This obit also includes a picture. BESSIE B. WILCOX, 105 KIND, GIVING, PERSON by Amy C. Rippel The Ledger Lakeland - Mrs. Bessie Brown Wilcox, the former matron and cook for The Florida Seminary in Lakeland, died Aug. 28, 1997, at Lakeland Hills Center. She was 105. "She was a very humble person. She was always humble, sweet and kind, " said her daughter, Mamie Richardson of Lakeland. "She was a very giving person, and she loved to go to church. "She said only by God she was able to do the things she did." Born in Belleview on July 4, 1892, Mrs. Wilcox came to Lakeland in February 1922. She attended Florida Normal Academy in Jacksonville from 1908 to 1913. After that, she taught elementary school in Marion County for several years. After moving to Lakeland, she joined the Harmony Missionary Baptist Church in may 1922 under the pastorate of the Rev. G.E.O. Whitehurst. She was the president of choir No. 2 for 55 years and secretary of the EverReady Circle No.3. She was a member of the Inderdemoninational Prayer Band of Florida, the Fellowship Dining of Lake Ridge Center and secretary of the General Home Mission. "In her daily routine, she would read her Bible every morning and every night," her daughter said. "Her belief was strong in God." For 28 years, she was the matron and cook for The Florida Seminary in Lakeland. She was receded in death by a daughter, Josie Mae Richardson. In addition to her daughter, she is survived by her brother, the Rev. Merritt D. Brown, Belleview; two gandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at Oldham Funeral Home, 1537 N. Kettles Ave., Lakeland. Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Harmony Missionary Baptist Church, 1645 N. Webster Ave., Lakeland. Friday, September 5, 1997 * The Ledger [Lakeland, FL] --- Sorry I missed so many obits over the summer but I was really busy. I hope these help someone. Ruth ------ Ruth (Schauer) Davison [email protected] RR1 Box 2088, Clearwater, BC Canada V0E 1N0 Please help support Internet Genealogy. Be a proud sponser of ROOTSWEB RootsWeb surname lists are funded *entirely* by you. http://www.rootsweb.com/rootsweb/how-to-subscribe.html