Tampa Tribune; Tampa FL; 2012-2-9


HARTMAN, LaVon 90, of Zephyrhills went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Feb.
5, 2012. One of five children, she was born on Jan. 7, 1922 in Timnath,
CO to Frank and Lizzie Lakin. In 1943, LaVon met Paul R. Hartman in
Bible school in Des Moines, IA. Upon graduation, they got married and
became missionaries serving in Cuba for Open Bible Standard Churches from
1943 to 1959. After leaving Cuba they lived in Tulsa, OK; Birmingham,
England and then eventually found their way to Tampa. The couple pastored
Interbay Community Church for 18 years retiring in 1996 and settling in
Zephyrhills where they were faithful members of Victorious Life Church in
Wesley Chapel.  LaVon is survived by her brother, Jim Lakin; her sister
Mary Anne Norwood and her loving children, Vonda, Randy, Arnie, and Scott
along with 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Visitation will be
held Saturday, Feb. 11 from 7-9 pm with funeral services Sunday, Feb. 12,
at 2 pm, both at Hillsboro Memorial Funeral Home, Brandon. LaVon's passion
for life will be deeply missed. Arrangements are under the direction of
Hillsboro Memorial Funeral Home, Brandon, FL. www.hillsboromemorial.com


Around 11 a.m., the Highway Patrol said, a 2000 two-door Toyota driven by
Dustin Andrew Diaz, 22, heading west on SR 54 near Ernest Drive failed
to stop for traffic and collided with the rear of a 2008 four-door
Volkswagen, sending that car onto the shoulder.  But the Toyota driven
by Diaz, of Wesley Chapel, continued traveling, veering into oncoming,
eastbound traffic - where it smashed into another Toyota, a 2002
four-door, the patrol said.

Three people in the eastbound Toyota died at the scene.

The patrol identified them as Lavon Lakin Hartman, 90, of Zephyrhills and
Charles W. Anken, 78, and Georgianna L. Anken, 77, of Holland Patent, N.Y.

Others involved in the three-car collision were injured and taken to
hospitals.

Jonathan Hartman, 54, is Lavon Hartman's youngest of four children. He
said his mother had been in an accident within the past few years,
so he asked her to stop driving.

The fatal crash occurred as she was being driven home from church by
her friends, the Ankens.

"She would find significant things in the small things in life like
birds singing," Jonathan Hartman said. "She was so connected to life."

Lavon Hartman had been married since 1943 to a husband who just died in
September, he said.

In addition to their four children, the couple had several grandchildren
and great-grandchildren.

"She truly was always smiling," Hartman said. "She was just a great
mother and a beautiful person."