- April 24, 2024
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Susan Lohr (Hall) Alexander
Susan Lohr (Hall) Alexander, 72, of Longboat Key, died Aug. 18.
She was a high school English teacher in Indianapolis and a Realtor and developer and counselor in Indianapolis, Naples and Sarasota. In Sarasota, she volunteered her time counseling with the Salvation Army.
Phineas Alpersineas Alpers
Phineas Alpersineas Alpers, 94, of Longboat Key, died April 7.
During his retirement, Mr. Alpers offered his expertise in architecture to various community organizations including the Longboat Key Planning and Zoning Board. He was also the president of the Board of Directors of Bayport Beach and Tennis Club.
Betsy Altman
Betsy Altman, 90, of Duluth, Ga., died May 22.
She was an avid reader, bridge player, writer, golfer, Sunday school teacher, Girl Scout leader and docent at the Smith House in Roswell, Ga. She loved cooking, traveling and teaching. She was a charter member of the Christ Church of Longboat Key.
Vicki Carlson Anderson
Vicki Anderson, 75, of Longboat Key, died April 3.
She taught and counseled difficult teenagers and became the academic head of a Job Corps program in Reno, Nevada. From there, she joined the Peace Corps, where she worked in mental health in Honduras. She also initiated medical missions using American doctors and dentists from the Orlando area.
Patricia M. Balerna
Patricia Balerna, 95, of Longboat Key, died Aug. 4.
She is survived by her husband, John Balerna; children Patricia Balerna, Paula Riley, James Kennedy, Mark Balerna and John Balerna.
Virginia Spicer Biddle
Virginia Biddle, 92, of Naples, and formerly, Longboat Key, died June 6.
She attended Miss Fine’s School in Princeton, N.J., and graduated from Southern Seminary in Buena Vista, Va. In 1950, she married the love of her life, Howard Leutner Biddle III, and they enjoyed 66 years of marriage until his death in 2016.
Alfred Bremble Jr.
Alfred “Ted” Bremble, 83, of Washington Crossing, Pa., died April 18.
Mr. Bremble was president of Hopewell Township, N.J., conservation commission and was the president of Cedars West of Longboat Key, where he wintered for a dozen years. He enjoyed a variety of sports, including golf, canoeing and sailing. He was a watercolor painter, gardener, collector of all things, particularly antique doorknobs.
Katherine Brooks
Katherine Brooks, 74, of Longboat Key, died April 17.
She owned a retail business in Fair Haven, N.J., for 19 years. She supported Meals on Wheels, the local food bank and Temple Beth Israel, where she previously served as temple president.
Joanna Brown
Joanna Brown, of Sarasota, died June 13.
In 1967, Joanna went to Longboat Key. After one day, she called her husband Murf Klauber and persuaded him to take a detour to Sarasota on his route to a lecture in St. Louis. They were completely taken with the area and knew Sarasota was where they wanted to raise their children. Following her divorce from Murf and her children enrolling in college, she moved to New York City where she lived for nearly 20 years. She discovered the New York Shakespeare Theater where she honed her skills under Eric Hoffman.
Roscoe Brown
Roscoe “Rocky” Brown, 74, of Longboat Key, died Sept. 25.
Kevin Dean Carter
Kevin Dean Carter. 50, of Bradenton, died Aug. 4.
Kevin, 51, died Aug. 4. He was a security guard with Victory Security at Zota Beach Resort. Carter loved kayaks, camping and making jewelry.
Henry D. “Hanks” Cassens
Hanks Cassens, 78, of Peoria, Ill., died May 29.
He was Ford dealer in Dunlap and Wyoming, Ill. While at Ford, he was a board member of the Ford Dealer Advertising Fund, and he won many awards during his career. He worked for the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department until his retirement in 2001. He loved racing, the Chicago Cubs, the Chicago Bears, going to his Friday morning breakfast club and spending winters on Longboat Key.
Patricia Ann Cave
Patricia Cave, 92, of Greenwood, Ind., died Sept. 22.
