Ruth Louise Starke Burkhead
Ruth Burkhead, died Aug. 7 at age 100. She was born March 20, 1916.
She was a long-time resident of Holmes Beach, as well as a resident of Arcadia in Michigan, Evanston in Illinois, and Marine on St. Croix in Minnesota. Since July 2015, she resided at Colby’s Orchard House, Frankfort, Michigan.
Ruth graduated from Arcadia High School, in a town founded by her great grandfather. In 1938, she graduated from Michigan State University, where she was named to Mortar Board and Tower Guard academic societies and in her graduating year was crowned queen.
She moved to the East Coast to attend Johns Hopkins University and complete her dietetics degree.
She worked at Monmouth Memorial Hospital in Long Branch, New Jersey, where she met Howard, a family practice doctor. They married in 1943 and raised their family in Long Branch and Evanston.
In retirement they enjoyed both Arcadia and Holmes Beach.
Mrs. Burkhead was active in local education, library and church organizations. She was president of the Evanston PTA, board member of the Evanston Public Library and representative to the presbytery and to Mission Council and General Council of Presbyterian Church. Her vanguard belief in recycling led to creation of the first of many annual used-book sales in Evanston and Arcadia.
She and her husband loved to host international students attending nearby Northwestern University and they traveled extensively, including to India, Sweden, Spain, Greece, Ireland, Panama, Bahamas, Japan and they even climbed the Great Wall of China.
In retirement, Mrs. Burkhead founded the Arcadia Historical Society. On Anna Maria Island, she was a volunteer at the Artists’ Guild of Anna Maria Island, Island Players and the Island Library.
She was a member of the Roser Memorial Community Church in Anna Maria.
Her joys included watercolor painting and corresponding with her many friends around the world. When not volunteering, she could often be found reading in the local library.
Family members celebrated her life in a memorial service at Pilgrim Home Cemetery in Arcadia. Donations may be made to Friends of the Island Library, 5701 Marina Drive, Holmes Beach FL 34217.
Survivors include son Curtis and wife Marcy of Florida; daughters Judith Weiner of Michigan and Nancy Hauschild of Minnesota; son Bob and wife Gloria of Hawaiil; grandchildren and great-grandchildren Davita Burkhead-Weiner of Michigan, John B. Hauschild and wife Rachel and their sons Henry and Samuel of Minnesota, James Hauschild and wife Katherine of Minnesota, Shannon of California, Matt of Arizona and Jake of California.
Betsy M. Faulkner
Betsy M. Faulkner, 66, of Bradenton and formerly of Anna Maria Island, died Aug. 6.
She had a master’s degree in archaeology but chose to leave her field to have a stable home. She then became self employed and was an accomplished caregiver. Betsy was a friendly and intelligent person.
She was a parishioner at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Holmes Beach.
A service was held Aug. 12 at Shannon Funeral Home Westview Chapel in Bradenton. Condolences may be made online at www.shannonfuneralhomes.com.
She is survived by fiance Walter Zahn; nephew Matthew Wilson; many friends; and her cat, Beni and dogs Boo and Bocci.
Birdie Hinsey
Birdie Hinsey died July 17.
She loved her job at Rotten Ralph’s Restaurant and made customers and co-workers feel great just by flashing her smile.
Survivors include daughters Ngaio, Tandara and husband Peter Husted and Fredina and husband Stephen Scoles; and granddaughters Camryn Scoles and Freida Husted.
Glen Albert McDaniel
Glen Albert McDaniel, 47, formerly of Holmes Beach, died Aug. 1. He was born Jan. 8, 1969.
He worked at Shells restaurant for eight years as a waiter and even won a trip to the Kentucky Derby, where he sat next to Ivana Trump.
He loved animals and children, telling jokes and making people laugh. He was a great cook, singer and guitarist.
Memorial donations may be made to the Salvation Army in Bradenton.
Survivors include parents Alan and Kay Boyd Staymate and Glenn McDaniel; daughters Leandra McClellan and Dawn; son Shawn; granddaughter Alexis Hayes; sisters Melinda Powell and Amy Richter; longtime girlfriend Tricia Agle; and grandparents, four nephews, one niece, aunts, uncles and cousins.
Robert U. ‘Bob’ Nash
Robert Usborn “Bob” Nash, 85, of Anna Maria, died July 8.
He was born Jan. 8, 1931, in Salem, Ohio. He attended elementary and middle schools in Damascus, Ohio, and graduated from high school at Culver Military Academy in Indiana. He attended Youngstown University Youngstown, Ohio.
Immediately following his marriage to Margaret “Peggy” Menges Jan. 24, 1949, he went to work with his father and brother at L.W. Nash Company in East Palestine, Ohio, a firm that designed and manufactured machinery for the metals industry.
The company was purchased by Alcoa and later was moved to North Carolina. He retired as executive vice president with Alcoa and moved to Anna Maria in June 1977.
He worked for The Islander newspaper, H&R Block, with his wife in real estate, volunteered at Mote Marine Lab in Sarasota and supported many outdoor conservation organizations and activities.
He received the Bradenton Herald’s Crosthwaite Award as Manatee County Outdoorsman of the Year in 1989 for his efforts to have tarpon tagged, not killed, at that time a common practice in tournaments.
When he no longer had a desire to fish for tarpon, he donated his tarpon boat to Mote to be for research.
He was very fond of ice cream and birds. He was a fan of all sports, especially Manatee High School Hurricanes football and the Tampa Bay Rays.
He enjoyed the theater, concerts, traveling to preserves, state and national parks and most of all fly-fishing for smallmouth bass in Canada and fishing for crappie and blue gill in Lake Manatee.
Mr. Nash was an active member of Roser Memorial Community Church.
A service will be held in the chapel at Roser, 512 Pine Ave., Anna Maria, at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 4. Memorial donations may be sent to Roser, P.O. Box 247, Anna Maria FL 34216.
He is survived by wife Peggy; sister Patricia Couchenour and husband Jim; sister-in-law Betty; sons Ken and wife Linda, Clark and wife Paula, Cliff and Brian and wife Martha; grandchildren Moorgun, Gretchen, Lacey, Chelsea and Tyler; great-grandchildren Alex, Samantha, Tiffany, Brandon, Sebastian, Stella and Eva; several cousins; and many nieces and nephews.