninth Street Chapel, St. Petersburg. FREEZE, Walter Howard, 93, of Monroe, N.C., formerly of Clearwater, died Thursday. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes, Belcher Road Chapel. GOOD, Carl W.

of Pinellas Park died Thursday. Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes, Ninth Street Chapel, St. Petersburg. GOLDSTEIN, Gerda, 87, of St. Petersburg died Thursday.

David C. Gross Funeral Homes, Beth David Chapel, St. Petersburg. HOFFMAN, Frances of Seminole died Thursday. Raymond M.

Hook Son Funeral Home, Seminole. LOGUE, Charles 69, of St. Petersburg died Tuesday. Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes, Ninth Street Chapel, St. Petersburg.

O'CONNOR, William Joseph, 99, of Winter Springs, formerly of Largo, died Wednesday. All Faiths Cremation Service, Casselberry. PAULL, Richard 68, of Seminole died Wednesday. Hubbell Funeral Home Crematory, Belleair Bluffs. PETTY, Margaret Anna, 73, of Largo died Wednesday.

Hubbell Funeral Home Crematory, Belleair mastermind the spectacular tunnel escape, and investigators believe he pummeled fellow inmate Alex Car-bonell at the tunnel exit to leave him as bait for the guards and dogs. Investigators suspect the group arranged to get picked up outside prison and travel together to Miami, even though two told their captors that they hopped on the back of a southbound truck. Pay phone records at a Shell station, where Fleitas was seen, showed several calls were made to a former cellmate's home. Fleitas, imprisoned for life for killing a college student who drove into his driveway during a home-invasion robbery, made an impression on detectives. "I worked nine years in homicide," recalls Hialeah police Sgt.

Gary Venema. "We arrested a whole lot of people. But this guy you remember. This guy is truly remorseless." During another home invasion a month before the murder, Fleitas pushed a machine gun barrel against a woman's neck. "Shut up or I'll kill you," he said.

"This has a silencer. You won't even hear a thing." His aunt Maria Eugenia Fleitas Authorities say Juan Fleitas knew he'd have the best chances alone. An Associated Press Report MIAMI The long-gone inmate is remembered as a loner, a manipulator and an opportunist. Juan Jesus Fleitas, a lOth-grade dropout, made up for his lack of schooling with a ruthless streak that helped make him the last of six Glades Correctional Institution inmates to evade capture since the Jan. 2 breakout.

"Fleitas had his own agenda," said Ed Royal, a Florida Department of Law Enforcement agent assigned to catch the killer. "There was some sort of dispute after the escape. He decided early the chance of getting caught together was greater." The convicted killer controlled a lucrative drug trade inside prison, and the profits may have helped him on the outside. A $30,000 reward offer has gone unclaimed even after repeated sighting reports in Miami. Evidence suggests Fleitas helped "We have to judge him on his previous actions," he said.

"The quick trigger, extreme violence toward his victims. He may want to go down in a blaze of glory." Fleitas transformed himself In prison, building up the muscles on his 135-pound frame. He sent love letters and photos to women visitors, and agents are trying to find out if they helped him escape. He appealed his own case but lost his final bid in Octo-' ber. Two months later, he started hanging out in the prison the launching point for the 60-foot'? tunnel.

The day before the escape, Fleitas called his aunt. "He said he was fine. He told." me 'Take care. I love you. I hope' you have a good life.

I won't be able to talk you for a bit because I'm in trouble here with the she said. Hillsborough BUONO, Evelyn, 64, of Tampa died Thursday. A.P. Boza Funeral Home, Town Country Chapel, Tampa. CRUZ, Mario Jesus, 61, of Tampa died Thursday.

A.P. Boza Funeral Home, Riverside Chapel, Tampa. EMBREY, Clarence Raymond 75, of Tampa died Monday. A.P. Boza Funeral Home, Riverside Chapel, Tampa.

GIBBS, Annie Mae, 91, of Plant City died Thursday. Wells Memorial Funeral Home, Plant City. GLOSS, Ray 94, of Tampa died Thursday. National Cremation Society, Tampa. McBEE, William 40, of Tampa died Friday.