Mrs. Cave enjoyed summer trips to the northwoods of Wisconsin where she spent time with children, grandchildren and friends. Mrs. Cave spent her winters on Longboat Key and on North Hutchinson Island. Mr. and Mrs. Cave celebrated their 70th anniversary last spring.
Beverly Ann Douglass
Beverly Ann Douglass, 90, of Bradenton, died May 14.
She was a senior buyer at Saks Fifth Avenue and assistant to the president of Mercy College. She was also a volunteer at various places including Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium, IMG Academy Golf Club and Westminster Presbyterian Community Church.
Jane Drake
Jane Drake, 93, of Gardner, Mass., died Oct. 18.
Along with her husband, Mrs. Drake enjoyed many years of annual rituals including Harvard-Yale football games, summer stays at Monomonock, skiing at Sugarbush and winter stays on Longboat Key.
Larry Elgart
The composer and band leader died on Aug. 29 on Longboat Key. He was 95. Most known for his arranging and recording of TV’s American Bandstand theme song “Bandstand Boogie” and 1982 smash hit “Hooked on Swing,” Larry Elgart was a firm believer in swing music. When he wasn’t listening to or playing music, Elgart loved to go to the Longboat Key Publix. On their most recent anniversary, Lynn Elgart brought Larry there. He hadn’t been there in awhile, and he couldn’t walk, but he got a special wheelchair and was greeted with balloons and a cake.
Mimi Edlin
Known for her inclusivity and unique hats, Mimi Edlin, 93, died Sept. 22.
Edlin was dedicated to the arts. She created “Mimi’s Challenge Grant” to raise money for Ringling College of Art and Design and was honored with a plaque at the now-closed Longboat Key Center for the Arts. Edlin and her daughters established the Joseph J. Edlin Memorial Fund after the death of her husband, Joe. Later, she sponsored internships in his name for St. Louis and Sarasota Jewish publications. From 1996 to 2008 Edlin lived on Longboat Key before moving to the Sarasota Bay Club, where she often hosted Sunday dinners for her neighbors.
Verna Lee Ferris
Verna Lee Ferris, 82, of Sarasota, died Oct. 12.
She followed her late first husband, Wilfred Ferris, to Longboat Key where he managed the dining operations of the Colony Beach and Tennis Resort. Mrs. Ferris founded an exercise studio in Sarasota called Dance Discovery where she taught fitness-inspired dancing.
Janet L. FitzGerald
Janet FitzGerald, of Holmes Beach, died.
After leaving the insurance profession, she worked as a data research analyst at Nielsen Media for several years in both Tampa and Sarasota. She was an active member of Christ Church of Longboat Key.
Nancy Lucille Dye Freeland
Nancy Freeland, 80, of Longboat Key, died May 14.
She loved to be creative and was drawn to many art forms. As a stained-glass artist, avid reader and world-class hostess, Nancy drew the most joy in life from her loving family and vast array of friendships nationwide, including many close friendships in the Gulf Shore community.
Evelyn L. Fresch
Evelyn Fresch, 95, of Longboat Key, died March 22.
After business school, Mrs. Fresch enlisted in the Women’s Air Corps in 1942 and became one of the first women to set foot on “foreign soil” in Hawaii. In Hawaii, she was secretary to the general of Hickam Field, where she met her husband, Donald E. Fresch. For the last few years, she was honored as a World War II veteran alongside other veterans in the annual Rotary Club of Longboat Key Veterans Day Parade.
Weldon Frost
The family man, world traveler and letter-to-the-editor writer, 86, died July 2.
In 1989, Frost retired to Longboat Key and became involved with petroleum exploration consulting in the United States and abroad, investing in oil and gas projects, enjoying the beach, boating and fishing, some golf and tennis, skiing, traveling, Habitat for Humanity, genealogy and keeping in touch with long-distant friends and family. He was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key and chaired its scholarship committee. He formed the Frost Foundation Scholarship for students going to technical colleges. He was an active member of the Emerald Harbor Homeowners Association and founded and managed Frost Energy Company. Mr. Frost rang the donation kettle bell for the Salvation Army for 28 years. He was a frequent contributor of letters to the editor to the Longboat Observer.
