John Gentry Brannock
As the clock struck midnight at the end of Oct. 13, 2022, the world lost a bit of its charm. For the first time in almost 91 years, the terrestrial world turned on its axis without John Brannock as a passenger. John passed away peacefully at his home in Sun City Fla., kindly waiting for his sons, Steven, Mark and Robert to gather and share his departure to the next world.
John Gentry Brannock was born in Benton Harbor, Mich., on Jan. 27, 1932, the proud baby boy of Samuel Lee Brannock of Galax Virginia and Margaret Augusta Gentry (Gussie) Brannock of Mount Airy, N.C. He was the baby of the family, the last of four children of Lee and Gussie. His older brother, Lee, became his mentor and his older sister, Sarah (Sally), his caretaker and best friend as Gussie fell into ill health.
John loved and excelled at sports of all kinds. He played track, tennis and football at Benton Harbor High School, a proud graduate of the class of 1950. He went on to Hope College in Holland, Michigan, on a basketball scholarship. He had the sweetest jump shot and with it helped guide Hope to a national ranking as a junior and senior. After graduating with a degree in education from Hope in 1954, he entered the army and spent a year stationed in Germany, touring with the army basketball team all over Europe, playing all comers, including the Harlem Globetrotters. Later in life he honed his tennis and golf skills and shot his age dozens of times on various golf courses around Florida and Massachusetts. John’s golf game was the envy of his friends well into his late eighties. None of his boys could ever match him at either tennis or golf, although they sure gave it their best shot.
John married his childhood sweetheart, Jane Ann Talbot, on June 19, 1954, in Benton Harbor. Five boys soon followed, Steven, David, Mark, Michael and Robert. None could top his athletic ability but all shared his love of sports. Two of his happiest moments were sharing the Masters Tournament with his sons for his 80th birthday and a Michigan/Michigan State matchup at the big house in Ann Arbor for his 85th. Even a huge rainstorm and a Michigan loss could not dampen the spirit of the occasion.
John’s first loves were teaching and coaching. He taught history at Benton Harbor High School and coached the junior varsity football team to two straight undefeated seasons. He also coached the tennis team and helped the basketball team, which included his star prospect, Chet Walker, who went on to a Hall of Fame NBA career with the Philadelphia Seventy-Sixers. Long after he left teaching and coaching, John enjoyed nothing more than getting together for a reunion with his former students and athletes. He took considerable pride in watching them grow and succeed.
He then brought his outgoing personality to the business world, selling insurance and real estate for many years. A supremely talented salesman, he spent years traveling the country, conducting seminars on the art of selling. He had a reputation as a talented expert and lecturer, and his classes were always in demand. Perhaps his most interesting turn as a salesman was when he became part owner of the Spinal Column, a weekly newspaper in the suburbs of Detroit. He learned the newspaper business and sold the ads that kept it alive.
During his early career, John lived in Benton Harbor and then Farmington, Mich. Florida then beckoned and, from 1971 forward, he spent much of the rest of his life in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. After an interval in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, he retired to Sun City Center, Fla., in 2010, where he sold real estate and beat his friends on the golf course for many years.
In Sun City Center he met his late-in-life companion, Dindy Chandler. Dindy brightened his final years as they wined and dined and traveled the world together. John was a lucky man; no one could have had a better friend and companion than Dindy.
John is survived by three of his sons, Steve, Mark and Rob; eight grandchildren, Jessica, Matthew, Eric, Justine, Shayna, Lennon, Gentr, and Cashel; and two great-granddaughters, Amara and Aurelia. He loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and they returned his love, brightening his final days. John was predeceased by his parents, Lee and Gussie; his brother, Lee, and sisters, Nora Jo and Sarah; his sons, David and Michael; and great-grandson, Elijah Samuel.
The world’s loss is heaven’s gain. That sound you hear in the distance is likely John playing the ukulele and singing his favorite tunes with his son David. No one sang “King of the Road” better. John never met a person he couldn’t befriend, and he is doubtless charming all of heaven’s recent arrivals. By now he will have taken Queen Elizabeth for a spin or two around the dance floor. In between numbers, he will likely be seen talking country music with Loretta Lynn and giving acting advice to Angela Lansbury. By now, he knows all the ropes and is easing all the new arrivals into their new surroundings.
Details of a gathering in celebration of John’s life will be announced soon.
Magiline Bell Bubel
Magiline “Maggie” Bell Bubel passed away on Sept. 28, 2022, in Sun City Center, Fla., at the age of 77. She was born on Sept. 7, 1945, in Live Oak, Fla., and moved to Ruskin, Fla., in 1959. She was preceded in death by her husband, Mike; parents, Colon and Florine Bell; and sister, Edwina Folsom.
She was a longtime resident of Ruskin, Fla., where she worked for 50 years in the banking business and was loved by her many customers.
She is survived by her son, Marty (Laura Angier); son, Jimmy (Tiffany Geisler); her daughter, Loren Penny (Don Seward); sister, Katie Bell; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and caregiver, Beth Bergschneider.
Her Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2022 ,at Riverstone Church in Gibsonton, Fla., at 11 a.m. with fellowship lunch following the service.
