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Donald W. Rodgers, Bradenton
Donald W. Rodgers, of Bradenton, formerly of Lakeland, died March 29, 2004 at Blake Medical Center.
Born May 15, 1928 in Russiaville, Ind., Mr. Rodgers came to Bradenton from Lakeland in 1987. He was a machinist with Tropicana for 12 years. He was in the U.S. Air Force, a former member of the Friday Night Mixed Bowling League and a former member of the Moose Lodge in Lakeland.
Visitation is April 2, 1-2 p.m. at Gentry-Morrison Southside and a graveside service following at 2:30 p.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery.
Survivors include his companion, Shirley Ross, Bradenton; sons, Steve Rodgers and Phillip Rodgers, both of Bradenton, Ricki Rodgers of Lakeland, Donnie Rodgers of Savannah, Ga.; sister, Ellen Zakroski of South Bend, Ind. and 10 grandchildren.
John Caswell Jr., Palmetto
John Caswell Jr., 74, died January 23, 2004.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he moved to Palmetto one year ago from Maryland.
He served in the U.S. Army.
His son, Paul Caswell of Longboat Key; and two sisters, survive him.
Ellenton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Becky A. Clarke, Bradenton
Becky A. Clarke, 44, of Bradenton, died January 19, 2004.
Survived by partner, Linda Pawloski.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, February 7, 2004, at Brown and Sons Funeral Homes, 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd St. W., Bradenton.
Patricia Clarke Leonard Corson
Our beloved mother, Patricia Clarke Leonard Corson, gently passed away this January 21, 2004, in Pickaway County, Ohio.
Born in Detroit on May 21, 1922, to parents, Hilda and Lawrence Leonard, Pat was raised in Toronto, Canada, with her brothers, Maj. General William Leonard of the Canadian Armed Forces and Private Lawrence Leonard.
Astute and witty, she graduated valedictorian, from the University of Toronto, with a degree in Fine Arts and later lectured at the Art Gallery of Toronto. An early feminist and dedicated member of the League of Women Voters, she was a liberal-minded Democrat. Pat's lifelong interest in art, literature and politics, was shared by her loving husband, the late John R. Corson, and influenced their upbringing of seven children including Mark (wife, Talana) of Cleveland, Ohio; Christopher (wife, Carol) of Dallas, Texas; Mary Ann Ryder of Chicago, Ill.; Paul (wife, Nancy) of Circleville, Ohio; Gregory of Cincinnati, Ohio; Madeleine (husband, Thomas) of San Francisco, Calif.; and David (wife, Judy) of Bradenton. Pat enjoyed her 12 grandchildren and great-grandchild.
A skilled watercolor artist, Pat's thoughtful renderings of flora and fauna warm our homes. An appreciator of all creatures great and small, Pat's faithful Pekingese, Ching, continues to keep house with us. We will deeply miss our mother's playful sense of humor and artistic point of view.
Visitation: Wm. R. Hamilton Co., 820 E. Maple Road, Birmingham, Mich., Friday, February 6th from 5-7 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at Holy Name Catholic Church, 645 Woodland at Harmon, Birmingham, Saturday, February 7th at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery.
Further information, Wm. R. Hamilton Co., (248) 644-6000.
Clarence A. Drager, Bradenton
Clarence A. Drager, of Bradenton, died January 27, 2004.
A service with military honors will be in Beverley, N.J. Toale Brothers Funeral Homes is in charge.
Mr. Drager was a U.S. Army veteran, a Merchant Marine, belonged to Moose Lodge No. 1223 and the D.A.V.
He is survived by his wife, Anne.
Ruth E. Hammer, Bradenton
Ruth E. Hammer, 88, of Bradenton, formerly of Cape Coral, died January 30, 2004, at Manatee Memorial Hospital, Bradenton.
Private family service to be held at a later date. Griffith-Cline Funeral Home, Manatee Avenue Chapel, is in charge of arrangements. Memorial contributions may be made to Manatee Children's Services, 439 Cortez Rd. W., Bradenton, Fla. 34205.
Born in Wilmington, Del., on August 15, 1915, she came to Manatee County from Cape Coral, Fla. She was a homemaker. She was a Presbyterian.
Survivors include sons, James L. Hammer of Bradenton, and Thomas A. Hammer of Tampa; sister, Betty Rohwedder of Fort Myers; grandchildren, Andrea Shaw, Wendy Knuth, Kevin Hammer, Michael Hammer and Megan Hammer; great-grandchildren Austin Knuth and Samantha Shaw.
