- December 13, 2025
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Irma Blumenthal died on May 26. She was a fashion icon, always impeccably dressed, and never had a hair out of place. She cherished reading books and her daily newspapers. She had boundless energy and was always ready to attend dinners, concerts, lectures and other public events. She was also a fierce advocate for children and for helping those less fortunate. She and her husband, Robert, spent their golden years in their beloved Longboat Key, savoring the beautiful beaches and dreamy sunsets.
Olga "Nene" Mary Bracciano died on June 23. She was the embodiment of kindness, empathy, and unwavering compassion. She dedicated her life to uplifting others, both as a school social worker and as the heart of her family. Bracciano was a devout Catholic and found immense joy in being active in women’s ministry at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church, as well as Our Lady of the Angels of Lakewood Ranch. Through acts of service, quiet moments of prayer, and simple gestures of love, Olga’s life was a testament to giving. Most recently, Olga was a resident at Lakewood Ranch Grand Living, where she remained engaged in exercising, learning and socializing. Even with a full schedule, she still always found time for those she loved most.
Madeleine “Maggie” Green Brenner died on Sept. 12. Avid tennis players, Maggie and her husband, David Brenner, visited Longboat Key for the first time in the 1960s, purchasing a vacation home soon after. They moved full-time to Longboat Key in 2001. Before turning to tennis, she played in various bowling leagues with her mother in the Philadelphia area, boasting a 160 average. A physical therapist by training, she later became a preschool administrator and volunteered in many capacities, including working at the polls on election day, organizing and working at tennis tournaments, and running a duplicate bridge league. Maggie was also president of the Longboat Key Club Tennis Association in the 90s and while living at The Islander Club for twenty years, served as president of the condo association.
Charles Carey, Sr. died on Sept. 12. Formerly of Columbus, Ohio, Carey was a graduate of Worthington High School and Miami University. Charlie is survived by his wife of 35 years, Sallie, his son, Charlie, Jr., and his sister, Melissa.
Joel R. Feidelman died on Oct. 14. He was a retired partner at Fried Frank Law Firm in Washington, D.C. While he was in active practice, Feidelman represented clients in pre-award litigation, contract formation issues, post-award disputes, and litigation. He also represented government contractors in various civil proceedings, including Procurement Integrity and Freedom of Information Act disputes, and enforcement matters involving voluntary disclosure and suspension and debarment. He was a former co-chair of the Washington, DC, Litigation Department and established and led the firm’s government contracts practice before he retired.
A trusted voice in the space, Feidelman had lectured and written extensively on government contract and procurement law for over four decades. He had served in numerous capacities at the National Contract Management Association and was one of the first recipients of the NCMA's Charles A. Dana Distinguished Service Award. Before joining Fried Frank, he was an officer in the U.S. Air Force. He served as Assistant Staff Judge Advocate for Procurement, Air Force Logistics Command, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. He was the beloved husband of Jan C. Feidelman, the father of two daughters, and grandfather of five.
Richard Demaret Hausman died in his home on Longboat Key. He is survived by his wife, Edna, his daughter Elizabeth Lycke, grandson, Jack, brother Michael and wife Pamela and he is mourned by many friends, associates, and neighbors.
Robert "Bob" Hettmansperger died on Oct. 23. He was a farmer, spent time as a salesman for Farm Bureau, and joined Bob Brodbeck in 1968 as co-owner of Brodbeck Seeds in Wabash, Ind. He married Susie Campbell in 1994. Hettmansperger was an active participant in the Independent Professional Seedsman Association, a member of the Indiana Seed Trade Association Board of Directors, a part of the Indiana Crop Improvement Board of Directors, and a member of the Wabash County Farm Bureau Board of Directors.
