Edward Schafer
Edward Schafer, 97, passed away on Feb. 25, 2023, at his home in Sun City Center, Florida.
Pastor Ed, who was born Dec. 17, 1925, in Hazel Park, Michigan, to William and Flossie Schafer, was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Irene, Theresa, Edna; and brother Bill. He is survived by his wife Judy; daughters, Joanne (Dennis) Watson and Carol Corcoran; eight amazing grandchildren, Rebecca, Laura, Heidi, Joy, Danny, Christine, Melody and Carrie; 25 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
After serving in World War II, Ed attended Moody Bible Institute where he met his beloved wife Judy. After graduating from Moody and Northern Baptist Seminary in Chicago, he began his ministry as a pastor. Having a call to serve smaller churches within the Baptist General Conference, he started the Cornerstone Family Church in Byron, Illinois, and then served congregations in Illinois, South Dakota, Indiana, Florida and, finally, as associate pastor at Trinity Baptist in Sun City Center. He retired from ministry at age 90.
Pastor Ed had a heart for family camp, leading congregational singing and visiting the sick and shut-in (he held services at Plaza West for over 20 years). His family will always remember him as a prayer warrior, praying every morning and evening for them by name.
A memorial service was held at Trinity Baptist Church on March 6. A military honor service will be held at Sarasota National Cemetery in May. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Timothy Initiative at www.ttionline.org/.
Richard Ross Weidel
Richard Ross Weidel, 83, born in Brooklyn, New York, currently of Sun City Center, Fla., passed away peacefully on Feb. 18, 2023, at Lifepath Hospice with his wife by his side.
He is survived by his loving wife of 33 years, Sheila Weidel nee Marck; his children and step-children, Christian Weidel, Nicole Essel, Wendy (Lonnie) Berryman nee Weidel and Jason (Shannon) Essel; grandchildren, Elizabeth and William Rush and Gavin Essel; sister, Virginia (Charles) Tammara; many in-laws, Eva Weidel, Marlene Shoemaker, Kathryn (William) Fair, William (Donna) Marck; and many nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Genevieve (Robinson) Weidel, and brothers, Thomas and Arthur (twins) and Robert Weidel.
He graduated from Alden High School, then New York University. He went on to serve in the Army as a medic. He then went on to have a very successful career in commercial real estate as a portfolio manager for Equitable and AFCO in New York, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and as far away as Croatia. He also loved to paint in oils vibrant sea life paintings.
A Celebration of Life is planned on March 17 at 11 a.m. at Calvary Alive, 1250 E College Ave., Ruskin.
Contributions in Richard’s memory may be made to Lifepath Hospice – Chapters Health Foundation, 12470 Telecom Drive, Suite 300W, Tampa, FL 33637. Arrangements by Zipperer’s Funeral Home.
Neil Cone
Neil Cone, 80, passed away peacefully on March 2, 2023, after battling a long illness. Neil was born March 9, 1942, in Randolph, Vermont. Neil graduated from high school in Northfield, Vt., and joined the United States Navy as a fire control technician with the honor of serving his country.
After serving his country, Neil worked as a carpenter with both his father Bernard and surviving brother, James Cone. He then settled in Williamstown, Vt. He became an electrician and a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, a trade and business he excelled at, ultimately purchasing Peck Electric Company where he led the company for many decades.
Neil retired to Venice, Fla., with the love of his life and wife, Diane “Laliberte” Cone. Neil and Diane eventually settled in Sun City Center, Fla. He was a loving, honorable, hardworking man with a wonderful quick-witted sense of humor. This is how those who loved him will remember him. In retirement he loved doing home projects with Diane and enjoyed spending time with his family and fishing with his buddies.
He was preceded in death by his father, Bernard Cone; mother, Geneva “Lemary” Cone; and sister, Nancy Brown. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife, Diane “Laliberte” Cone; brother, James Cone; and three children whom he loved with all his heart, Jason Cone, and his wife Holly, Duncan Cone, and his wife Tammy, and Laura Shotzberger, and her husband and “his best buddy,” Keith Shotzberger. He is also survived by his two stepsons, Harvey Peck, and his partner, Michelle Ratta Garner, Jeff Peck and his wife Krista Peck; and grandchildren, Jessica Jodoin, Scott Hill, Nathan Cone, Anthony Cone, Cody Cone, Chelsea Germaine, Skyler Peck, Alex Peck, Adam Peck and Katelyn Peck; and many great-grandchildren who made his eyes spark every time he saw each one of them.
He will be forever in our hearts, and we know he is watching over us and enjoying some fishing with his buddies. We would like to extend our appreciation to Inspired Living Assisted Living in Sun City Center for the love and care they provided to Neil during his residency there as well as the care and grace that Lifepath Hospice provided in his passing.