Janet S. Selavka
Janet S. Selavka, age 89, of Sun City Center, Fla., was called by the Lord on Oct. 8, 2022. Janet said farewell peacefully from her home while in the loving hands of her husband, Carl Selavka, and their sons, Michael Phillip, Edgar Lester and Carl Matthew.
Janet was a lifelong educator. The youngest of two daughters, she was born March 1, 1933, to Edgar Smith and Ada Elizabeth Shaffer in Windsor, Connecticut. Janet graduated from Willimantic (CT) State Teachers College in 1954. As her career blossomed, she also obtained a Masters in Education from the University of Hawaii and an Academic Sixth-Year Degree from the University of Connecticut.
After her marriage on Dec. 19, 1953, Janet served as a proud “military spouse” to her favorite Army pilot, Carl, and taught in primary and secondary schools while he led Army aviation units in Germany, Hawaii, Kansas and Connecticut. Following Carl’s retirement as a lieutenant colonel, they settled in Middle Haddam, Connecticut. While raising her sons, Janet was the English department chair at Glastonbury High School (Conn.), vice principal at North Stonington (Conn.) High School (1980-1987) and then served as principal of Hopkins Academy (high school) in Hadley, Massachusetts, (1987-1994).
During her early years of retirement in Hadley (1994-2000), Janet had a supervising role with student-teachers from Westfield State College (Mass.) and scored National Evaluation Service tests to certify schoolteachers. She loved Duplicate Bridge, playing golf with Carl, sending cards with thoughtful messages to extended family and capturing special events in photo gallery books. Janet and Carl moved to Sun City Center, Fla., in 2009 to more conveniently continue their 25 years of N.Y. Yankees preseason passion.
Janet will be fondly remembered by Carl, her three sons, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, as well as the extended Smith and Selavka families throughout the US, as a caring, fun-loving intellectual who also enjoyed sports. Spiritual celebration of Janet’s life will be held at the Ruskin United Methodist Church soon. Contributions in Janet’s memory can be made to your favorite charity that helps Native American children – and those around the world – to learn and prosper.
William M. Warner
William M. Warner, a 40 year resident of Sun City Center, Fla., went to be with our Lord on Oct. 6, 2022. He was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Dec. 29, 1926, the son of Frances VanPatten and Samuel Erickson Warner. He is survived by his brother, Raynor Warner, and predeceased by his beloved wife of 57 years, Gail Osborn, and his sister, Patricia Ray. He leaves behind five children, Eric, Stephen, Kevin, Melissa and Kristen; eight grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.
He spent his childhood years in Daytona Beach, Fla., fishing, hunting, racing cars and landing airplanes on Daytona Beach until he served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. Upon discharge, he married his beautiful wife, Gail, and they raised three sons and two daughters. A career “Ad Man” he served as a creative director at major advertising firms in New York City for over 30 years. Noteworthy ad lines that Bill created are Thomas English Muffins’, “Nooks and Crannies;” Florida Citrus’, “A day without orange juice, is like a day without sunshine”; and Hertz Rental’s, “Let Hertz put you in the driver’s seat today.”
He was an avid fisherman, hunter and golfer and passed this love onto his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He and Gail served on many medical missions trips while members at Black Rock Church and Trinity Baptist Church. He was a faithful disciple of Christ and his greatest legacy is leaving behind a family that loves the Lord and desires to serve Him. Bill was a true gentleman and a father figure to many. His immense capacity to love others is fondly remembered through his signature trademark of passing out two dollar bills. He was an influencer before it was trendy. His unconditional love and support for his family and friends has left an indelible mark on their lives.
In his memory, contributions may be made to Word of Life, P. O. Box 600 Schroon Lake, NY 12870, Acct: John Reimer – #039405.
Linda Eleanor Sloat
Nov. 17, 1948 – Oct. 2, 2022
Linda Eleanor Sloat, age 73, of Apollo Beach, Fla. passed away on Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, at Moffitt Urgent Care in Tampa after a long battle with breast cancer. Linda was born Nov. 17, 1948, in Dearborn, Mich., to Charles and Margaret Nagy. She was a 1966 graduate of King High School.
She married Marcus Sloat on July 28, 1984, in Tampa, Fla. She worked as a lab supervisor at Brandon Hospital. Linda was a fighter; she defied all odds and lived her life to the fullest. She is survived by her husband; her three daughters, Cheryl, Kristin and Amber; her grandchildren, Justin, Jessica, Jasmine and Ruben; and her many great-grandchildren. She is reunited in Heaven with her predeceased daughter, Linda Couch-Hedlund.
Family and friends whose lives Linda touched are invited to her mass service at St. Anne Catholic Church, 106 11th Ave. NE, Ruskin, FL 33570. It will be on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 10 a.m. Immediately following will be a celebration of her life at the Firehouse Cultural Center, 101 First St. NE, Ruskin, FL 33570, to reminisce, grieve, support each other and, of course, just chat.
If you cannot attend the mass, you are more than welcome to watch the live stream at www.saintanneruskin.org/lindasloat/.
Please send all flowers and gifts to St. Anne Catholic Church.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.nationalcremation.com/location/ruskin for the Sloat family.