Robert Garvin
Robert Victor Garvin, 89, of Sarasota, and formerly, Cincinnati, Ohio, died June 27.
Robert taught courses on international issues at the Longboat Key Education Center. He was active in the Sarasota Architectural Foundation. Robert also served on the board of Gloria Musicae and as president of his neighborhood association.
Arlene Martha Gill
Arlene Gill, 82, of Longboat Key, died May 4.
Arlene was a parishioner of All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church and an active and organizing member of The Longboat Key Club’s Key Niners Golf Association.
Henry J. Gitzen
Henry Gitzen, 92, of Bradenton and formerly, Longboat Key, died April 23.
William F. Good
William Good, 69, of Longboat Key, and formerly, Massachusetts, died Sept. 17.
Mr. Good was born on March 20, 1948.
Jean K. Green
Jean Green, 87, of Longboat Key and Sarasota, died Sept. 30.
Mrs. Green was born on July 29, 1930 in Boston.
Stephen Green
Stephen Green, 85, of Lakewood Ranch, died July 12.
He served in the United States Army during the Korean War. Stephen graduated from New England College of Pharmacy and purchased a Liggett Rexall Drug Store in Malden, Mass., which he operated for 25 years.
Joseph Gregorzek
Joseph Gregorzek, 80, of Perico Island, died June 22.
Mr. Gregorzek was the founder and chairman of the Connecticut River Valley Tourism Council, served on the boards of the Vermont Lodging and Restaurant Association, Mount Ascutney Hospital, Windsor Chamber of Commerce and member of the National Ski Areas Association.
Florence Heitler
Florence Heitler, 97, died April 28.
She worked as a social caseworker, school teacher, urban youth counselor and a Head Start parent coordinator. She enjoyed living in Southbury, Conn., and Longboat Key. In 2000, they moved into Plymouth Harbor.
Richard L. Hershatter
Richard Hershatter, 93, of Longboat Key and formerly West Haven, Branford and Clinton, Conn., died April 10. Mr.
Hershatter was the author of five mystery and suspense novels including “The Spy Who Hated Licorice” and “The Spy Who Hated Caramel.” At the time of his death, he was an active member of the Mystery Writers of America.
Daniel Herz
Daniel Herz, 83, of Longboat Key and Denver, died Sept. 1.
For more than 35 years, Mr. Herz worked as an industrial auctioneer and became president of Industrial Plants Corp. He traveled throughout the United States and overseas facilitating the auction sales of industrial machinery at large-scale manufacturing companies.
James Hicks
James Wallenger Hicks, 87, died May 2.
During their retirement on Longboat Key and in Sarasota, Jim and Dot participated in wildlife rescue, taught boating classes and conducted safety patrols with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Sarasota Power Squadron.
Katheryn Marie Himmelspach
Katheryn Marie Himmelspach, 90, died Aug. 6 in Bradenton.
She volunteered with Meals on Wheels, disabled children and at each church her family attended. She enjoyed golf, bowling, reading and sailing. Mrs. Himmelspach was a charter member of Christ Church, Presbyterian, of Longboat Key.
Maureen Hollingsworth
Maureen Daly Hollingsworth, 86, of Sarasota, died April 22.
She was a career IBM employee who rose from the secretarial pool to senior marketing in IBM’s overseas operations. She retired with her husband John Hollingsworth to Longboat Key.
Timothy John Hurley
Timothy John Hurley, 59, of Sarasota, died Aug. 4.
Timothy, 59, died Aug. 4. He worked at the Zota Beach Resort on Longboat Key. He spent his time caring for his family and enjoyed watching “Star Trek” and “Game of Thrones.”
Esther Jarvis
Esther S. Jarvis, 96, of Bradenton and formerly Longboat Key, died April 30.
V. Carol Jordan
V. Carol Jordan, 91, of New London N.H., died May 22.
Mrs. Jordan was treasurer of The League of Women Voters, on the board of the Visiting Nurse Association, a member of the Junior Service League and president of the Concord Hospital Associates and Volunteers. She also served as a Girl Scout leader for six years. During retirement, she and her husband moved to New London and divided time between New Hampshire and Longboat Key.