Hillsboro Memorial Funeral Home, Brandon. MIDDLETON, Walter 68, of Tampa died Thursday. F.T. Blount Nebraska Avenue Chapel, Florida Deaths Citrus GAY, Shields Dunlap 81, of Crystal River died Thursday. Strickland Funeral Home, Crystal River.

LINDAHL, John Eric, 81, of Beverly Hills died Wednesday. Hooper Funeral Home and Crematory, Beverly Hills. MILLER, Clara 84, of Inverness died Thursday. Chas. E.

Davis Funeral Home, Inverness. POE, Johnnie, 80, of Jacksonville, formerly of Inverness, died Wednesday. Cason Funeral Chapel, Inverness. WALLACE, Harold 85, of Le-canto died Thursday. Wilder-Fountains Funeral Home, Homosassa Springs.

Hardee MAXWELL, Robert 75, of Wauchula died Wednesday. Curry Raley Funeral Home, Wauchula. MOYE, Clyde, 81, of Wauchula died Thursday. Curry Raley Funeral Home, Wauchula. Hernando CONKLIN, Erma 82, of The Heather died Thursday.

Turner Funeral Homes, Brooksville. IAFRATE, Flora 77, of Spring Hill died Wednesday. Wellwood Funeral Home, Hudson. INFERRERE, Nicholas 81, of Natick, formerly of Spring Hill, died Wednesday. John Everett Sons Memorial Funeral Home, Natick, Mass.

JOHANNES, Leora 77, of Spring Hill died Brewer Memorial Funeral Homes Seven Hills. KERSTEN, Melvin 70, of Brookridge died Friday. Pinecrest Funeral Chapel, Brooksville. McKENNA, Donna Lee, 47, of Brooksville died Friday. National Cremation Society, Brooksville.

RUSSEL, Jannette 71, of Spring Hill died Wednesday. Brewer Memorial Funeral Homes Spring Hill, U.S. Highway 19. Extra funds in doubt for health study O'BRIEN, Jasmine Irene, 77, of Tampa died Thursday. C.E.

Prevatt Funeral Home, Temple Terrace. PAQUETTE, Albert 76, of Tampa died Friday. Gulf Breeze Cremation Society, Clearwater. An Associated Press Report TALLAHASSEE A state commission that wants to find out more about why members of minorities aren't as healthy as the general population may not get its change. Sen.

Alberto Gutman, a commission member, doubts whether the state Legislature will have the money to pay for the commission's recommendation of increased funding for the study. Gutman also said he doesn't think the commission has proved to be particularly useful. "With the budget constraints we're facing, I doubt we'll be able to increase funding," said Gutman, a Miami Republican who heads the Senate Health Care Committee. Florida minorities suffer disproportionately high rates of unintentional injury, stroke, diabetes, HIV and other diseases, according to a report by the Florida Commission on Minority Health. Minorities accounted for 27 percent of Florida's population in 1990, but are more likely to suffer from some diseases, the report said.

For example, about 20 percent of patients hospital cent of the population. Inadequate access to health care and the small numbers of minority doctors and nurses are two reasons for the statistics, the commission has concluded. But it also acknowledged that data on minority health care are "collected erratically and inefficiently at best." The commission wants to further study the dispart-' ties. "I believe in the long run we'll be able to save' money because we'll be able to design a plan of preventive action and we don't have that," said Rep. Mandy Dawson, a Fort Lauderdale Democrat who chairs the commission.

The 1993 Legislature created the 15-member com-1 mission, which is made up of lawmakers, health professionals and state health officials, and gave it $250,000. Besides asking for funding for another year, the commission has recommended: Setting up a data network to complete research at a cost of $38,000 to $45,000. Creating an Office of Minority Health to track how minorities use health services. The office would also work to help community leaders, health depart- ments and others improve minority health. Total cost: $1.45 million per year.

Bluffs. SHEMELEY, Alfred, 77, of Largo died Friday. Lakeview Chapel Funeral HomeSylvan Abbey Memorial Park, Clearwater. VRABEL, Julia Irene, 77, of Palm Harbor died Thursday. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes, Sylvan Abbey Chapel.

WENNER, Geneva 98, of St. Pete Beach died Tuesday. Beach Memorial Chapel, St. Pete Beach. ZIEGLER, Theodore 91, of St.

