Memorials
William Maxfield (AKA: Mr. Wonderful)
1940 – 2024
He was born in St. Louis, Mo. and moved to this area in 1999 from Minneapolis, MN. He worked in insurance sales training and the Army. William loved helping people and he was caring, generous, intelligent and loyal. He was indifferent to food, except for vanilla milkshakes, bacon, chicken Marsala, halibut and almost any meat cooked on the grill. He considered it a successful meal when he had a taste of something off everyone else’s plate. He retired in 1995 and spent his time golfing, traveling, spending time with family and friends and doing volunteer work. He won several golf tournaments and had 8 holes in one. He loved to talk with people and find out about them. He had a great sense of humor that he kept until the end.
He was preceded in death by his parents Marion and Mila Maxfield.
He is survived by sons, Mark (Debbie), and Neil (Alison); and grandchildren, Cole, Kylie (Michael), Grant and Britney. Also, sisters, Marti (Ed), Pam (Richard); and best friend and partner for 43 years Michele.
William R. Miller
1960 – 2023
William R. Miller, 63 of Seminole, FL passed away on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, surrounded by his loving family. Bill was born in Kankakee, IL but was raised in the small farming community of Morocco, IN. Bill used to tag along to the local funeral home with his mother who owned and operated a beauty shop in town. This is where he gained his love for the funeral home. Although the love of the farm life never left him, after high school, he decided to attend classes at Indiana College of Mortuary Science. At the age of 17, Bill moved to St. Petersburg, FL to live in his parent’s vacation home. Soon after moving to Florida, he obtained a job at Anderson McQueen Funeral Home and shortly after began volunteering with the Gandy Fire Control District where he later became a board chairman and President of the district. As if that wasn’t enough, Bill joined the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department Explorer’s program where he transitioned into a radio maintenance specialist. In 1979 he was hired at Lewis W. Mohn Funeral Home in Seminole, FL. At this time, Bill made up his mind to follow his original plan to finish his calling by attending Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science in Atlanta, GA. This is when he met his wife, Sarah. Bill, a member of Pi Sigma Eta’s National Morticians Fraternity, he received his bachelor’s degree with honors, returning to Florida as a Funeral Director/Embalmer. After 45 years of dedicated service, his dream finally came true of purchasing the funeral home in 2015 to continue the tradition by keeping Mohn Funeral Home as one of the last family-owned funeral homes in Pinellas County. Bill always had a heart for volunteering and helping others. With a strong desire for community service, he joined the Kiwanis Club of Seminole becoming chairman of the Fall Festival committee for 19 of the 21 years, raising over $250,000 all of which has gone back into the community for various projects. He was also chairman of the Christmas Tree Lot for several years, the Kiwanis haunted house for 15 years, along with being elected president of the club twice over in his 30-year involvement. In addition to Kiwanis, he was also active in the Horses for Handicapped riding facility, All Children’s Hospital Guild fundraising, past president of Seminole Elementary P.T.A., President of the Seminole Historic Cemetery, a founding member of the Seminole Historical Society and served as the chairman of the “living History” cemetery tour. In 2003, he was appointed the Honorary Fire Chief for Pinellas Suncoast Fire and rescue. In 2005, Bill assisted in raising $10,000 for the Seminole High School Band’s participation in the Rose Bowl Parade. Bill loved attending the annual Pow Wow Parade driving his antique Fire truck and was the 2016 sponsor of the Seminole holiday illumination night parade. For over half a lifetime, Bill has been contributing to Seminole. In 2017, he was nominated and honored as Mr. Seminole for his hard work and dedication in and around the community.
Bill loved the lord and was an active member of the Seminole United Methodist Church for over 36 years.
Among his many hobbies, he loved traveling with his family, fishing, buying/restoring and collecting antiques, classic cars, and tractors, attending car shows, and participating as a member of Pin-MAR antique car club of Pinellas County but his main passion was to serve families in the surrounding communities during their time of grief as a funeral director in Seminole. He never met a stranger. He would bend your ear, tickle your funny bone, and offer you a coke (his favorite).
