Donald Bruce ‘Don’ Dolan
Donald Bruce “Don” Dolan, 90, of Bradenton, died Sept. 12.
He was born July 28, 1928, in Skaneateles, New York, to William Russell and Edna Wilson.
Growing up on Skaneateles Lake, he excelled at competitive sailing.
After graduating from Hamilton College in 1950, he attended school at the University of Pennsylvania, earning a doctorate degree in dentistry in 1955.
He achieved the rank of captain in the U.S. Air Force, serving as a dentist. He earned his master’s in orthodontics at the University of Pittsburgh in 1967.
He practiced orthodontics and raised a family with his wife, JoAnn Jordan Dolan, in Lakeland.
He enjoyed reading nonfiction and listening to music from the Big Band era.
He encouraged his daughters’ musical interests and enthusiastically supported their education.
On moving to Anna Maria Island, he joined Roser Memorial Community Church and volunteered at the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota.
Arrangements were by Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory in Bradenton. Memorial donations may be made to the Special Olympics by calling 401-349-4900.
Mr. Dolan is survived by his daughters, Emily Dolan Murray and husband Andrew, Elizabeth and husband Stephen Kish and Patricia and husband Matthew O’Neil; grandchildren Julia Murray, Thomas Murray, Emma Kautz and Liam O’Neil; and step-grandchildren Zachariah Kish and Sara O’Neil.
Donald C. Ferguson
Donald C. Ferguson, 83, of Holmes Beach, died Sept. 19, in Plainsboro, New Jersey.
Born in Grand Island, Nebraska, he was a Trenton, New Jersey-area resident, before moving to Florida eight years ago.
In his youth, he enjoyed playing basketball, football and baseball.
He was in the U.S. Air Force, fought in the Korean War and was honorably discharged after serving 13 years.
He was a mechanical engineer and worked for Congoleum Corp. for 49 years, retiring as a vice president of engineering.
He held 21 patents and traveled all over the world helping manufacturing companies develop new technology for their plants.
He loved to spend time at the lake house he built with his family, friends and beloved dogs.
He was a devoted husband and beloved father.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Golden Retriever Rescue of Mid-Florida by visiting inmemoryof-memorial.org.
He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Renee; daughter Sandy and husband Richard Pearl; son Dave and wife Kathryn Fried; grandchildren, Hannah, Ashley and Brett; sister Carole and husband Ray Ovelman; and nephews, Dale, Daniel, Darren and Dwight.
William ‘Bill’ F. Snyder Jr.
William “Bill” F. Snyder Jr., 75, of Holmes Beach, died Sept. 9.
He was born July 14, 1943, in Trenton, New Jersey, and moved to Bradenton in 1957 with his parents, William F. Sr. and Madeline G. Bennett.
His parents owned Manatee Lumber for several years and he was employed by his parents until going to work for IBM in 1966 and again in 1973.
He graduated from Manatee High School in 1961. In November 1969, he married Patricia M. Taylor and they had one son.
In 1973, he relocated to Delray Beach to work for IBM a second time, transferring with IBM to Burlington, Vermont, in 1980 and then to Manassas, Virginia, in 1986.
Following a divorce, Mr. Snyder met Sheralyn Glaser and they were married in 1989.
In 1992, the couple relocated to Holmes Beach.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6, in the chapel at Mansion Memorial Park, also known as Groover Memorial Park.
Mr. Snyder is survived by wife Bev Goebel of Weeki Wachee; son Keith; step-son Mark and wife Heather of Warren, Ohio; step-son Scott and girlfriend Alyssa of Garrettsville, Ohio; two step-grandchildren; niece Kathleen Smith of Bradenton; nephews Charles “Mike” Gallagher and Christopher of Bradenton; and his dog, Maxwell Owen.