Petersburg died Tuesday. National Cremation Society, Clearwater. ZIMMERMAN, Jesse, 73, of St. Petersburg died Thursday. R.

Lee Williams Son Funeral Home, St. Petersburg. Polk BOWEN, Johnny 77, of Lakeland died Thursday. Lanier Funeral Home, Lakeland. CURRY, Mattie 85, of Bartow died Thursday.

Whidden-McLean Funeral Home, Bartow. FOUT, Arthur Clelland, 88, of Auburndale died Wednesday. Pur-cell Funeral Home, Bushnell. FREEMAN, David 83, of ized for stroke, diabetes and cardiovascular disorders were black even thoughjblacks accounted for 13.6 per- Ll tli mm in i Child "musician lands in Florida RIVERS, Ralph William, 77, of Tampa died Thursday. Swilley Funeral Home, Tampa.

SAPP, Donald 64, of Virginia Beach, formerly of Plant City, died Sunday. H.D. Oliver Funeral Virginia Beach, Va. SOSA, Julio Gonzalez, 69, of Brandon died Thursday. Hopewell Funeral Home, Plant City.

VALDES, Mary, 92, of Tampa died Thursday. Roel Curry Funeral Home, Tampa. Pasco ANGELL, Kenneth J. 32, of Hudson died Wednesday. Thomas B.

Dobies Funeral Home, Bartelt Road Chapel, Holiday. BACCAGLINI, John 85, of New Port Richey died Thursday. Michels-Lundquist Funeral Home, New Port Richey. BROWN, Mary, 71, of Land O' Lakes died Wednesday. Loyless Funeral Home, Lutz-Land O' Lakes Chapel.

CATARELLI, Ethel, 87, of New Port Richey died Thursday. Morgan Funeral Home, New Port Richey. DUFORT, Leonel 80, of Zephyrhills died Wednesday. Coleman and Ferguson Richey-Richardson Chapel, Zephyrhills. FISH, Ethel 86, of New Port Richey died Thursday.

North-Mea-dowlawn Funeral Home and Cemetery, Meadowlawn Chapel. HOLLY, Shirley, 68, of Zephyrhills died Thursday. Oakley Funeral Home, Dade City. NEIDIG, Harriet 87, of Zephyrhills died Thursday. Whitfield Funeral Home, Zephyrhills.

SMITH, George 74, of New Port Richey died Friday. Morgan Funeral Home, New Port Richey. Pinellas AURADA, Emily 92, of St. Petersburg died Wednesday. R.

Lee Williams Son Funeral Home, St. Petersburg. BRYAN, Violet 84, of St. Petersburg died Sunday. National Cremation Society, Clearwater.

BUTSON, Arthur 62, of St. Petersburg died Wednesday. Memorial Park Funeral HomeCemetery, St. Petersburg. DIAZ, Esteban 77, of St.

Pete Beach died Wednesday. Thomas J. Brett Funeral Home, St. Petersburg. DOMANTE, Pauline M.

Lewis, 62, of Bradenton, formerly of St. Petersburg, died Tuesday. Thomas J. Brett Funeral Home, St. Petersburg.

ECOFF, Ralph 78, of Indian Rocks Beach died Wednesday. Moss-Feaster Funeral Homes, Serenity Gardens Chapel, Largo. She was named as a plaintiff in an unsuccessful lawsuit filed in ami last October demanding freedom for Cuban rafters. In a journal written from camp for The Miami Herald, Lizbet described a difficult life in Cuba. The long title: "The ble story of a little rafter bound for, freedom with her beloved parents and inseparable violin." "I never thought I would have to leave Cuba on a raft, but I guess God wanted it that way," she wrote.

"It felt as if we had no future. We couldn't live out our dreams there." Also Friday, the Community Re- lations Service of the U.S. Justice Department announced a public-private partnership to help resettle ref-v ugees paroled into this country from Guantanamo and Panama. CRS, the United States Catholic Conference and Church World Service are developing a plan to pro- vide parolees with sponsors, educa- tional scholarships, private health' insurance, and services such as housing, food and employment assistance. The blond, green-eyed girl seemed older than her age as she discussed life at the refugee camps.

