Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Welcome Back: Remembering our Longboat friends

Longboat Key friends and neighbors we lost.


  • By
  • | 8:40 a.m. November 10, 2021
Bob Ruff
Bob Ruff
  • Longboat Key
  • Neighbors
  • Share

Longboat Key remembers the friends and family we lost from April through September.

A

Jerald N. Aaron died April 21 at age 74. He was the “lawyer who rides” in Michigan and was a legal champion for motorcyclists. He is survived by his wife, Ruth, and daughter. 

Diane Hoffman Amaducci died May 19 at age 77. She loved the coast and owned Tinkertown Cottages on Cape Cod for decades before coming to Longboat Key, where she walked the beach and volunteered at Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium. She is survived by her four children and granddaughter. 

Nancy Blair Aschaffenburg died Aug. 10 at age 89. She is survived by her three children.

B

Gerald “Jerry” Baker died May 31 at age 89. He spent many winters at Club Longboat and was an avid runner, walker and bird watcher. He is survived by his wife, Lynne, as well as his children, stepchildren, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. 

Alden F. Barker III died June 9 at age 92. He and his wife, Arlene, were longtime members of local clubs including the Longboat Key Club, Bird Key Yacht Club and Cedars Tennis Club. He is survived by Lynne, a daughter, stepdaughter and six grandchildren. 

Sylvester James Beko died May 22 at age 74. He was the assistant treasurer for the Winding Oaks Condominium Association and is survived by his wife, Robin, as well as his daughter, stepsons and grandchildren. 

Suzanne “Sue” Borgelt died in August at age 88. She was a charter member of Christ Church of Longboat Key and found the site where the church was built. She is survived by her husband, Burt, as well as seven children, 16 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. 

Joan Loris Brown died July 16 at age 91. She loved painting and traveling to Longboat Key in winters. She is survived by her four children, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. 

Paul Caroline Burns died April 24 at age 91. She loved to travel and the beaches of Longboat Key and is survived by her children and grandchildren. 

C

Kathleen “Kathi” Clarey died Sept. 15 at age 77. She enjoyed international travel with her husband, Jack, and was active in her church in all communities. She is survived by her two daughters and two grandsons. 

Gaye L. Conway died June 14 at age 85. She moved to Longboat Key in the 1960s to work with her father, Merv Gherman, at the Buccaneer Inn. She eventually moved to the Smoky Mountain with her husband, Jack. She is survived by her two children and three grandchildren. 

Robert James “Coop” Cooper, Jr., died July 3 at age 62. He was the lead maintenance man at Club Longboat for years, but lived on Anna Maria Island and enjoyed fishing and playing pool. He is survived by his partner Louise Schippers, two children and granddaughter. 

E

Dolores Edgar died April 6 at age 92. She loved biking and fishing on Longboat Key in the winter with her husband, Chuck. She is survived by her daughters, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. 

Harold A. Engelke died July 19 at age 91. Born in Milwaukee and raised as a Green Bay Packer fan, he was a New Jersey resident who spent winters on Longboat Key. He was a member of St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church and is survived by his wife, Dolores, as well as three children, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. 

F

Ruth O. Frank
Ruth O. Frank

Frank Fleischer died Sept. 10 at age 83. He grew up during World War II and became a nationally recognized corporate lawyer who eventually moved to Tampa. During retirement, he served on several boards around Sarasota and worked from home on Longboat Key. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, two children and four grandchildren. 

Ruth O. Frank died June 13 at age 99. She is survived by her five children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. 

Rolland “Bud” Freeman died Oct. 3 at age 91. He was devoted to community and military service and served in the Air Force. He is survived by his wife, Vera, and two sons. 

G

Paul Louis Glosser
Paul Louis Glosser

Paul Louis Glosser died Aug. 22 at age 91. He was an avid outdoorsman, golfer, crossword puzzler, Steelers fan and Jeopardy! enthusiast. He is survived by his wife, Rita, as well as four children, 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. 

Sheila “Shelly” Goldblatt died July 21 at age 86. She was a painter and active in the arts community in Sarasota and along with her husband, Sy, was a huge sponsor of Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. She is survived by her children and grandchildren. 

Joanne Gordon died Aug. 11 at age 78. She is survived by her children and grandchildren. 

Jeannette May Graubner died Aug. 12 at age 95. She had lived on Longboat Key since 1979 and operated the newsstand in the Southgate Plaza in Sarasota. She is survived by her children and grandchildren. 

