Ocala Gazette
February 27, 2026
THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE FIFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA
ARLENE SUE LEDFORD, Plaintiff,
V.
CATES ENTERPRISES, INC., a Florida for-profit Corporation; ESTATE OF RAY A. CATES, SR.; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, ANDAGAINST RAY A. CATES, SR., WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, OR CLAIMANTS; ESTATE OF ELLEN EARTHMAN CATES; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST ELLEN EARTHMAN CATES, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, OR CLAIMANTS; ESTATE OF RAY A. CATES, JR.; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST RAY A. CATES, JR., WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, OR CLAIMANTS; RAY A. CATES, III; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST RAY A. CATES, III, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, OR CLAIMANTS; ESTATE OF MARTHA LOUISE CATES BUFFINGTON; ANY AND ALL UNKNOWN PARTIES CLAIMING BY, THROUGH, UNDER, AND AGAINST MARTHA LOUISE CATES BUFFINGTON, WHETHER SAID UNKNOWN PARTIES MAY CLAIM AN INTEREST AS SPOUSES, HEIRS, DEVISEES, GRANTEES, OR CLAIMANTS; HOLLY STEVENS; HEATHER BARRY; JONATHAN BUFFINGTON; and REBECCA BECKLER, Defendants.
Case No.: 2024-CA-1277
NOTICE OF ACTION
To the following Defendant: Unknown Parties claiming by, though, under, and against Estate of Ray A. Cates, Jr., whether said Unknown Parties may claim an interest as spouses, heirs, devisees, grantees, or claimants
Last known address: 2024 SE 8th Street, Ocala, Florida 34471. Current address: Unknown.
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a lawsuit has been filed against you regarding the following described Real Property: Lot 24, MAGNOLIA PLACE, according to the Plat thereof recorded
in the Public Records of Marion County, Florida.
Parcel ID: 2825-000-024
You are required to serve a copy of your written defenses to this action, if any, on Daniel J. Raymer, counsel for Plaintiffs, whose address is 445 NE 8th Avenue, Ocala, Florida 34470 on/or before March 20th, 2026. The original must be filed with the clerk of this court either before service on Plaintiff's attorney or immediately thereafter; otherwise a default will be entered against you for the relief demanded in the Complaint filed herein.
Dated this 3rd day of FEBRUARY, 2026.
Miscellaneous Notices