AlALVIN “LEROY” HIERS, 69, passed away peacefully September 11, 2014 at VNA Hospice House in Vero Beach. He was born in Moultrie, Georgia and lived in Fellsmere for most of his life. Leroy was the owner/operator of United Irrigation. He was a member of Sebastian River Baptist Church, Sebastian, FL, past master of the Sebastian Masonic Lodge, the Brevard Shriners Club and was very involved in the Frog Leg Festival and many other activities in the Fellsmere community.
Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Barbara of Fellsmere, son Bobby Joe Hiers (Meghan) of Vero Beach, daughter Barbie Lynn Hiers-Spaulding (David) of Fellsmere, grandsons Zachary Hiers, Bobby Joe Hiers and Cody Spaulding, granddaughters Kylie Hiers and Caley Spaulding, sister Tiney White of Sebastian, brothers Bobby Hiers of Vero Beach, Lloyd Hiers of Melbourne and Dennis Hiers of Melbourne. He was preceded in death by three sisters and a brother.
Memorial contributions may be made to Visiting Nurse Association & Hospice Foundation, 1110 35th Lane, Vero Beach, FL 32960 or Shriners Hospital for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607 Attention: Development Office. Visitation will be 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM Thursday September, 18, 2014 at Central Assembly of God, Vero Beach, FL. A memorial service will be held 3:00 PM on Thursday September 18, 2014 at Central Assembly of God. Strunk Funeral Home (9/13/14)
ELEANOR HUMBER HULL, 92, of Vero Beach, Florida, went Home to be with her Lord on September 8, 2014.She was born August 29, 1922 in Coscob, CT and had been a resident of Vero Beach since 1995, coming from Stamford, CT.Mrs. Hull was of the Episcopal faith. She served as a foster mother and babysitter for many years.
She is a loving mother of seven children, Barbara Bryant (John, Jr.), Beverly Holmes Richardson (John), Elaine Improta (Michael), Eleanor Concilio (Dom), Nancy Morgani (Jack), William B. Hull, Jr. (Jane); 14 grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces. She was predeceased by her husband, William B. Hull; mother, Florence Humber; 2 sisters and 4 brothers.
A memorial service and inurnment will be held in Connecticut at a later date. Family requests contributions to Grace Rehabilitation Center of Vero Beach 2180 10th Ave., Vero Beach, FL, 32960, where she was a resident for 5 years. Arrangements are under the direction of Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach. An online guestbook may be signed at http://www.coxgiffordseawinds.com. (9/13/14)
FRANCIS J. MEJSTRICK 95 of Vero Beach peacefully took his last breath on Wednesday September 10 at high noon surrounded by his family. Frank was born in New York City on September 24, 1918 to parents Francis and Philomena. His family moved to northern New Jersey. He attended high school in Paterson New Jersey followed by 2 years of night school at Pace Institute in New York. In March 1942 he enlisted in the Navy. He attended Midshipman School at Northwestern University in Chicago in 1944. As fate would have it, he met this lovely young lady Edla from Rockford Illinois. They had a wartime romance, but marriage waited because immediately after Ensign Mejstrick finished Midshipman school he received orders to the South Pacific.
Frank was released from the service in 1946. He and Edla married and settled in East Orange New Jersey. Frank attended college at Seton Hall University at night and earned his B.S. in Accounting followed by an MBA. While he was busy working during the day and attending college at night Edla was busy with two children Peter and Carol. The family moved to Morris County New Jersey and Frank was employed by Suburban Propane Corporation in Whippany New Jersey. After more than 35 years, he retired as Vice President.
Edla and Frank moved to Vero Beach in 1991 residing in Forest Park where they enjoyed life. Edla passed away in 2002 and Frank moved to The Lakes at Pointe West 2005 now known as the Brennity. Frank served many years as a hospital volunteer, he was active in the Vero Beach Exchange Club where he served as Treasurer for a time, and he was active in the residents council at the Lakes.
Frank is survived by his two children Peter Mejstrick of Missoula Montana and Carol Lewis of Chipley Florida. Peter’s family includes his wife Loraine, a daughter Indigo, and two sons Soren and Anders. Carol’s family includes husband Michael, sons Morgan and Trevor, and daughters Caila and Abigail. Arrangements include a Memorial Service at the Cox-Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home on Tuesday September 16 at 2:30 pm followed by a reception at the Brennity at Pointe West at 4:00 pm. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, a charitable contribution be made to the American Heart Association. A guestbook may be signed at http://www.coxgiffordseawinds.com (9/13/14)
ANNIE MAE MANN, 85, went to be with the Lord on September 10, 2014 at Sebastian River Medical Center, Sebastian, FL. She was born in Tarpon Springs, FL and lived in Sebastian, FL for 33 years coming from Miami, FL. Annie was a member of Cornerstone Baptist Fellowship, Sebastian, FL. She was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother with a generous and caring heart, always showing concern for others.
