George Thomas Eatman
George Thomas Eatman died Sept. 12 in Bradenton.
A fifth-generation Floridian, he was born May 8, 1939, in Arcadia, to Claude and Frances Eatman.
He was a 1957 graduate of Lakeland Senior High School and a 1964 graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War and continued military service until 1991, when he retired as a captain in the Navy Reserves.
He lived and loved Atlanta, where he established lifelong friendships and his architectural career flourished. He worked on numerous private and public projects throughout the world and earned a multitude of awards for professional and community accomplishments. He was a partner with Emily Anne Smith in Eatman & Smith Architecture in Bradenton Beach.
He retired to Bradenton. During this time, he continued to apply his architectural talents on Anna Maria Island.
Services were held Sept. 17 in Lakeland.
He is survived by brother Richard and wife Ann; nephews Richard Jr. and wife Amy and Michael; and niece Rebecca and husband Jim Cherry.
Revered Playboy editor, Holmes Beach resident dies
Gretchen Edgren
Gretchen Edgren, 84, a longtime Playboy magazine editor, died Sept. 16 at home in Holmes Beach.
Before her semiretirement to Florida in 1992, Ms. Edgren was a senior editor of Playboy, and subsequently served as contributing editor until 2013. She was the author of five coffee-table books about Playboy, its Playmates and the Playboy Mansion.
She was born Gretchen Grondahl March 17, 1931, in Portland, Oregon, and was a member of the Pendleton High School class of 1948. After graduating with a degree in journalism from the University of Oregon, she worked on newspapers The Oregonian in Portland and the San Juan Star in Puerto Rico.
Ms. Edgren moved to Florida in 1992 from Oak Park, Illinois, where she was a president of the Civic Arts Council, served on the boards of the Oak Park Concert Chorale and Village Players and sang with the Oak Park Concert Chorale, Heritage Chorale, Civic Symphony Chorus and the choirs of St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, Oak Park, and Grace Lutheran Church, River Forest.
In Florida, she joined the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus, Musica Sacra Cantorum and the choir of the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation. She was a member of the board of directors of Anna Maria Island’s ecumenical group All Island Denominations and was active in local chapters of Phi Beta Kappa and Delta Delta Delta. She and her late husband, Alvin “Bud” Edgren, served for a dozen years as coordinators of the Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch program.
She was featured on several occasions in The Islander newspaper, and often contributed ideas and editing skills to the newspaper.
A service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Episcopal Church of the Annunciation, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach.
Memorial contributions may be made to the church, 4408 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach FL 34217; the Anna Maria Island Concert Chorus and Orchestra, P.O. Box 1213, Holmes Beach FL 34218; Musica Sacra Cantorum, P.O. Box 50581, Sarasota FL 34232; Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch, 2214 Ave. B, Bradenton Beach FL 34217; or WSMR Radio, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa FL 33620-6870.
Survivors include a daughter, Amy McNeese-Mecham of Edinburgh, Scotland; son Terence J. McNeese of Chicago; sister Molly Beiningen of Milwaukie, Oregon; stepchildren Amanda McNeese of Jonestown, Texas; Karl Edgren of Canton, Connecticut; and Cathy Raymond of Wood Dale, Illinois.
Editor’s note: With credit to her impeccable style, Ms. Edgren wrote her obituary and planned her service, including a band for the celebration of her life, and she did it all — date specific — months before she died, according to her good friends, the Upshaws.
Alvin L. Kipp
Alvin L. Kipp, 86, of Anna Maria and formerly of Haines City, died Sept. 14.
Mr. Kipp had lived in Anna Maria since 1960.
Services were held Sept. 18 at Brown and Sons Funeral Homes and Crematory in Bradenton.
Martha P. Kouns
Martha P. Kouns, 77, died Sept. 7.
She was born in Coffeeville, Mississippi.
After moving to Memphis, then to Miami, she settled in Wauchula.
After raising her family in Wauchula, she moved to Anna Maria Island in 1986.
She was a mail carrier and retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 2008.
She enjoyed traveling, her grandchildren, sunsets and she was an avid reader.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at First Baptist Church of Wauchula. Donations may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice of Sebring or the Alzheimer Organization.
She is survived by son Todd and wife Sherri; their children, Holly, Heather Kouns and Savannah Faircloth; daughter Mandi Nye and husband John; and their children, Haley and Jacob.
Songstress Connie Pritchard’s celebration of life Sept. 27
Connie Jayne Ferguson Pritchard
Connie Jayne Ferguson Pritchard, 58, of Holmes Beach, died Aug. 29.
She was long known for entertaining islanders at various venues with her husband, Scott Pritchard, as the duo Connie & Scott.
A celebration of life, including live music and refreshments and food, will begin at noon Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Anna Maria Community Center, 407 Magnolia Ave., Anna Maria. Everyone is welcome to attend. It is expected to wrap up at about 6 p.m.
The tribute to her life and her love of music and family will include appearances on stage by Billy Rice with Rick Fass and Al Marnie, Koko Ray and Karma, Karen Klarich and Jimmy Lally, The Gumbo Boogie Band, Concrete Edgar and, of course, Scott’s Garage.
Proceeds from donations and raffles will go to Connie’s family for outstanding medical expenses and a donation to Tidewell Hospice.
Mrs. Pritchard is survived by husband J. Scott; daughter Dixie; son Jesse; brother Jimmy and three grandchildren.
Barbara L. Tyler
Barbara L. Tyler of Anna Maria died Aug. 20.
She was born Sept. 28, 1944, to Bernard and Anna (Robbins) Denno in Ticonderoga, New York. She was the eldest of 15 children.
She worked many years as a nurse in New York and Florida. More recently she was a hostess at the Sandbar Restaurant in Anna Maria.
She was an island resident for more than 25 years and especially enjoyed the Cedar Avenue beach in Anna Maria.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 248 S. Harbor Drive, Holmes Beach. Memorial donations may be made to a charity of choice.
She is survived by husband Gary; daughter Tammy Cronan of Palmetto; two grandsons; 12 siblings and their families.