Dana Kampmann
Dana Marie Kampmann, 51, of Sarasota, Longboat Key and Bradenton, died June 18.
She was born in Bradenton and later owned MEA Engineers Inc., and The Deck Docktors Inc. with her husband, John. She was a licensed contractor and CPA. She most recently worked with Informa Systems as a financial controller. She enjoyed fashion, traveling and tooling around in her Volkswagen Beetle convertible.
Nancy M. Kaplan
Nancy Kaplan, 78, of Belmont, Mass., died June 9.
Nancy lived in Belmont for 42 years and wintered on Longboat Key for 16 years, becoming a resident in 2001. She was the assistant to the head of school and liaison with the parents’ organization for 10 years at Belmont Hill School. She was president of the Boston Children’s Hospital League.
Anna S. Kapstad
Anna Kapstad, 85, of Longboat Key, died Sept. 13, 2017.
Mrs. Kapstad was born and raised in Aalesund, Norway, and immigrated to the United States in 1970.
Bonita Kass
Bonita Jean Kass, 95, died April 17.
Her career as an illustrator and graphic artist took her to Minneapolis and New York, where she also attended the Art Students League. In 1952, she stopped her career to care for her family but continued various volunteer activities focused on art. She returned to painting when she settled in Longboat Key and won prizes at The Longboat Key Center for the Arts.
David Kee
David Kee, 93, of Woburn, Mass., and formerly, Longboat Key, died June 12.
Mr. Kee was a U.S. Navy aviator serving in the South Pacific during World War II.
He graduated from Tufts University then joined Kemper Insurance, where he remained for more than 35 years.
Phyllis Klapman
Phyllis Klapman, 89, of Longboat Key, died July 20.
Mrs. Klapman had a career as a speech pathologist and was a volunteer at Mote Marine Laboratory. Her greatest joy was her family and their Sunday dinners.
Shirley B. Klein
Shirley B. Klein died Aug. 9 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Before moving to Longboat Key, Ms. Klein was a leader and a role model in Wilkes-Barre for many years as president of the Hadassah, League of Women Voters and Temple Israel Sisterhood.
Nancy Koons
Nancy Koons, 84, died on May 3.
She was a member of the Junior League and gave many hours to the Des Moines Charity Horse Show. She also enjoyed traveling and loved her family and spending time with Claude at their vacation homes in Bayview, Maine, Longboat Key and Peoria, Ariz.
Dr. Ingeborg Krieger
Ingeborg Krieger, 89, of Chicago, and formerly of Longboat Key, died May 23.
Mrs. Krieger was a trailblazer who balanced her medical career with family and a passion for the outdoors and arts. She was an avid skier and sailor, among her accomplishments was skippering one of the first all-female crews on Lake St. Clair, Mich. She was also a painter and wrote a screenplay and novel about her life.
Barbara T. ‘Bobbie’ Krohn
Bobbie Krohn, 84, of Saginaw, Mich., and Longboat Key, died June 23.
She was active in the Junior League, book and garden clubs and was an avid tennis, piano and bridge player. Her vast collections of stars and stripes apparel appeared at every parade and Fourth of July.
Betty Lassiter
Betty Lassiter, 86, of Orlando, died Sept. 9.
She taught conversational English to immigrants and refugees and helped them find jobs and housing. At one time, this program was the largest in the United States. Mrs. Lassiter was able to visit almost every state in the continental United States. Her favorite destinations were beach trips to Longboat Key, Ridgecrest, N.C. and Lake Louise in Canada.
Hilda Taylor Laurence
Hilda Taylor Laurence, 90, of Longboat Key, and Forest Hills, Tenn., died Aug. 9.
She was born on Sept. 25, 1926, across the street from another toddler, L.G., who would become her husband. They married on April 13, 1946, and they spent the next 71 years together.
Maye E. Lavinson
Maye Lavinson, 96, of Longboat Key, and formerly, Trenton, N.J., died Sept. 21.
