Obituaries

Christine Bowman

Christine Bowman, 51, of Longboat Key and formerly of Crown Point, Ind., died Oct. 13. Born May 30, 1958, in Gary, Ind., she graduated from Crown Point High School and Indiana University. She moved to Manatee County in 1981.

Ms. Bowman was owner/operator of Helping Hands Staffing Services for 21 years. She was a member of St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church. She battled breast cancer for four-and-a-half years.

Ms. Bowman is survived by her mother, Sophia Davis, of Bradenton; brothers, Edward Davis, of Hebron, Ind., and Donald Davis, of St. Paul, Mo.; and sister, Diane Davis, of Parrish.

A visitation will take place from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, with a vigil service at 7:45 p.m., at Brown & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, 5624 26th St. W., Bradenton. Burial will take place at Calumet Cemetery, in Merrillville, Ind.

Robert ‘Bob’ Oste

Robert “Bob” Oste, 60, died Sept. 19. He was a live-aboard sailor for many years in Longboat Key, Sarasota and Bradenton Beach.

Born Dec. 22, 1948, in Hartford, Conn., he served in the U.S. Coast Guard in New England, before moving to Florida.

As proprietor of Green Street’s Waterfront Restaurant, in Indian Rocks Beach, Mr. Oste’s love for being on the water led him to sail the Florida coast, and, eventually, to Anna Maria Island, where he discovered a community that he soon considered home.

Mr. Oste had a passion for classic food and wine and worked at local dining establishments, including the Bridgetender Inn and Dockside Bar, Mar Vista Dockside Restaurant & Pub, Turtle’s on Holmes Beach, The Mutiny Inn, The Chart House, on Longboat Key, and O’Leary’s Tiki Bar & Grill at Marina Jack. He regularly amused co-workers with his off-key sense of humor and singing of “customized” cerveza songs.

In recent years, Mr. Oste worked in boat-and-home repairs, restorations and remodels. He became known for his love of shopping in any good hardware store.

Mr. Oste is remembered as a loyal and caring friend who was always willing to help. His friends will remember his “just checking in” phone calls.

Mr. Oste is survived by his aunt, Jeanne Ostapkevich, of Cromwell, Conn.; brother-in-law, Andrew Kasper, of New Jersey; nephew, Christian Kasper, of Massachusetts; niece, Emily Kasper, of Washington, D.C.; and his cat of 19 years, Stink(er).

An interment and memorial service will be held at 2:15 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26, at Bay Pines National Cemetery, 10000 Bay Pines Blvd., St. Petersburg.

Edward James ‘Jim’ Schneiders

Edward James “Jim” Schneiders, 72, of Longboat Key, died Oct. 14.

Born Feb. 25, 1937, in Madison, Wis., he spent winters on Longboat Key since 1999 and moved there permanently in 2002. He was a past flotilla commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and a member of the Longboat Key Club.

Mr. Schneiders was preceded in death by his wife, Marcia. He is survived by his companion, Mary Alice Wimmer, of Madison and Longboat Key; sons, Jay, of Denver, Jeff, of Winnetka, Ill., and Bob, of Ipswich, Mass.; daughters, Cindy Shea, of Bainbridge Island, Wash., and Jenny Boit, of Sammamish, Wash.; step-daughter, Diane Redding, of Short Hills, N.J.; and 21 grandchildren.

A memorial service will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, at Longboat Island Chapel, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive. Memorial donations can be made to TideWell Hospice & Palliative Care, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, Fla., 34238, or the American Cancer Society, 4955 State Road 64 E., Bradenton, Fla., 34208.