Lois Mason Greco died July 2 at age 96. A devoted mother and grandmother, she was social, energetic and loved skiing, boating, golf and playing cards. She is survived by three children and four grandchildren. 

Suzanne Greer died May 28 at age 95. She was an active member of St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church. She is survived by her son, stepchildren, 16 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. 

Stephen Grimes died Sept. 10 at age 93. He was a former Florida Supreme Court Justice and served in the Navy. He is survived by his wife, Fay, as well as four daughters, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. 

Claudette Grubelich died May 23 at age 90. She was active in her community as a member of the League of Women Voters and loved to travel, both abroad and to national parks. She is survived by her three children and nine grandchildren. 

H

Joan A. Haggerty died Sept. 25 at age 85. 

Harry Hampton, Jr., died April 20 at age 97. He was a veteran of World War II and spent winters on Longboat Key later in life with his wife, Peg. He is survived by Peg, as well as four children, two stepchildren, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. 

Donald Howard
Donald Howard

Sally Jane Hardy died July 14 at age 96. She lived in Milwaukee with her husband George. When the Hardys were on Longboat Key, they were members of Christ Church. She is survived by her son and grandson. 

Donald Howard died at age 91. He is survived by his son and two grandchildren. 

Kenneth A. Hecken died Sept. 9 at age 90. He served in the Navy and later built a career in the insurance industry in Warren, Conn. He is survived by his wife, Audrey, as well as three daughters and two grandchildren. 

Richard “R” Miles Hyland died May 7 at age 71. He was a veteran of Vietnam and made a life with his wife, Lili, in New York with three children. He was paralyzed in 1995 after a ski accident and given five years to live. He embraced the challenge and lived another 26. He is survived by Lili and his children. 

J

Myrna Leigh Jensen died Sept. 21 at age 76. She was active in church and one of the first women to be nominated as elder in her Massachusetts church. She was also an avid outdoorswoman who loved camping, fishing, biking and later in life, going to the beach and swimming with her grandchildren. She is survived by three children, 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. 

Thomas H. W. Jones, Jr.,
Thomas H. W. Jones, Jr.,

Thomas H. W. Jones, Jr., died July 9 at age 77. He was a professor at the University of Connecticut and spent time in Longboat Key after retiring, where he served as President of the Sarasota County Historical Commission, Chair of the Longboat Key Police Pension Board and member of the Longboat Key Code Enforcement Board. He also enjoyed opera, dog shows, baseball, tennis and traveling with wife Alison. He is survived by Alison and other family. 

Robert Paul Karz died Oct. 12 at age 90. He was a member of St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church and is survived by his wife, Patricia, as well as his son, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. 

Sanford Kingsly died May 13 at age 96. He worked at the Guggenheim Clinic during World War II and was an orthodontist and real estate agent. He is survived by his wife, Sy, as well as two children and three grandchildren. 

Richard “Dick” Kohl died June 30 at age 74. He worked in the stone industry and was active in his Akron, New York community. When he and wife, Myra, retired, they spent time at home on Longboat Key fishing with grandchildren. He is survived by Myra, three children and grandchildren. 

L

Robert R. Lichtenstein died May 19 at age 85. He was from Queens and was a founding partner of Corroon, Lichtenstein and Co. Since retiring in 2000, he and wife Marjorie spent winters on Longboat Key. He is survived by Marjorie, three children and eight grandchildren. 

Lucia Longo
Lucia Longo

Lucia Longo died May 11 at age 84. She and her high school sweetheart, Mark, moved to Longboat Key from New Jersey in 1999 and enjoyed island life. She is survived by Mark, three children, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Patricia Luedtke died July 16 at age 88. She was a librarian and lifelong reading enthusiast. She is survived by her two children and two grandchildren. 

Herbert H. Ludlam, Jr., died April 22 at age 63. He worked for the Town of Longboat Key early in his career and retired in Bradenton with his high school sweetheart, Patricia, in 2000. He was an avid outdoorsman and always planned the family’s annual Key West road trip. He is survived by his mother, wife, son and two grandchildren. 