Survivors include sons, Phillip D. Mann of Sebastian, FL, Daniel Mann and his wife, Marie of Keystone Heights, FL and William D. Mann and his wife, Denise of Lakeland, FL; daughters, Martha Kaszok and her husband, Stanley of Palm Bay, FL and Wanda Arma and her husband, Alberto of Sebastian, FL; 17 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Rodney Mann, Sr.; sons, Arthur Rodney Mann, Jr. and Robert Mann.
Memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, Kansas 66675 in memory of Annie Mae Mann. Visitation will be held 11:00 AM – 12:00 Noon, Monday, September 15, 2014 at Strunk Funeral Home, Sebastian, FL. Funeral Service will be held 12:00 Noon, Monday, September 15, 2014 at Strunk Funeral Home Chapel with Chaplain Patricia Heffernan, VNA Hospice, officiating. Interment will be at Sebastian Cemetery, Sebastian, FL. Strunk Funeral Home (9/13/14)
RALPH SEXTON passed away peacefully at the VNA Hospice on September 11, 2014 with his beloved wife Chris Dale Sexton and devoted poodle, Pierre at his side.
Born September 13, 1927, he was just two days shy of his 87th birthday which was declared Ralph Sexton Day by the Vero Beach City Council in 2006.
Sexton leaves behind four children, his son, Sean Sexton (Sharon), daughters, Katie McCall (Kevin), Hilary Kloska (Rob) and Jennifer Scent (Clyde), along with nine grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.
Ralph Sexton was the oldest son of Elsebeth and Waldo E. Sexton (deceased) and was the last surviving brother of three other siblings, Randy Sexton, Barbara Tripson and Jacquelyn Daley who is now the only living sister.
He was the patriarch of a large varied family who lived under the unmatched stature of Waldo whose presence is still felt in many of Vero Beach’s predominant landmarks.
Among the creations built by Ralph’s father were the Ocean Grill, The Patio Restaurant, Szechuan Palace, McKee Botanical Gardens and the Driftwood Inn as well as the infamous Waldo’s Mountain.
Ralph assisted building these enterprises with his father as a young boy of just twelve years of age. He earned his agricultural degree in Animal Husbandry at the University of Florida and was a rare breed of men who combined book learned knowledge with the sweat equity of hard work.
He was happy to continue to manage his beloved Treasure Hammock Ranch with his son Sean and grandson Mike Sexton. He started off each day at his kitchen table conferring with them about the ranch and their cattle before being driven to his office by his son-in-law, Clyde Scent at Oslo Citrus each day.
He continued working at both the packing house office as well as stood occasional sentry at the ranch until just this year.
Sexton was a passionate advocate for keeping the land and character of Indian River County as beautiful as it continues to be today. He was on the Planning and Zoning Commission for 22 years; championed beach re-nourishment through the decades and worked with the county to save agricultural lands from encroaching development.
Beyond his many business and community accomplishments, Sexton was a trusted and honest friend to so many and protector of all. His down to earth humor and his willingness to listen made him a father figure and best friend to everyone he met.
Although few may not know the name of Waldo Sexton, no person who ever met Ralph will forget him. His protective and welcoming personality was admired as much as was his unbroken ethic of hard work to accomplish his many goals.
He will be most missed at the numerous gatherings he and Chris held with family and friends to relive the days of their entwined lives or talk over the day’s happenings. Each person would always defer to his memory for any detail or forgotten name that will now go unrecalled.
A service to remember his life will be held at Community Church on Wednesday, September 17th at 3 pm. His family asks that in lieu of flowers donations be made to VNA Hospice, the Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation or the Indian River Charter High School Ralph Sexton Scholarship Fund. Strunk Funeral Home (9/13/14)
GEORGE ROBERT WEBSTER, 87, of Vero Beach, Florida, died Wednesday, September 10, 2014 at VNA Hospice House.George was born February 28, 1927 in New York City and had been resident of Indian River County for 34 years, coming from Pembroke Pines, FL. Prior to retirement he was Sales Manager for Sun Plastics in Hallandale, FL and then owner of Graph-Plex Signs in Vero Beach. George was a veteran of the United States Navy, having served during WWII.
He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Joyce E. Webster; son, Robert Lee (Denise) Webster of Sebastian; daughters, Caren (Clovis) Tondo of Parkland, FL and Lauren Marshall of Jacksonville, FL; 4 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, brother, John (Gertrude) Webster of Vero Beach; and sister, Dorothy Jensen of San Diego, CA.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, September 18th at St. Paul’s Church, 4700 Highway A1A, Vero Beach, FL. Interment will be at the South Florida National Cemetery, Lake Worth, FL Memorial contributions may be made to VNA & Hospice Foundation, 1110 35th Lane, Vero Beach, FL 32960. Arrangements are under the direction of Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach. An online guestbook may be signed at http://www.coxgiffordseawinds.com/ (9/13/14)
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