With her husband, Sherman, Mrs. Lavinson owned a bath and linen store on Longboat Key. She was a longtime and active member of Temple Beth Israel, serving on the board and as president of Women On Our Own.
David Leach
David Leach, 62, of Sarasota, died Sept. 21.
Mr. Leach held positions as director of project management and director of engineering at the Resort at Longboat Key Club and construction consultant with Ajax Consulting Services. He was a member of Remnant Church of Sarasota and remained connected with South Shore Community Church where he was a youth leader.
Fulton Lewis III
Fulton Lewis III, 81, of Sarasota, died Sept. 6
When his father died in Aug. 1966, Mr. Lewis was approached by the Mutual Broadcasting System to continue his father’s nightly broadcast, which he did until 1979. His commentaries were heard on more than 500 of the network affiliates by an estimated 16 million people.
Howard Lowsky
Howard Lowsky, 89, of Sarasota, died Sept. 28.
For more than 35 years, Mr. Lowsky built The Leading Press into an important part of the Lower Midtown business community in New York. Mr. Lowsky served as a drill sergeant and meteorologist in the United States Army Air Corps at the end of World War II. Mr. Lowsky retired to Longboat Key and Manhattan with Mrs. Lowsky.
Fred Marsh
Fred Marsh, 70, of Longboat Key, and formerly, New York City, died Oct. 4.
Mr. Marsh was a shoe designer and owner of several stores in Manhattan. He was a man of many talents and interests.
Elio Martina
Elio Martina, 94, of LaGrange, Ill., died July 17.
Mr. Martina was a U.S. Army World War II veteran. He loved to travel and spent many winters on Longboat Key. He was an architect for many years at the University of Chicago.
Evelyn Maurer
Evelyn Maurer, 84, died April 28.
She was a member of Temple Beth Israel. She was a master bridge player, acted in community theater, played tennis and was a leader in Hadassah. She was a real estate agent for close to 30 years and was a gourmet cook. She was an active member of Congregation of Moses synagogue in Kalamazoo, Mich.
Robert John McFarlin Sr.
Robert McFarlin, 87, of Duluth, Minn, and previously of St. Louis Park and Wayzata, Minn. and Longboat Key, died Sept. 24.
He was the first professional engineer elected to the Minnesota Legislature. He was a member of St. George’s Episcopal Church and All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church of Longboat Key.
Russell Dale McPeak
Russell Dale McPeak, 78, of Chesterfield, Mo., died Sept. 16.
His career, before his retirement in 2003, was as a salesman in the tech industry. When Mr. McPeak wasn’t working, he spent his time on the tennis court, on Longboat Key’s beaches or watching St. Louis Cardinals baseball.
Dr. Earl M. Mumford
Earl M. Mumford, 89, of Bradenton and Haward, Wis., died on Aug. 1 with his family on Grindstone Lake in Wisconsin.
He served on the vestry at All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church on Longboat Key. He was an avid fisherman and pheasant hunter. He joined the U.S. Army in 1946 and served in Italy.
Stephen H. Munroe
Stephen Munroe, 69, of Sudbury, formerly, Andover, Mass., died April 28.
Much of Mr. Munroe’s free time was spent attending sporting events of his children and grandchildren. He loved grilling on his deck and working on his and his children’s yards.
During the winter, he vacationed on Longboat Key, where he and his wife, Barbara, enjoyed the company of many friends for more than 30 years.
Wayne Elden Murray
Wayne Elden Murray, 76, of Kittery Point, ME, and Longboat Key, died Sept. 27.
He served in the U.S. Air Force, graduated from the University of New Hampshire and earned a law degree from the University of Maine. Mr. Murray practiced law in New Hampshire and later started a family frozen dessert business called Sweet Scoops.
Terrance O’Hara
Terrance O’Hara, 80, died on July 29.
Terrance F. O'Hara, 80 of Shrewsbury, Mass., died July 29, 2017. While attending Worcester State, Mr. O’Hara played in every inning of every baseball game, for all four years, maintaining a career batting average of .354. Mr. O’Hara went on to spend a short time in the St. Louis Cardinals' organization.