He served eight years as chairman of Chippewa Farm Bureau. He loved his customers and selling seed. In his younger years, he was a coach of the Chippewa Cub Scouts and Little League Teams. Hettmansperger was a past master of the Tuscan Masonic Lodge F & A. M. in Lagro, and a member of the Hanna Masonic Lodge, where he was a 33rd degree mason. He was a member and deacon of Bachelor Creek Church of Christ. Hettmansperger enjoyed hunting and fishing, and especially loved his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Dennis Timothy McCarthy died on July 14. McCarthy proudly served his country as a C-130 pilot in Vietnam. He loved sharing tales from his time in the Air Force and imparted the traditions, songs and football cheers to his family and friends. After the Air Force, McCarthy became an oil trader and broker, first for Mobile Oil, then Bruggemann, before starting his own business with Caden Commodities, which merged with First National Oil Brokers in 1990. He retired in 2015 and spent his time playing countless rounds of golf and keeping up with his busy kids and grandkids, keeping them up way past bedtime watching all the latest movies and introducing them to favorites like "The Godfather." Second to his love for wife, Deborah, was his love for golf. He was lucky enough to play many top courses in the world and proudly scored five holes in one over his lifetime. He was a longtime member at Silvermine Golf Club before moving to Florida, where he was an active member at the Longboat Key Club. He imparted the love of the game to his children and grandchildren, and anyone who ever played with Dennis will never forget his famous 10-foot gimme putts and endless supply of mulligans.
Ora Mendels died on June 23. Ora was born in Jerusalem in 1936, grew up in South Africa, and immigrated to the U.S. in 1964. She lived in the Philadelphia area and started visiting Longboat Key over 40 years ago, eventually retiring here. She met Joe on a beach in Cape Town, and many years later they were able to enjoy life together on the beach in Longboat. Mendels was a journalist in her early adult years and later wrote several novels, among them Mandela’s Children and Family Wars. She was committed to the fight against apartheid in South Africa in her youth and social justice throughout her life. She was passionate about tennis, chocolate, cooking, her rose bushes and orchids, books, walks on the beach with her husband, and most of all her family and friends.
Pamela O'Halloran-Blevins died on Oct. 21. She taught at Riverfield Country Day School in Tulsa, Okla. with her husband, Randall Scott Blevins. She was an amazing woman who gave her time and energy to everyone around her. She cared deeply about people and our planet and was a tremendous advocate for both. Her extensive work both professionally and personally touched the lives of many people, whether it was in the classroom or volunteering for an environmental organization or as an advocate for people with Williams Syndrome.
Maxine Joyce Ohlmann Groen died on May 14. At the age of 16, she went to Calvin College to study nursing, working as a nanny to pay for room and board. After graduating, she worked as a nurse at Blodgett Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan; as the official nurse for one of Henry Ford’s factories; and for private families. Later, she received a scholarship to do a master's degree in nursing at Columbia University in Manhattan. She loved her time in New York City. She accepted a call from the church mission society and set out as a single woman to work as a head nurse for MKAR Christian Hospital in Nigeria. She and her family eventually settled in Wheaton, Illinois. After 20 years, they worked with local Congolese partners to create a Residency Program in Goma, Eastern Congo. It began as Doctors On Call for Service, with training provided by visiting doctors from the US. It is now a fully accredited program and an independent hospital called HEAL Africa, run entirely by local doctors and its graduates serve all over Congo. During this time, Macky and Paul moved to Longboat Key, where they were active in the local church and, of course, sang in the choir. In 2008, Paul and Macky officially retired to Plymouth Harbor.
Carole Salmon died on May 31. She worked as a registered nurse in New York and Pennsylvania for over 20 years and still has her active nursing license. Salmon also earned her HAM Radio License (WA2VVJ) and traveled to many events with her husband, William E. Salmon. Born in Jamaica, New York, on April 3, 1943, she was a pillar of strength and love for her family and was an active member of her community.
Salmon retired to Longboat Key with her husband in 1996. There, she embarked on a new journey as a licensed realtor selling luxury properties alongside her husband at Michael Saunders & Company for over 10 years. Carole was an active member of the Women's Guild at St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church, where her focus was on charitable work, organizing events and helping the community in need. She volunteered at The Literary Council of Sarasota Inc., as a tutor, helping young women prepare for job interviews and adjust to being self-sufficient.
She served as a Eucharistic minister and played the organ at the church for services and gatherings. She also volunteered her time giving out food to the homeless at St. Vincent de Paul Society. In retirement, Salmon found great joy playing piano and painting in her art studio at home in Longboat Key. Her pieces ranged from landscapes to abstract, and she was commissioned for her beautiful work. Salmon cherished her time with her husband and family. She encouraged her children by fostering a supportive and nurturing environment where they felt valued and loved. She was kind, generous and always had a listening ear or a quick-witted response that always kept everyone smiling.