Carolyn L. Duffy
Carolyn L. Duffy passed away at her home in Apollo Beach, Fla., on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023. Born in Toledo, Ohio, to Clayon Adair and Ione Adair (nee Duffy), she graduated from Swanton High School and went on to work in a number of varied positions, from the restaurant business to switchboard operator, before moving to Florida in 1971.
She then worked for Maas Brothers as secretary to the Credit Department manager, then as a pre-school teacher and then to the Sun City Center Inn as manager of the South Course Country Club. During the winter the Ben Sutton Golf School would hold its golf lessons at the golf course that Carolyn served. Mr. Sutton was so pleased with the care she gave the professionals and the students that he invited her to join the school for a whole week of lessons at no charge. She took to the game quickly, and, thereafter, enjoyed playing with her husband and her children.
Carolyn spent her last 25 working years assisting her husband Robert in building his securities brokerage firm. There, one of her popular ideas was having annual Christmas parties for the clients and those parties became the talk of the town. Clients were treated to a table-full of homemade cookies, date and nut bread, cranberry walnut loaf, cream puffs, a shrimp tree and lots more. She was a kind person, and on more than one occasion when a client died and the family was coming from out of town, she cooked an entire meal for them all, gravy included, and brought it to their home.
Her family was always most important to her, as she taught her four children to be honest, fair and hardworking. She treated her grandchildren to pancakes in the form of their names, and then she would teach them how to cook.
Carolyn is survived by Robert (her loving husband of 40 years); son, Rocky Campbell (Tamre); daughters, Sherry Barrios (Steve), Jennifer Leal (Hector) and Roberta Taylor (Steve); and her grandchildren, Meranda Campbell, Steven Taylor (Megan), Kelsey Ross (Curtis) and Lauren Benckenstein (John); step-grandaughter, Natsha Lambertson (Frank); her great-grandchildren, Paisley, Marlee, and Hunter Ross; and step-great grandchildren, Jackson and Hailey Lambertson. She is also survived by her brother, Orville Adair, and her sister, Margaret Baker.
She was pre-deceased by her parents, Clayton Adair and Ione Adair (nee Duffy); her brother, Donald Adair; her sisters, Marain German (Monte) and Sharon Guthrie (Ed); and her sister-in-law, Ruth Adair (Orville).
Carolyn will be long remembered and loved by all who had the great pleasure of knowing her.
The Funeral Mass will be held at Prince of Peace Catholic Church, Sun City Center, Fla., on March 11, 2023, at 10 a.m.
Nancy Morse
Nancy (Andrews) Morse, formerly of Kennebunkport, Maine, and Sun City Center, Fla., passed away in Bangor on Feb. 23, 2023, with family at her side.
She was born Feb. 15, 1939, in Lubec, Maine, to Warren and Rebecca (Ackley) Andrews. Nancy was a graduate of Lubec High School and Washington State Teachers College and earned her master’s degree at University of Maine, Orono.
Once a schoolteacher, Nancy was a staunch believer in education and espoused the merits of living frugally. She was never shy to share wisdom or regale nieces and nephews with tales of her adventures. She and her husband Donald traversed the globe exploring the histories of all its corners. Their most notable stories came from the Arctic Circle, the islands of Guine and across South America.
She was an active philanthropist; avid golfer, who shot a hole-in-one; and doting aunt. Throughout the decades, she spent summers in Maine sharing lobster dinners and raucous card games with her siblings and their families, neighbors and friends. In winter, she and Donald would cross the country to Florida with their cats Sweetpea, Tasha and Tara in tow. They fostered community connection with the Donald and Nancy Morse Sun City Community Hall, Sun City Center, Fla.
In addition to her husband, Donald M. Morse, and her parents, Nancy is predeceased by her siblings, Valorie Hall, Frank Andrews, Bertha Johnson and niece, Becky Johnson.
She is survived by her immediate family, brother-in-law, W. Lawrence Hall; niece, Cynthia H., and husband, William Collins; great-nephew, Sean and wife, Stacey Collins; and great-niece, Katherine and husband, Robert Cook. Nancy is also survived by three nieces and four nephews, Sharon Puig, Robin Andrews, Terry Andrews, William L. Hall Jr., Thomas T. Hall, Damien Andrews, G. Warren Johnson and several great- and great-great nieces and nephews.
Special thanks and appreciation go out to Sylvia Ross Home, Loving Touch In-Home Care and Gentiva Hospice for their loving care of Nancy.
Burial will be at the Arundel Cemetery, Kennebunkport, Maine, at 1 p.m., Friday, May 5, 2023. Reception to follow at the First Congregational Church Annex, Kennebunkport.
In lieu of flowers, those who wish may donate to Nancy’s philanthropic passion, Sweetser.
Condolences may be expressed at Birmingham Funeral Home.