Sharon Elspeth Oper
Sharon Oper, 76, of Longboat Key, died June 2.
She was a member of Temple Beth Israel. She joined the U.S. Foreign Service and enjoyed foreign postings in Chile, Spain, Zaire, Pakistan, Thailand and Kenya.
She lived in Africa for seven years and became an aficionado of African art and African grey parrots, one of whom, Two two, survived her and was adopted by friends. She loved animals, including hundreds of birds she photographed on the beach near her home.
Lieselotto “Lilo” Orhon
Lilo Orhon, 84, died on April 21.
She lived in Turkey for many years before moving to the United States in 1970. She raised her family in Springfield, Ohio, before she and her husband moved to Longboat Key. She enjoyed gardening, spending time with family and friends at the beach and watching the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico.
Betty Oxford
Betty Oxford, 87, who lived in several Florida cities but enjoyed Longboat Key the most, died Aug. 4 in Ocala.
She married Paul T. Oxford Jr. on Dec. 3, 1949. After selling the family business, Mr. and Ms. Oxford moved to Florida, living in Pensacola, Plantation, Brandon, Longboat Key and then back to Birmingham.
Charlotte Paley
Charlotte Paley, of Longboat Key, and formerly, Chestnut Hill, Mass., died May 20.
She was preceded in death by her husband Irving S. Paley.
Melanie Paschal
Melanie Paschal, died June 13.
On April 12, 1956, The Paschals invited 15 neighbors over for a worship service. The Paschals’ home, which was a barn studio on Longboat Key’s Wake Island, now known as Hideaway Bay, became a spot for Sunday morning assemblies of more than 80 people. Thus, an early chapel, now known as the Longboat Island Chapel, was formed. The Paschals were instrumental in founding the Longboat Key Chamber of Commerce, the Longboat Island Chapel, the Longboat Key Volunteer Fire Department and the Longboat Look-out newspaper. Mrs. Paschal was active in the Ladies’s Auxiliary of Longboat Key Fire Department and was president of the Sarasota Civic Ballet.
Stanley J. Pelletz
Stanley Pelletz, 84, of Longboat Key, died April 24.
He was a manufacturer of plastic housewares. He was a founder of the Congregation of Humanistic Judaism in Sarasota. He was involved in many charities and sat on the boards of CHJ, Family Promise and Camp Young Judea.
Doris French Pennington
Doris French Pennington, 99, of Rockford, Ill., and formerly Longboat Key, died May 4.
She was a graduate of Michigan State University. In 1944, she married Willis Pennington. He died in 2005. Mrs. Pennington was a flight attendant for American Airlines.
Ira Peterman
Ira Peterman, of Reddington, Conn., and formerly, Longboat Key, died June 27.
Retiring to Longboat Key, Mr. Peterman was on the board of trustees of the Sarasota Ballet, president of the Sarasota Ballet Association, vice president of administration and board member of Temple Beth Israel, a member of the Longboat Key Democratic Club and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.
Leo ‘Fish’ Pinkowski
Leo “Fish” Pinkowski, 77, died June 20.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army and served during the Korean War. After his military service was complete, he embarked on a sales career in industrial rubber products. One of his favorite places to fish was Longboat Key, where he and his family spent many vacations.
Audrey H. Regen
Audrey Regen, 84, of Sarasota, died May 30.
She and her late husband were members of Temple Emmanuel and Temple Beth Israel on Longboat Key. Mrs. Regen was a lifelong theater enthusiast and was a patron of the Asolo Repertory Theatre and served as a volunteer with the Florida Studio Theatre.
Dr. E. William Reiber II
Bill Reiber, 80, of New Castle, Pa., died May 27 in Longboat Key.
Bill was an exceptional athlete, playing basketball for both Duke University and Louisville. He also loved horses. Later in life, he picked up tennis and loved cooking. He once cooked a meal of crab and fettuccine for more than 60 of his Longboat Key friends.
