| Join us Sunday as these Elders are installed to serve on The Session.
Tony Brannan, Sr joined Hyde Park Presbyterian Church in 1970 when he moved to Tampa with his family (parents, Monk and Carl Brannan) and was a junior at Plant High School. He went away to school and 14 years later returned to Tampa and rejoined HPPC in 1987 with his wife Jane. They have four grown children, all married, and nine grandkids. Tony practiced General/Colorectal Surgery at St. Joseph’s Hospital for 33 years until he retired about 4-1/2 years ago. Tony was ordained as an Elder at HPPC in 2018. He has served on multiple committees over the years including committees of Contemporary Worship, Elder Nominating, Worship and Music, and now the Missions Ministry. He volunteers as a packer in the End 68 Hours of Hunger program and he gladly helps people navigate through today’s medical system and specialists when he can. Tony’s hobbies and outside interests include grandkids, sailing and boating, biking, traveling, and photography. Tony loves the Lord and this church and will do his best to further its mission to be the Light and Love of Christ in action for this community.
Joe Gonzalez is a fourth generation Tampa native. He and Ruia just celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary, and raised their four children here at Hyde Park and have six grandchildren. Joe has two law degrees, a Juris Doctorate and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Taxation from Georgetown University Law School. Joe practiced law in Tampa for 35 years. Joe taught Sunday School at HPPC for 29 years, from 2nd to 12th graders. Joe would like to see HPPC serve a segment of our community that is underserved; for example, autistic people. Joe would like to see our church use our wonderful location to immensely grow our congregation.
Jett Russell Tanner and family joined HPPC in the 1980s and all five family members have served as Elders. After working in the Hillsborough County school system creating curriculum during her kids’ school years, Jett joined the family business, Tanner Paint. These days she still works part-time but delights in her five grandchildren’s activities, cooking, and decorating for every occasion. Jett spent active decades at HPPC, leading and feeding middle schoolers and then young adults every week for over 15 years, organizing Cedarkirk retreats, and events like Advent workshops, Easter egg hunts, and community outreach seminars. As more of an ‘event’ type person, she sees Christian Education as a challenge but also an ongoing and important element of HPPC’s growth and invites members to help build a program they want to participate in to grow their faith and our church.
Lynda Frieze Waters was born in Tampa, the only child of Bill and Lola Anne Frieze, and was baptized here at Hyde Park Pres. She went to University of Georgia where she met Chip Waters, and they were married here at HPPC, and shared 51 years of marriage, raising their daughters Becky and Stacey, loving everything saltwater and outdoors. Both girls were married at Hyde Park, and all four granddaughters were baptized here. Lynda was the marketing director of TradeWinds Beach Resort most of her career, managing their in-house ad agency. She has served several times on Session and on various committees, and creates the weekly eChimes. She will serve as Clerk of the Session and looks forward to working with many of you on the Fellowship and Membership Committee.
Session Members in the Classes of 2025 and 2026: Guy Bryant, Stacey Crum, Sandy Kennedy, Ann Maxey, Harriet Plyler and Dek Wright. |