Bill is preceded in death by his mother and father James N. Miller Sr. and Bertie V. Miller; brother James N. Miller Jr., and Sister Elizabeth J. Deardurff.
He is survived by his loving wife of 37 years Sarah Miller; Sons William Miller (Brandi), James Miller (Jamie); Grandchild Auva Miller; Sisters Patricia Halon, Gertrude Lemons, and Mary Cole (Fred) and many nieces and nephews.
Louis F. Starman
1944 – 2023
Louis Starman, 78 of Seminole, FL passed away on Sunday, October 29, 2023 after a short illness with his loving family and close friends by his side. He was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and graduated from Bowling Green State University with a degree in Finance. He and his wife Linda moved to Pinellas County in 1969. He owned Pinellas Food & Paper Company in Clearwater. During his retirement he worked at Mohn Funeral Home with his best friend Bill Miller. He was devoted to community service and was a 40-year member of Kiwanis – The Kiwanis Club of Seminole Breakfast, The Kiwanis Club of Gilmer County, Ellijay, Georgia, and Past President and Treasurer of the Kiwanis Club of Seminole. He was on the Board of Directors and Treasurer for the Horses for Handicapped Foundation of Pinellas County. He also was Treasurer and Financial Advisor for the Seminole Cemetery. He coached softball for many years at the Seminole Youth Athletic Association. He was a member of Anona Methodist Church in Largo, FL.
He was preceded in death by his mother Rose, father, Louis J. and brother Roger. He is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Linda; daughter, Laura; sister Carol (Robert) Koperna, Northfield, Ohio; nieces, Sandy (John) and Cathy (Matthew); sister-in-law, Deborah Iams; nephews Charlie, Jr. and Grant; and niece Jenny (Erick).
Lee R. Walters
1938 – 2022
Lee R. Walters, age 83, passed away March 15, 2022. Lee was born in Detroit, Michigan and moved to this area in 1977 from Trenton, Michigan. He was a Real Estate Broker for 54 years. Lee was a Methodist and belonged to Oakhurst United Methodist Church.
Lee was a 50-year member of Kiwanis which included being a member of the Kiwanis Club of Seminole prior to joining the Kiwanis Breakfast Club of Seminole. He served as secretary of the Kiwanis Breakfast Club for 27 years and twice served as the club’s President. Lee received the club’s “Kiwanian of the Year” award on several occasions, and also received the distinguished George F. Hixson Kiwanis International award. He led many club projects most notably the Pre-school Reading & Book projects by picking up and delivering thousands of books and coordinating volunteer community readers, in addition to leading the club’s SPC Nursing Scholarship program. Lee always raised his hand to volunteer, and took on the tough challenges. He overcame obstacles and made things happen for the club to move forward.
Lee is survived by his wife, JoAnn (Needrouillard), Daughters, LeAnn James and Linda Jones, Grandchildren, Robert D. Jones III, Ronda L. Funk, and EJ James, Great Grandchildren, Wyatt Jones, Robert (Nash) Jones, and Colton Lee Funk. Son-in-law Robert (Doug) Jones Jr. (Linda’s Husband), Ashley Jones (Rob Jones III Wife), and Erick Funk (Ronda Funk’s Husband).
