James Gordon Oliver

James Gordon Oliver, 91, passed away Tuesday, March 22, 2011 at The Grove Center, Lake Wales, Florida of causes from aging.

He was born on July 17, 1919 in Early County, near Old Damacus, Georgia, to Earnest Earl Oliver and Ruby Mae Bell Oliver.

He was a Farmer of Cotton, Peanuts, Corn and Hogs in Miller County, Georgia before moving in 1945 to Lake Wales, Florida to work for Florida Citrus Canners (The Duck) as a laborer and retired from there in 1982. He also was employed for many years by Mountain Lake Corporation of Lake Wales.

He was a fisherman, gardener, loving and giving, enjoyed his family and was a member of Westside Baptist Church.

He was preceded in death by his father and mother; wife of 54 years, Mittie Esther Westbrook Oliver; daughter, Ginger Oliver Farmer; sister, Agnes Oliver Batson; half-sisters, Jennie Mae Shiver and Willie O'Dell Phillips; half-brother, Alton Shiver.

Remaining family are daughters, Shirley Ann Oliver Tyler and Debora Cay Oliver, both of Lake Wales; grandchildren, Cole Oliver Tyler and wife, Elizabeth Harrison, Lake Wales; Aimee Lee Farmer Hunt, Deltona, Florida and William Franklin Farmer, Clio, Alabama; great-grandchildren, Samuel Thomas Hunt, Rebecca Lynn Westbrook Hunt, James Taft Farmer, John Wyatt Farmer, AnnMarie Elizabeth Tyler and SaraBeth Lee Tyler. Other remaining are sister-in-laws, Peggy Westbrook Widner, Lollie Allen Westbrook and Gladyes Shiver. Also, many nephews and nieces in Georgia and Florida from the Oliver, Shiver and Westbrook families. Extended family includes all the staff, all nurses and aids, director at The Grove Care Center and Teresa Harnage.

Graveside services will be given by Pastor Stephen Bolden of Westside Baptist Church at 10:30 A.M. Saturday, March 26, 2011 with visitation and lunch immediately following the services at the fellowship hall at Westside.