Marie “Jackie” Resnick
Marie “Jackie” Resnick of Longboat Key, and formerly Lincoln, Mass., died June 5.
She worked as a registered nurse for several years before marrying Charles Resnick in 1951.
She volunteered at a number of charities in the Boston area and at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium.
Mary Lou Robinson
Mary Lou Robinson, 88, of Rensselaer, Ind., died April 17.
She married Edward J. Robinson on June 6, 1952. After teaching for 12 years, she opened the Mary Lou Shop, a boutique that was open for 25 years.She was an avid bridge player, accomplished artist and knitter. She was a devout Catholic, and one of the highlights of her life was a private audience with Pope Pius XII. She wintered on Longboat Key for several years.
Mary Elizabeth Roca
Mary Elizabeth Roca, 75, of Brewster, Mass., died Oct. 16.
In 2004, she retired to Cape Cod, Mass., and Longboat Key, where she spent winters living next to her sister and best friend Katherine J. Nothacker. Mrs. Roca was a loyal fan of the Washington Redskins, an avid Jeopardy! viewer, crossword-puzzle enthusiast and an Amazon aficionado. She loved to travel.
Barbara A. Rodocker
Barbara Rodocker, 86, of Lakewood Ranch, died on May 10.
She was a real estate broker, general contractor, property appraiser and developer in Michigan.
In 1972, she moved to Longboat Key with her family where she became a leader in the hotel industry for more than 40 years. She served in multiple positions within the Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island chambers of commerce.
Rodger Roy Rohde
Rodger Roy Rohde, 75, of Villa Marie Claire in Saddle River, N.J., and formerly Sarasota, died on June 16.
After rising through the ranks of a variety of companies including IFF, Meer Corp. and Gentry, he founded Triarco Industries, a supplier of ingredients for the nutritional supplements industry, in 1978.
Ian MacKenzie Rolland
Ian MacKenzie Rolland, 84, died July 1.
He was awarded the Sachem Award in 2012, Indiana’s highest award, as well as the Insurance Legends Award from the Actuarial Foundation. He enjoyed going to Indianapolis Colts games, Lake Wawasee and Longboat Key with his family. Mr. Rolland ran 15 marathons and enjoyed sailing and traveling.
Teresa Helen Rush
Teresa Rush, 90, of Windsor Locks, Conn., died Oct. 3.
She worked many years at Pratt & Whitney, Kaman Aircraft and was a school bus driver in Windsor Locks. She retired from Connecticut Housing and Finance Authority as a mortgage loan underwriter. Ms. Rush vacationed on Longboat Key for 20 years.
Richard B. Satorius
Richard “Dick” B. Satorius, 97, of St. Paul, Minn., and formerly Bloomington, Ill., Longboat Key, died June 15.
He was a World War II veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps. After the war, he bought the Davidson Electric contracting business and operated it for 36 years. Mr. Satorius was an avid bridge player all of his adult life.
Arthur George Scott
Arthur George Scott, 79, also known as Pete or Art, of Bradenton, died July 11.
Mr. Scott passed on his creativity, scientific knowledge and self-sufficiency to his children, Terri and Janice. They remember his paintings, remodeling their house and collecting historical artifacts from New Mexico.
Claudia Normann Scott
Claudia Scott, 64, of Longboat Key, died May 23.
She was a member of the Junior League of New Orleans and was a maid in the courts of Rex and Acheans, which are part of New Orleans' annual Mardi Gras celebration.
Gerda L. Smith
Gerda Smith, 91, of Atlanta, died Aug. 31.
Mrs. Smith was an accomplished bridge player, an active member in a variety of civic organizations including World ORT, a Jewish educational and vocational-training organization, and the Council of Jewish Women. She was known for her cooking and entertainment expertise including table settings, floral arrangements and culinary works of art.
Richard B. Smith
Richard Smith, 89, of West Dennis, Mass., and Longboat Key, formerly Norfolk, died May 19.
He served with the U.S. Navy at the end of World War II. He owned and operated Franklin Lumber Co. from 1969-2000. Mr. Smith was a pilot for most of his life and enjoyed sailing, golf and traveling.