M

Martha Ellen “Miss Marty” Macallister
Martha Ellen “Miss Marty” Macallister

Martha Ellen “Miss Marty” Macallister died May 24 at age 84. She was raised in Philadelphia, where she raised her own two adopted daughters and founded Miss Marty’s Pre-School. In Florida, she became a guardian ad litem for foster children. Throughout life, she enjoyed bridge, arranging flowers and being with her family most of all. She is survived by her daughters and five grandchildren. 

John McGrath died June 28 at age 80. On Longboat Key, he was a guardian ad litem for foster children, as well as an active member of the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key, the Longboat Key Tennis Center and the Men’s Club of St. Mary, Star of the Sea Catholic Church. He is survived by his wife, Mary, three children, grandchildren and a great-grandson. 

John E. Mischi died Sept. 17 at age 88. 

N

Patrick Roman Nudo
Patrick Roman Nudo

Patrick Roman Nudo died Sept. 14 at age 57. He was a car enthusiast and enjoyed life by the water. Mr. Nudo loved boating, tubing and jet skiing as well as watching sunsets on the beach and looking for manatees. He is survived by his two children, companion Jacqueline Russell and others. 

P

Albert C. Parker died July 11 at age 88. He served in the Navy and then became an OB/GYN in Rye Brook, NY. He was a Mayflower descendent and enjoyed sailing, as well as computer technology. He is survived by his wife, Eileen, whom he met at age 4, as well as his three children, seven grandchildren and great-granddaughter. 

Beverly Peterman died Aug. 1 at age 90. She taught for years and became involved in the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s as she worked to integrate schools and neighborhoods. She developed an exemplary reading program in Stamford, Conn. for Title One schools and in Florida, served as a board member for several organizations including the Education Center of Longboat Key. She is survived by her two children, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 

Frank Petralito, II, died July 19 at age 85. He was a lawyer and VP and Director of Taxes at American International Group. Mr. Petralito was an avid biker, lover of fine wines and the opera and collector of vintage movie posters and Chihuly glass. He is survived by his two children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 

Maureen Duggan Petroni died July 17 at age 71. She was born in Boston and was a devoted wife and mother. She is survived by her husband, Vincent, as well as four children and eight grandchildren. 

Ronald Thomas George Platt, OBE, died June 16 at age 94. He lived on Longboat Key and traveled the world for all 30 years of his retirement after working for the Ford Motor Company for 45 years. Queen Elizabeth II conferred on him membership of the Order of the British Empire for his services to British exports. He enjoyed time with his 18 young grandchildren on Longboat Key and is survived by them and his five children. 

Penny Pozulp died June 24 at age 71. She was originally from Illinois and met the man she would marry, Keith, while in third grade. Mrs. Pozulp was an elementary school teacher for years before stepping into her most beloved role as mom to two kids. She was an avid volunteer, involved mother and adventurous outdoors. On Longboat Key, she loved spending time with family and friends and walking the beach. She is survived by Keith, two children and three grandchildren. 

Q

Raymond Jay Quick died Oct. 9 at age 84. He was passionate about boating and flying and his first job was at Southwest Airport in Springfield, Ill. Mr. Quick is survived by his wife, Carolyn, two children and two grandchildren. 

R

Caren “Jeff” Reed died July 27 at age 86. He and his college sweetheart, Judy, spent most of their lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago as Mr. Reed worked as a banker for Continental Illinois National Bank. He loved playing tennis and baseball and rooting for the Chicago Cubs. he is survived by his wife, three children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 

Elizabeth Riedinger died Aug. 30 at age 83. Mrs. Riedinger loved working with children, was a teacher and reading consultant. She even taught English as a second language towards the end of her career. After retiring she became a watercolor and pottery artist. She is survived by her husband, Alfred and other family. 

Donald Henry Roberts died Aug. 7 at age 94. He was the former owner of The Centre Shops of Longboat Key. He is survived by his four children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. 

Samuel Rubinovitz died July 10 at age 91. He split his time between Longboat Key and Lexington, Mass. with his wife Phyllis, where they collected art glass in both homes. Mr. Rubinovitz was an executive in the semiconductor industry and inspired his sons. He is survived by his wife and sons. 

Robert Ruff died July 13 at age 93. Also known as the “Professor of Tennis,” he organized the Ruff Group since the 1980s and organized about 30,000 tennis games amongst about 40 men. He had a dry and quick wit and once started a tennis association meeting with the joke, “A termite walks into an English pub and asks, ‘Where is the bar tender?’” but was never remembered as anything other than a gentleman. His daughter Kay said he was the smartest person she knew and that he couldn’t get through a family meal without grabbing an encyclopedia to double check something. The Ruff Group continues. 

