Lela Belle Raymond

Lela Belle Raymond, 85, of Lake City, passed away peacefully on Monday morning, January 3, 2022 at the Willowbrook Assisted Living after an extended illness. She was born in Lake City on June 9, 1936 to the late Harvey T. Croft and Ruby Rogers Croft. She has made the Lake City, Suwannee County and Lafayette County area(s) her home most of her life and was a Cottage Parent at the Florida Sheriff’s Youth Ranch for over 15 years. She was a member of the Evangel Church of God, and in her spare time, she enjoyed gardening and going on trips. She is preceded in death by her husbands, Elmer Holtzclaw and Christopher Raymond; her daughter, Linda Gail Zuber and her siblings and half-siblings, George, Paul, Fred, Maude, Fannie Mae, Beatrice and Eugene.

She is survived by her children, Wanda Terry (Keith) of Lake City, Allen Holtzclaw (Julia) of Plantation and Sandra Louise Holtzclaw of Florida; special friends, Judy and Pat Patterson; ten grandchildren, twenty-three great-grandchildren and seventeen great-great-grandchildren. Numerous nieces and nephews, along with brothers & sisters in Christ.

The family would like to thank the caring and compassionate staff of Willowbrook Assisted Living Facility for their kindness and love during Mrs. Raymond’s stay.

A funeral service for Mrs. Raymond will be conducted on Friday, January 7, 2022 at 2:00 P.M. in the Gateway-Forest Lawn Memorial Chapel with Rev. Rick Holmes officiating. Interment will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery (Branford, Florida). The family will receive friends on Friday, January 7, 2022 beginning at 1:00 P.M. prior to the service. 

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