Josephine Snyder
Josephine Snyder, 85, of Sellersville, Pa., died May 22.
In 1956, she started working with a band known as “The Keynotes,” making TV and personal appearances and studio recordings. She served as a church organist at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, on Longboat Key. She was a musical director for the Riverfront Theater for 30 years and served in the same role for the Sarasota Players and Venice Little Theater. Most recently, she appeared as the keyboardist for the group “Dreamclassics,” which was led by her husband, Gerry.
John Spalding
John Spalding, 87, died April 17.
He served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in San Francisco in the Counter Intelligence Corps. Mr. Spalding was president of the United States Telecommunications Suppliers Association. He was inducted into the Wisconsin State Telephone Association Hall of Fame.
Harvey J. Stapleton
Harvey Stapleton, 82, of Longboat Key, and formerly Champaign, Ill., died May 30.
At the end of his academic career, he became the associate dean of the graduate college and retired in 1995. In retirement, he enjoyed boating, fishing and his membership in the Longboat Physics Club.
John H. Stephenson
He and his wife, Doris, moved to Sarasota where they owned and operated the Midnight Pass Marina and Pub on Siesta Key for several years. Mr. Stephenson was also employed at the Resort at Longboat Key Club. He was a member of First United Methodist Church of Sarasota.
Shirley Jean Sussman
Shirley Jean Sussman, 91, a 34-year resident of Longboat Key and formerly of Rye, N.Y. died on Aug. 2.
Her personal interests were tennis and a lifetime passion for bridge and mah jongg. Her artistic perception infused all dimensions of her life and her acrylic paintings brightened the lives of her family and friends.
Maryann Tata
Maryann Tata, 81, of Longboat Key, died April 24.
Throughout her retirement, Mrs. Tata volunteered at the Friends of Boynton Beach Library and the Longboat Library. For the past three years, Maryann and her husband of 59 years, Robert, spent their time making friends at Freedom Village in Bradenton.
Alice Taich
Alice Taich, 89, formerly of Longboat Key and Northbrook, Ill., died Sept. 11.
Mrs. Taich is remembered for her lifelong dedication to volunteer work as an honorary lifetime board member of the Jewish Family and Children Services of the Suncoast, officer at Temple Beth Israel on Longboat Key, member of the national board of Women of Reform of Judaism, officer of Congregation Beth Or in Deerfield, Ill., and president of ORT in Northbrook.
Anna Ruth Tiller
Anna Ruth Tiller, 66, of Morganton, Ga., died Aug. 15.
Ms. Tiller spent her childhood in Swainsboro, Ga., and was a longtime resident of Longboat Key. In her spare time, Ms. Tiller enjoyed pottery.
Ligia T. ‘Lee’ Yousri
Lee Yousri, 93, of New York, Cincinnati and Sarasota, died Aug. 31.
She performed for several years on and off Broadway. She appeared in “Harvey” with Bert Lahr and “Young and Fair” with Julie Harris and Mercedes McCambridge. She was a member of Actors’ Equity, the Screen Actors’ Guild and AFTRA. While in Sarasota, she was a member of All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church.
Thomas C. Webb
Thomas “Tom” Webb, 82, of Sarasota, died July 1.
He married Donna Rose Schake, his high school sweetheart, on March 30, 1956. Tom was employed at Standard Register, Wisconsin Power and Light, Central Maine Power and retired as CEO of Central Vermont Public Service in 1995. Mr. Webb and his wife retired to their beloved “camp” of 40 years on Maranacook Lake in Readfield, Maine, during the summer and to Longboat Key during the winter.
Mary Ellen Zierke
Mary Ellen Zierke, 84, of Belvidere, Ill., died Sept. 3.
Mrs. Zierke loved spending time with her family and grandchildren. She enjoyed spending time on Longboat Key, teaching vacation Bible school and Sunday school. She was an avid reader and enjoyed bird watching.
Genevieve Zook
Genevieve A. Zook, 87, formerly of Washburn, Mass., died July 19, 2017.
