Obituary
Howard V. Cashman
Howard Vincent Cashman, 88, of Holmes Beach and formerly of Hinsdale, Ill., died Nov. 26.
Born in Brockton, Mass., Mr. Cashman moved to Holmes Beach from Hinsdale in 1981. He was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II and fought as a company captain in the D-Day invasion at Normandy's Utah Beach. He was in the food service industry with John Sexton Foods, rising to vice president of marketing until his retirement in 1981.
Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach. Memorial contributions may be made to the Anna Maria Island Community Center, P.O. Box 253, Anna Maria FL 34216.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years Jeanette; daughter Nancy Edith Branka; sons Peter Christopher, Stephen John, and Paul Howard ; and five grandchildren.
Grace Rogers Cooper
Grace Rogers Cooper, 80, of Holmes Beach, died Nov. 25.
Born in Sharon, Pa., Ms. Cooper came to Manatee County from Washington, D.C., in 1973. She was curator of textiles at the Smithsonian Museum. She was a member of Backstage Ladies, GFWC, Womens Club of Anna Maria Island, NAVA.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Griffith-Cline Funeral Home, Island Chapel, is in charge of arrangements.
She is survived by sister Wilda Hodges of Haines City, Fla. Suzanne L. Darmenio
Suzanne L. Darmenio, 60, of Bradenton Beach, died Nov. 23.
Born in Grand Rapids, Mich., Mrs. Darmenio came to Manatee County from Tallahassee in 1994. She was a nurse hypno-therapist for Integrated Health Services of Florida.
There were no services. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of Southwest Florida, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota FL 34238. Griffith-Cline Funeral Home, Island Chapel, was in charge of arrangements.
She is survived by husband Greg; daughters Deborah Snyder of Bradenton Beach, Jennifer McCann of Bradenton and Sara Wormuth of Bradenton; son Christopher McCann of Los Angeles, Calif.; sister Judith DePew of Gulfport, Miss.; brothers James VerBerkmoes of Englewood, Michael VerBerkmoes of Traverse City, Mich., and William VerBerkmoes of New Albany, Ind.; parents Harold VerBerkmoes of Bradenton Beach and Betty Burton of Traverse City; and one grandchild. Helen Pruitt Swift
Helen Pruitt Swift, 91, of Holmes Beach, died Nov. 26.
Born in Decatur, Ill., Mrs. Swift was a former librarian. She worked in a library capacity in Manatee County with the bookmobile when it used to be the only library service on the Island. She then worked in the storefront library in the Island Shopping Center and was instrumental in launching the present Island Branch Library. She was also active in the Anna Maria Island Historical Society.
She was a founder of the Island Branch Library. She was its first librarian, helped found the Friends of the Library, and was probably its most faithful volunteer for many years.
A graduate of the University of Chicago with a master's degree in library science, she married industrialist Justin Swift and they lived in Evanston, Ill. They started coming to the Island in 1958 and moved here when he retired.
The only library service then was the bookmobile, and Justin Swift volunteered to help drive it. By 1965 a move had formed to get a real library on the Island, and Swift was there to ensure the movement was a success.
The Island Branch of the Manatee County Library System opened in 1982 and it was the chief beneficiary of her energy and intelligence over the years, winding up with her presidency of Friends of the Library in 1989.
A gathering of friends will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Dec. 15 at the Island Library. Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of the Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach FL 34217.
She is survived by sister Marjorie Whitley of California and several nieces and step-children. |