Elaine Stein died on June 8. During WWII, at what is now the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, she met and later married Robert A. Stein. They were happily married for 73 years. Stein designed three beautiful homes between Dayton and Longboat Key; they were well-admired early examples of mid-century modern interior and exterior design.
Jim D. Syprett died Sept. 13. After earning his undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University in 1963 and his law degree from the University of Florida in 1965, he moved to Sarasota. He began his fabled legal career with the Law Offices of Dick Lee. In 1968, he and John W. Meshad co-founded the Syprett Meshad Law Firm, which proudly carries on his legacy of excellence in the practice of law today. He was a natural in the courtroom — a charming southern accent, a gifted and prolific storyteller, and an unequaled command of the law and the details of his case — all of which made him a formidable, but respected foe.
He also served as a mentor to many young lawyers throughout the Bar and was a most trusted and reliable colleague to the lawyers in his firm. In 2023, the Senior Counsel of Sarasota County presented Syprett with the Esteemed Colleague Award. He was a longtime advocate for the Family Counseling Center and the Cancer Support Community. He often counseled and comforted men diagnosed with prostate cancer. He served on the board of the Sarasota Memorial Healthcare Foundation for over ten years and was elected as its president for three terms. He was most proud of his part in planning the new state-of-the-art Jellison Cancer Institute. His commitment to SMHF earned him the admiration of fellow board members and hospital administration.
Ann Lord Weber died Oct. 6. She and her late husband, Norm Weber, were married in 1983 and lived in Maplewood, NJ and later, in Chatham, NJ, and spent plenty of time at their vacation homes in Oak Ledge, Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire and Bird Key, Sarasota. For the past 20 years, they called Bird Key their full-time home, where they continued to enjoy boating, car shows, water activities, tennis, and socializing with good friends. She taught piano to many students over the years and was an accomplished pianist. She loved opera, classical music, choir music and watching old movies. As a gifted musician, she volunteered her time to play piano at church and special events, especially at the Bird Key Yacht Club.
Jim Whitman died Sept. 7. The “songmeister” of the Kiwanis Club of Longboat Key grew up in the home of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — Cleveland. He was never shy in sharing his musical prowess with the community. He would sing at Kiwanis meetings, perform at the annual Lawn Party and get on stage with Eddie Tobin at Euphemia Haye. Music was a huge part of his life.
Around town, he was known as Dr. Jim. Earning his medical degree in 1977, he specialized in psychiatry during his residency at Duke University, which he completed in 1982. He then returned to Wisconsin, where he met his future wife, Deborah Di Carlo. He was a regular at Town Hall, attending almost every commission meeting. When he returned, Di Carlo said he would type up a recap of the actions taken at the meeting and send it out in a newsletter to residents of his neighborhood, Sleepy Lagoon. He will be remembered for his contributions to the community and for brightening the rooms he was in with his talented vocal range.
Jean Brent Warren Yessin died on May 25. She was active in the Episcopal Church in Frankfort, the Daughters of the American Revolution, Red Cross, and she chaired the Central Kentucky Kidney Foundation for many years. A member of Tri Delta sorority, she graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1951, after which she and three classmates sailed on the "Queen Elizabeth" for a grand tour of the recently liberated continent. She returned many times. She and her husband, Rudy Yessin, first visited Longboat Key on their honeymoon more than 70 years ago. She lived to the age of 95.
Luther Archibald Youngs III died on May 17. He earned his medical degree in New Orleans and specialized in pathology. Youngs joined the US Navy and practiced pathology at naval hospitals across the U.S., including the Bethesda Naval Hospital, and served at the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in Washington. After retiring from the Navy as a captain, he and Andy settled in Lakeland, Florida, where they raised five children. While in Lakeland, he continued his career as a pathologist and practiced there for 35 years. Youngs pursued many passions in his life, many involving speed. He loved automobiles, especially his Morgan. He also sailed, was a pilot (including aerobatics), collected trains, and was a history buff. Luther rebuilt and piloted a Stearman, a biplane used for military training during World War II, now housed in a military museum. At retirement, Luther and Andy moved to Longboat Key, where they were both involved with St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Catholic Church. He continued his lifelong love of reading, which he still enjoyed at age 90.