S

Jerome Morton “Jerry” Salle died June 24 at age 83. He was a beloved father and is survived by his wife, Lee Ann, one of his two children and four of his five grandchildren. 

Myron “Mike” Serling died May 15 at age 92. He was a veteran of the Navy and practiced dentistry for decades in Albany. He was adventurous in a saddle, on skis or on a boat and eventually discovered a love for sculpting in his retirement. He is survived by his wife, Millie, as well as his three children and seven grandchildren. 

Ian Patrick Sharp
Ian Patrick Sharp

Ian Patrick Sharp died July 16 at age 89. He was born in Dublin and became a fighter pilot in the RAF before studying at Cambridge University. He emigrated to Canada and became a chief programmer at Ferranti in Toronto, then later founded I.P.Sharp Associates, a computer software consultancy. In his retirement years, he and wife Audrey became tennis fanatics and Mr. Sharp only hung up his racquet eight weeks before his death. He

is survived by Audrey, two children and three grandchildren. 

Helen Sherman died July 6 at age 97. She was actively involved in JFCS in Sarasota and is survived by six children, five grandchildren, three stepchildren and six step-grandchildren. 

Reeva Shoengood died Sept. 30 at age 95. Originally from St. Louis, she moved to Evanston and Quincy, Illinois throughout her life. When on Longboat Key, she was an avid golfer and member at Temple Beth Israel. She is survived by her three children, eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. 

Dr. Donald J. Shutello died June 4 at the age of 84. He was a veteran of the Air Force and served in the Vietnam War. Dr. Shutello practiced orthopedic surgery for more than 40 years in New Jersey and spent winters on Longboat Key fishing, giving lectures and spending quality time with his family until he and wife Patricia moved to the island permanently in 2005. He is survived by his wife, three children and four grandchildren. 

Shirley Steinberg died July 17 at age 99. Mrs. Steinberg spent winters in Longboat Key away from her home in Chicago, where she moved from her native Staten Island. In Florida, she was president of the local ORT chapter, an organization training youth for technical vocational skills in the United States and Israel.

Janet L. Svaral died Aug. 12 at age 75. She lived in Sarasota and on Longboat Key during retirement, where she enjoyed the beach. She is survived by her two children and three grandchildren. 

T

Sally Twinem died April 1 at age 84. Mrs. Twinem was originally from Maine but lived in the Longboat Key/Sarasota area for 40 years, making friends at the Longboat Key Club and Meadows Country Club as she played golf and tennis, sailed and took photographs. She is survived by her husband, Pat, her three children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. 

V

Herbert A. Vogel died Sept. 10 at age 90. He was a former lawyer and lifelong outdoorsman who always lived near the water. His wife, children and grandchildren were always his top priority in life, and he organized family trips even after his children were grown with their own families. 

W

Isaac Welch Whitesell, Jr. died Aug. 4 at age 92. Before opening a private law practice, he was the attorney for the town of Longboat Key for 12 years after a career as a lawyer in Tampa and the Englewood Water District. Mr. Whitesell is survived by four children, 12 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. 

Arthur Wolcott died Sept. 24 at age 95. Mr. Wolcott was a veteran of World War II and had a career in the food processing industry that spanned seven decades with Seneca Foods. He was an avid skier and sailor and vacationed on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains and the waves of Sarasota. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Audrey, as well as four children and 12 grandchildren. 

Y

Rudy Yessin died June 18 at age 95. Mr. Yessin was originally from Lexington, Ky., and was the youngest player to play for the University of Kentucky’s basketball team under Adolph Rupp. He left school after one year to join the Army Air Corps and eventually returned to Kentucky and became a prominent lawyer in Frankfort. Mr. Yessin is survived by his wife of 66 years, Jean Brent Warren Yessin, as well as his son, granddaughter and brother and sister. 

Z

Hope Zawatsky died June 23. She was 88. Mrs. Zawatsky was a lifelong Rhode Islander who loved traveling, bridge and art, but most of all she loved making and enjoying a meal with family. Mrs. Zawatsky married her college sweetheart, Martin, and they traveled the country in their motorhome named Cum Spe (With Hope). She is survived by three sons, 10 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. 

 

 

Latest News