Obituaries – 02-08-2012

Phyllis Dean Arrison

Phyllis Dean Arrison, 85, of Bradenton Beach, died Feb. 2. She was born in Washington, D.C., and came to Bradenton in 1993 from Lakewood, N.Y.

There will be no services. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory-26th Street Chapel, Bradenton is in charge of arrangements. Memorial donations may be made to TideWell Hospice Inc. 5955 Rand Blvd. Sarasota FL 34238. Online condolences may be made at www.brownandsonsfuneral.com.

Mrs. Arrison is survived by son Douglas William and wife Doi of Washington, D.C.; daughters Dale Grossman of Ithaca, N.Y., Lynn and husband Chip Harrison of Morristown, N.J., Holly G. of Erie, Pa., Elizabeth and husband Roger Hurd of Amherst, N.H.; brothers John Dean and wife Shirley of Bradenton, Ralph Dean and wife Pam of Bradenton Beach; sisters Priscilla Painter of Reston, Va., Lois Courtney of Washington, D.C.; and 10 grandchildren.

Rev. John Clawson Bonser

The Rev. John Clawson Bonser, 73, of Bradenton, died Jan. 29. He was born May 15, 1938.

He attended the University of Tennessee and graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 1959. He received both a Bachelor of Divinity degree and a Master of Sacred Theology degree from the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg, Pa. He was ordained by the United Lutheran Church in America in 1962, and served three parishes in Pennsylvania.

After moving to Bradenton in 1977, he became a registered investment advisor with Raymond, James and Associates and was a certified financial planner.

The Rev. Bonser was an avid photographer and a co-op member of Island Gallery West for many years. He was an active member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Holmes Beach, and was involved with All Island Denominations and Inquiring Minds.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach. Inurnment will be in the Gloria Dei memorial garden. Memorial donations may be made to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 6608 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach FL 34217. Condolences may be made online at www.shannonfuneralhomes.com. Arrangements are by Shannon Funeral Home Westview Chapel, Bradenton.

The Rev. Bonser is survived by wife Susan; son Donald; daughter Amy and husband Matt Valenzisi; step-daughter Margretta Goodis; stepson William and wife Alyson Karow; brother Curtis and wife Jane; sister-in-law Catherine Raymond; grandchildren Sarah, Robert, Chase and Graham; and other extended family members and many friends.

Irene Neville Bystrom

Irene Neville Bystrom of Holmes Beach was born July 1, 1918, in Lincoln, Neb., and died at home Feb. 1, 2012.

She was born in the Nebraska governor’s mansion while her father, Gov. M. Keith Neville, served the state.

She grew up in North Platte, Neb., and attended public school in North Platte, Pass-a-Grille, Fla., and St. Petersburg, Fla. She earned an associated arts certificate in 1937 from Stephens College in Columbia, Mo., and in 1939, a bachelor of science in education degree from the University of Nebraska, where she was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority. After graduation, she was selected to be a countess for the 1940 Aksarben Ball.

Irene taught school in Ashland, Neb., before moving to Los Angeles in 1940 to attend the Sawyer Business School. In California, she met Roy Victor Bystrom, a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps. They were married July 25, 1942, in Las Vegas.  After the war, the couple resided in his hometown of Longview, Wash., before returning to North Platte to raise their family.

Mrs. Bystrom was involved in the Parent Teacher Association and served as a Camp Fire leader and Cub Scout den mother. She became active in the North Platte community, participating in the Episcopal Church Women, DAR, CAR, PEO, AAUW and the League of Women Voters. She taught Sunday school and assisted in fundraising efforts to preserve Buffalo Bill’s Scouts Rest Ranch and convert it into a state historical park. She also served the campaign to create the America’s Twentieth Century Veteran’s Memorial in North Platte. She also served Nebraska as an appointed member of the Nebraska Higher Education Facilities Act Commission, the Nebraska Tourism Committee and the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Post-Secondary Education.

An avid sportswoman, Mrs. Bystrom enjoyed hunting and fishing. She won the Nebraska Ladies State Skeet Championship in 1964.

In 1981, Mrs. Bystrom and her sisters – Mary Nel Sieman, Frances Newberry and Virginia Robertson – donated to the community the Fox Theater, North Platte, which had been built by their father. It became the Neville Center for the Performing Arts. The Neville sisters were honored with Cody Scout Awards for their contribution.

A lifelong Democrat, Mrs. Bystrom was active in all levels of the Nebraska Democratic Party.  She served as chair of the Lincoln County (Neb.) Democratic Party. She was a political organizer who worked tirelessly in many successful campaigns, including those for Governors Frank B. Morrison, J. James Exon and Bob Kerry. She served as chair of the Nebraska Women for John F. Kennedy in 1960. She was a member of the Nebraska Democratic Central Committee from 1960-68 and served as vice-chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party 1964-68 and co-chair of the Nebraskans for Robert Kennedy campaign in 1968.

In 1966, Mrs. Bystrom led a delegation to Washington, D.C.,  for the National Democratic Women’s Conference hosted by the White House; and attended the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. In recognition of her political activism, she was honored with a brick in the Plaza of Heroines at Carrie Chapman Catt Hall and the establishment of the Rice-Neville internship program, both at Iowa State University.

In 2006, she published her memoir, “Tagging Along,” as a gift to her children.

Memorial donations may be made to the Roy and Irene Bystrom Fund of the Mid-Nebraska Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1321, North Platte NE 69103; Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch, 2213 Avenue B, Bradenton Beach FL 34217; the Gulf Beaches Historical Museum, 115 10th Ave., St Petersburg FL 33706; or to the donor’s choice.

A sunset celebration of her life was held Monday, Feb. 6, in Holmes Beach and burial will be with her husband at Fort McPherson National Cemetery, Maxwell, Neb.

Mrs. Bystrom is survived by her children, Patricia Trowbridge and husband Daniel of Coronado, Cal., Keith and wife Dianne of Ames, Iowa, and Dr. William and wife Jeannie of Holmes Beach; grandchildren Mollie Stansbury-Lecomte and husband Ludovic of Paris, France; Christopher of Chicago; Elizabeth of Ames, Iowa; Logan, Connor and Trevor of Holmes Beach; and great-grandchild Prudence Irene Lecomte of Paris, France.

Thomas L. Shanafelt

Thomas L. Shanafelt, 64, of Bradenton, died Feb. 6 in Gainesville at Shands Hospital following a long illness and courageous fight. He was born Aug. 20, 1947 in Niles, Mich.

Mr. Shanafelt graduated from Manatee High School in 1965 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He served as a member of the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard in Washington, D.C. Following service to his country, he chose to serve his community and spent nearly 30 years as a law enforcement officer in Manatee County.

He started his career in Anna Maria, served with distinction as the chief of police for the Holmes Beach Police Department and retired as a deputy with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Visitation will be held 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, at Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory-43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd St. W., Bradenton. Memorial donations may be made to the International Myeloma Foundation, 12650 Riverside Drive, Suite 206, North Hollywood CA 91607 or online at www.myeloma.org. A service for family will be held at a later date in Bennington, Vt. Online condolences may be made to www.brownandsonsfuneral.com.

Mr. Shanfelt is surivived by his wife of almost 38 years, Linda (Graves); sons Thomas Lyle II and wife Joy of Bradenton and Louis Sloane and wife Lesley of Orlando; mother Katherine of Fort Collins, Colo.; brother Gary and wife Chris of Estes Park, Colo.; sister Kathy and husband and Gene Watkinson of Fort Collins, Colo.; grandson Thomas Lyle III; granddaughter Avery Grace; three nephews; a large extended family in Bennington, Vt.; and many friends.