"I'm very happy to be here but my heart is with the children in Guantanamo," she said. "Life there is very sad for kids. They get bored." Her parents agreed that conditions at Guantanamo aren't the best. "We had the support of the military. They acted in good faith," said her father Jorge Martinez, a truck driver.

"It's too many people. Even when they try to distribute enough food and clothing, it's just not enough." "All I ask is that the process be sped up. People are desperate," said the child's mother, Danne Martinez, a dentist. Lizbet and her parents, who will live with relatives in Miami, fled their homeland but wound up with thousands of other boat people in tent cities at the U.S. naval base.

Immensely popular in Miami's Cuban exile community, Lizbet received a donated copy of a Stradi-varius violin at Guantanamo. Funeral Notices BROWN Mary C. Brown, 7 1 of Land O' Lakes, passed away Wednesday. Funeral Services will be held on Monday at 2:00 P.M. at Loyless Funeral Home, 5310 Land O' Lakes with Pastor David Peterson officiating.

Interment will follow in Lutz Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Sunday from 24 P.M. at the funeral home. LOYLESS FUNERAL HOME Lutz-Land O' Lakes Chapel 9964610 KINS Louise King, 81, passed away Thursday, January 26, 1995. Memorial Services will be held at the First Baptist Church, Ozona Palm Harbor on Monday, January 30, at 2:00 P.M.

MENENDEZ Funeral Services for Mrs. Cruz Menendez, age 96, of Tampa, will be held Saturday at twelve o'clock noon at the Chapel of Roel Curry Funeral Home, with Rev. Lynde E. May, IV, Rector of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, to officiate.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Evaristo Menendez. Survivors include her daughter, Lydia Y. Volenti; son, John Ygartua; eight grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Flowers will be accepted, however those who wish, may make donations to St. Mary's Episcopal Church.

Pallbearers include John Ygartua, Frank Volenti, Jeffrey A. Jones, Steve E. Orestano, Jorge Tirado and Donald H. Brandt. The family will receive friends Saturday morning from 11 A.M.

until time of services at the Chapel of ROEL CURRY FUNERAL HOME 4730 N. Armenia Avenue Telephone 877-7676 The Cuban refugee arrived with 1 70 fellow countrymen. An Associated Press Report HOMESTEAD Lizbet Martinez, a 12-year-old Cuban rafter who became famous when she played the "Star Spangled Banner" for her U.S. Coast Guard rescuers last summer, reached Florida on Friday. She arrived with her parents and 170 other refugees from camps at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base at Cuba and Panama aboard a parole flight.

Clutching a big white teddy bear and her violin, she held a news conference. Lizbet was quick to thank President Clinton, who expedited her entry to the United States after being lobbied by Democratic Party activists from Miami last month. "I'm infinitely grateful to him for all he's done and that many children are free despite all the ones who remain there in Guantanamo," she said in Spanish. Lakeland died Wednesday. Lanier Funeral Home, GRINER, Alice Valentine, 89, of Winter Haven died Thursday.

Coleman and Ferguson Dade City. HOPPS, Eleanor 75, of Lakeland died Wednesday. Heath Funeral Chapel, Lakeland. HORRIGAN, E.R. "Gene," 81, of Lake Wales died Friday.

Marion Nelson Funeral Home Lake Wales. NIKLES, Randall Evan, 36, of Mobile, died Tuesday. Lane-Holt Funeral Home, Haines City. LACOMBE, Charles Raul 74, of Levering, seasonal resident of Winter Haven, died Thursday. Kersey Funeral Home, Auburndale.

SKINNER, Mary, 85, of Winter Haven died Thursday. Ott-Laughlin Funeral Home, Winter Haven. WOODALL, Clara Gertrude Wil-banks, 88, of Pensacola, formerly of Fort Meade, died Thursday. Dan L. Moody Funeral Home, Fort Meade.

WORTHINGTON, Luther "Allen," 60, of Polk City died Thursday. Kersey Funeral Home, Auburndale. Ybor City Navy expected to attack Sunday From Page 1 TAMPA TRIBUNE NOTICE Obituaries are a public service. Funeral Notices are paid. Sumter BLACKWELL, Donald Willard, 71, of Lake Panasoffkee died Friday.

Purcell Funeral Home, Bushnell. ESHELMAN, Ronald Dale, 39, of Bushnell died Jan. 12. Milton Funeral Home, Dade City. HITSON, Irvin F.