Edwin W. Deering
1923 – 2022
Edwin Walter Deering, age 99 ¼, passed away on April 8th 2022 in Clearwater, Florida. He & his twin brother Edward were born on January 7th, 1923 in Lovell, Wyoming to Lillian (Ailman) Deering Hurlbut and Ralph Deering. He was raised in Marion, Indiana by his mother, grandmother, and aunt after the death of his father in 1927. He graduated from Marion High School in 1940 and went on to serve in the Indiana National Guard & United States Army for 4 ½ years during WWII, during which time he lost his twin brother in the sinking of the USS Strong in 1943. After the war, Ed moved to Elyria, Ohio, where he met & married his beloved wife, Virginia ‘Gini’ Schmittgen. He attended Ball State before transferring to Baldwin Wallace University to complete his studies. After college he went on to have a career as a Boy Scout Executive in Elyria, Akron, Chillicothe, and Columbus, Ohio. Ed attended Bethany Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio and Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Largo, Florida. He was a lifelong Kiwanian, with over five decades of perfect attendance. Despite his advanced age, Ed remained forever young at heart. He was an entertainer with the gift of the gab, always ready to share a story or a joke with any who would listen. He lived life to the fullest, and in his own famous words: “Well, I enjoyed it.”
Ed is survived by his daughter & son-in law, Kathi & Glenn Howell, of Hope, New Jersey; daughter-in-law Cynthia Deering of Columbus, Ohio; Four grandchildren: Brent & Justin Howell of Hope, New Jersey, Sarah (Deering) Gadjigo of Oak Harbor, Washington, Ted Deering of Columbus, Ohio, and one great-grandchild, Lucien Howell.
Allison William “Al” Repetto
1924 – 2012
Repetto, 88, died June 29. He was the longtime owner of Orange Blossom Groves in Seminole and Clearwater. He also was a founding member of the Seminole Kiwanis Club. He was a former pitcher for the Clearwater Bombers, a World War II Navy veteran and a graduate of St. Petersburg High School.
In addition to growing citrus and raising cattle, he was an avid fisherman and enjoyed woodcarving. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Janet; two daughters, Cindy Repetto and Sandra Miller; a son, Michael Repetto; two sisters, Edwina Hutchison and Eleanor Mangold; and seven grandchildren.
Mack L. Graves
1925 – 2012
Passed away on Friday, June 15, 2012. He was a soldier, educator, entrepreneur, philanthropist and devoted family man. As a combat infantryman in WWII, Mack was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart during the Battle of the Bulge.
For more than thirty years, Mack was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Seminole, Breakfast; he held many Club offices and was named Kiwanian of the Year in 1983. He is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Mildred; his four children and their spouses, Judith Colvocoresses (James), Scott Graves (Anita), Ellen Marsh (William), and Jeffrey Graves (Julie); and his six very special grandchildren, Morgan Leiby, Adam Graves, Jessica and Katherine Marsh, and Cameron and Devon Graves.
Donald Rothschild Levy
1934 – 2010
Passed away March 16, 2010 at Morton Plant Hospital. He was a financial consultant and an active member of the Seminole Kiwanis and Seminole Breakfast Kiwanis Clubs. Survived by his son Craig Levy; daughter Felicia Levy; 2 stepsons, Frederick and Wayne Wasserman; a stepdaughter Laurie Ramos and 4 grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Bea.
A memorial service was held Friday, March 19th In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Seminole Kiwanis Every Child a Swimmer Program. Don Levy has lived in Seminole since 1983 and belonged to Kiwanis since March, 1984 as well as the Seminole Chamber of Commerce.
Dean Lesnett
1920 – 2010
Passed away peacefully at Bay Pines VA Hospice Feb. 11, 2010, on his 90th birthday. A Marine Sgt. on the USS INTREPID (CV-11) in World War II, he was a decorated war veteran. After the war, he became a Game Protection Officer with the Pennsylvania Game Commission in Huntingdon, PA. He then pursued a career as a banker which brought him to Florida in 1970, and culminated at the Rutland Bank in St. Petersburg in 1980.
He was an active member of the Marine Corp League, Kiwanis, a Mason and an elder at the Lake Seminole Presbyterian Church. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Harriett; his sons, Dean M. Lesnett Jr., Albuquerque, NM, Jeffrey R. Lesnett, Indiana, PA, and Eric M. Lesnett, St. Petersburg; seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.