Charles Hardesty Jr.
Charles Hardesty Jr., 53, died January 29, 2004.
Born in Dover, Del., he lived most of his life in Manatee County. He served in the U.S. Army.
His wife, Shirley Hardesty; son, Charles Hardesty; two sisters; one brother; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren survive him.
Visitation will be held on Monday, February 2 at 6 p.m. at Ellenton Funeral Home, 3411 US Hwy. 301 N. in Ellenton. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 3, at 3 p.m. at Manasota Memorial Park, 1221 53rd Ave. E. in Bradenton.
Dr. Kermit Johnson
One thing could be said about Dr. Kermit Johnson, he believed in education and committed his life to it. His career in education and administration spanned more than 40 years at the university/college level in Illinois and Florida.
He was born in Schyler County, Ill., June 29, 1922. He graduated from Rushville High School in 1940. World War II, where he served as a war correspondent in Germany, interrupted his college career. He credited this duty as being the reason he survived the war.
He later earned degrees at Western Illinois University (WIU) and Bradley University (BU). Besides serving in the U.S. Army, he spent a short time as a Special Agent in the Federal Bureau of Investigations. He held several deanships at Bradley University and Manatee Community College (MJC). He was faculty sponsor for Phi Theta Kappa Honorary Scholastic Society at MCC for 25 years and selected as a Fellow in the National PTK Hall of honor.
He was elected to the Outstanding Educators of America, Who's Who In America's Colleges & Universities, and a member of the Association of Continuing Higher Education (now Emeritus). Dr. Johnson contributed several articles on higher education in America and spoke widely throughout the Southeast. He was an active member of Trinity United Methodist Church and served on the Board of Directors of Rubonia Day Care Center known today as Manatee Day Care Service.
Kermit and his wife Ruth recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, although his health was poor. He had suffered a heart attack not long after the death of his first daughter, Sharilyn Johnson Ritchie, the Palmetto high school teacher who was abducted and murdered in 1983. Truly, his heart had been broken.
Millic Lawton, 94, a former secretary of his said, "everybody loved him" and "you could not help but like him." Dr. Thomas Ganey, the family doctor, said, "Kermit touched my heart. He was warm, personable, always up and very intelligent. A patient like him made my job worthwhile." Tom chuckled remembering while making rounds at nursing homes he would see Kermit giving slide presentations or leading senior discussions.
He is survived by his wife, Ruth Hanson Johnson of Bradenton, and his sister Imogene Newell, 90, of Rushville. His second daughter, former Riverview High School teacher, Rebecca Burke, and son-in-law Robert live in Sarasota. His son, Kent, is a technical consultant at Phillips Service Industries in Detroit and lives with his wife Jan, in La Salle, Ontario. His granddaughters, Megan and Samantha Burke, are students at MCC and Sarasota Military Academy, respectively.
He will be loved and missed by his wife and all who knew him.
A celebration of life will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church of Bradenton on Tuesday, February 3 at 4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations in his honor to the Trinity UMC Scholarship Fund, 3600 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton, Fla. 34205.
Elizabeth "Bette" Klepper, Bradenton
Elizabeth "Bette" Klepper, 74, of Bradenton, died January 29, 2004, at Hospice House of Sarasota.
Visitation will be held Sunday, February 1, 2-4 p.m. at Griffith-Cline Funeral Home, Manasota Chapel.
Service will be held Monday, February 2, 11 a.m. at the funeral home, with Father Tom Stabile officiating.
Michael James, Nicholas, Holmes Beach
Michael James Nicholas, 76, of Holmes Beach, died January 29, 2004.
Born in Bronx, N.Y., Mr. Nicholas has wintered here from Middletown, N.J., for the last 45 years. He was an Federal Bureau of Investigations agent from 1951-1962; Vice President of Eastern Operations for Sea Land Service Inc. and selected the Chief Contract Administration Officer for the New York Shipping Association. Mr. Nicholas attended St. Bernard's Catholic Church, Holmes Beach, and was in the U. S. Marine Corps, World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Veronica, of Holmes Beach and Middletown, N.J.; daughters, Patricia McGinley of Tinton Falls, N.J.; Mary Elizabeth LaMura of Shrewsbury, N.J.; Anne Veronica Galbally of Blue Bell, Pa.; son, Michael James Nicholas Jr. of Atlanta, Ga.; sister, Alice McKeon of New Milford, N.J.; and eight grandchildren.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Southwest Florida, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, Fla. 34238. Shannon Funeral Home Westview Chapel in charge of arrangements.