66, of Lake Panasoffkee died Thursday. C. Hooper Funeral Home and Crematory, Inverness. RICHARDSON, Oscar Ernest, 82, of Center Hill died Thursday. Purcell Funeral Home, Bushnell.

Stephens said. "We give three plaques for the best-. dressed boats that come along for the ride. We just ask for no slingshots and no water balloons." Fines of as much as $25,000 can be lodged against those who hurl traditional latex bombs under a federal law that prohibits throwing plastic into the water because it harms birds, manatees and other marine animals that may swallow it. The battle, despite the efforts of sailors usually armed with high-pressure hoses, is over fairly quickly.

-Said Ciucio, a Tampa native who remembers attending as a boy and who now, at 36, claims to be the youngest alcalde ever: "It's not hard. They usually cower down." Such confidence also is apparent in plans made weeks ago for the Alcalde's Victory Banquet, a $25 per -plate party open to the public at 6:30 p.m. Sunday in the Columbia Restaurant, 2117 E. Seventh Ave. The Ybor Alcalde Association plans one other pub-lie event, of a quieter nature, today.

At 5:30 p.m. the group will present a memorial service in front of the Italian Club, 1729 E. Seventh for the late Alcaldes-sa Lucy Thomas. Pleasant temperatures and partly sunny skies are forecast to draw hundreds of spectators, though it's rarely more than that. Parking is available at Harbour Island.

Stocked with grenades made of deviled crab and missiles in the form of stale Cuban bread, the tug will begin its mission shortly before noon right under the nose of the military ship that docked at Harbour Island Friday. Traditionally the assailants approached from the Ybor Channel, but construction on the Florida Aquarium was among the reasons to alter the plan this year, said the rebel admiral, Amanda Stephens. At 2 p.m., after spectators have had a chance to settle in on the steps and terraces of The Shops at Harbour Island or the Tampa Convention Center, for those who'd like just a bit more distance from the action the tug and whatever floating friends have joined it will attack. "And we do encourage all boaters to come join us," on FUNERAL HOME 605 S. MacPill Avenue 876-2421 MARCH, CoL William 2PM Sat.

Deaths Elsewhere HILLSBORO MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME CEMETERY 689-8121 HAWLEY, Marion Frewsburg, NY McBEE, William Private Interment Teen critically burned sniffing gas vapors helped develop instant coffee, died Jan. 15 of cardiac arrest in Miami. A former resident of New Jersey, he was 84 and lived in Hot Springs, and Key Largo. Aborn was among the most active officers of the National Coffee Association. He was on its board for 30 years, beginning in 1945, and was its president from 1951 to 1953.

He was also on as many as 20 committees and headed several of them. He started in the coffee business An Associated Press Report DAVID J. FOX, who wrote about the film industry for more than 15 years, first at the show business paper Daily Variety and more recently at the Los Angeles Times, has died. He was 45. A family spokesman said his body was found in his Los Angeles apartment Thursday night.

A cause of death had not been established. EDWARD ABORN, a leader in the American coffee industry who A Tribune Staff Report TAMPA A 15-year-old Tampa youth was critically burned Friday afternoon after he set himself afire by smoking a cigarette while sniffing gasoline vapors from a can. Jason Halsey, of 10358 Delmar Circle, was in critical condition in the burn unit at Tampa General When Halsey was aflame, his friends ran away. A nearby store owner called the fire department. Halsey had third-degree burns over 27 percent of his body, Cole said.

A charred gasoline can was found on the vacant lot. The investigation is being handled by a police and fire depart-, ment arson task force. man Steve Cole. Halsey ignited himself about 12:15 in a vacant lot in the 10000 block of North Armenia Avenue. Halsey, a student at Adams Junior High School, and several friends were in the lot when Halsey told police he was smoking a cigarette and sniffing vapors from a 2 -gallon gasoline can, Cole said.

I Vbunt Co. FUNERAL HOMES NEBRASKA AVENUE CHAPEL SIMS, Edgar, 12noon Saturday Visit 6-8pm Friday MIDDLETON, Walter J. 10A Visit Sunday as a teenager. Hospital, said. Tampa police spokes FLOJlf.