The Islander is a free weekly community newspaper serving Anna Maria Island. There is no charge for our standard obituary, including survivors, services, photo and other lifetime information for present and former residents of Anna Maria Island and people with affiliations on Anna Maria Island.
It’s an honor for us to provide this service to our readers…
Bonner Joy, Publisher. news@islander.org
Doris Marie Silverthorn
Doris Marie (Leindecker) Silverthorn, 94, of Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, and formerly of Bradenton Beach, died June 2.
She was a beloved mother, grandmother and friend. She was born Sept. 8, 1930, in Quincy, Illinois, to Robert and Florence (Feld) Leindecker.
She spent her early years in Quincy and Bradenton, and later attended the University of Minnesota. A proud graduate of Quincy High School, class of 1948, she soon-after relocated to Florida, where she met and married on July 10, 1951, the love of her life, her husband of 50 years, Philip Silverthorn of Cortez.
She worked for several banks in Manatee County and also contributed her production talents to community weekly newspapers on Anna Maria Island, first for Don Moore at The Islander and again for Bonner Joy at The Islander newspaper and later at The Highlander newspaper in Highlands, North Carolina.
She often talked about living as a child with her family in a tent in the winters at what is now the Pines Trailer Park, traveling to school over the old wooden bridge to Cortez, and spending rainy days with family friends, the Monroes, in their cottage in Bradenton Beach.
That cottage was moved to Cortez and now serves the Cortez Cultural Center.
She served the city of Bradenton Beach as city clerk in the 1970s.
Husband, Phil, served Bradenton Beach as chief of police in the 1970s-80s.
After retiring in 1987, Doris and Phil moved to Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, where she found joy in volunteering at the Highlands-Cashiers Hospital for 13 years.
She spent many winters in Bradenton Beach with friends and family.
A devoted homemaker, Doris found her greatest joy in her family and the simple pleasures of life, such as camping, spending time outdoors, cooking, sewing and quilting. Her warm heart, adventurous spirit and generous nature touched all who knew her. She will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.
Both Phillip and son, Phillip Jr., preceded her in death and, as the pioneering woman she was, she survived for many years either alone or with Joseph, a mini-schnauzer, in her cabin on Scaly Mountain.
We considered her a “firecracker of the finest kind” at The Islander newspaper and son Gary agreed, saying she was “a feisty ol’ gal.”
She kept many us on our toes on Facebook.
Guests can plant a memorial tree or leave condolences online at bryantgrantfuneralhome.com.
She is survived by her children, Susan of Scaly Mountain and Sheri Fannon and Gary, both of Bradenton; grandchildren Nicole Mears, James Fannon, Gary Jr., Kaitlyn Grosse, Anna Maria and Eva; and nine great-grandchildren: Sophia, Nicholas, Annaka, Mila, Ryker, Hazel, Raidyn, Kali and Layla.