JO-ANN BURNHAM – passed away peacefully on September 28th in her home in Vero Beach, Florida at age 79. Jo-Ann loved her family and friends most of all. She also loved art and sculpture, musical theater, a good joke, fresh flowers, good novels and traveling. She adored Christmas time, sunsets at Mountain Beach, and Champagne. Jo-Ann was born March 21st in 1935 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, where she grew up and attended Academy of the Sacred Heart. Jo-Ann continued her education at Michigan State University where she majored in education. As a member of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, Jo-Ann sang in their chorus and continued her lifelong avocation as a volunteer to help those in need.
In 1956 She married Robert Burnham and together they moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan and had five children: Heidi (Nick) Leone, Susan Burnham, Robert Burnham, Amy Elizabeth (Bobby) Tsironis and Catherine O’Connor.

Jo-Ann was an extraordinary and ambitious “domestic engineer”; running a chaotic and dynamic household while simultaneously managing to make valuable contributions to many other children’s lives, as well. For many years, she was a troop leader for the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, she held a post on the PTA, and volunteered time to help with sporting and cultural events at her children’s schools. Jo-Ann was renowned in the neighborhood for her formidable baking skills, and she also enjoyed tennis, golf, snow-skiing and summers at Mountain Beach on Lake Michigan with her family. In 1968 Jo-Ann began a 17 year career in the Human Resources department at Mazda Great Lakes, where she built lasting friendships. During this time she also became a Eucharistic Minister at the Catholic Information Center in Grand Rapids. She continued to volunteer time to help others at The United Way.

Jo-Ann loved to travel; after excursions to Japan, Italy, Spain, Switzerland Mexico and France, she loved to come home to sunny Florida where she put her feet in the warm sand. Jo-Ann moved to Vero Beach in 1992 and joined The Holy Cross Catholic Church and their Women’s Guild. She volunteered to became an usher at the Sunrise Theatre and enjoyed the cultural benefits of this position for five years. During this period Jo-Ann also made charitable contributions with her time to the Alzheimer’s Association and Hospice House. Jo-Ann was blessed to have a close and loving relationship with her Grandparents, who taught her so much about laughter and love. During her lifetime, Jo-Ann cherished and nourished loving relationships with her own children and grandchildren. She established and built lifelong friendships in high school, at MSU, Mazda Great Lakes, Mountain Beach and in Florida.

In Sept of 2012 Jo-Ann was diagnosed with cancer, and became a member of the Ovarian Cancer Alliance. She braved through the next two years of chemo therapy treatments together with her loving daughter Susie, and support from family and friends, especially her very dear friend Mike Andochick.

Jo-Ann was preceded in death by her parents James and Margaret Sharkey. She is survived by her siblings Sharon Bolen and James Sharkey, her five children, ten grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Jo-Ann has touched many lives with her loving generosity, and in the end, inspired those who were closest, with the peace of Jesus in her heart and bright light shining from her eyes.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on Friday October 3, 2014 at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Vero Beach. A memorial service will also be held on Columbus Day, October 13th at 9am at St. Robert’s Church.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ovarian Cancer Alliance of the Treasure Coast Group c/o Nancy Dustin at 412 West Temple Court, SW, Vero Beach, FL 32968. Strunk Funeral Home (9/30/14)

NICHOLAS ANTHONY COPPOLA, IV – Viewing – Sunday October 5, 2014, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM at Strunk Funeral Home, 916 17th Street, Vero Beach; Prayer Service – Sunday October 5, 2014, 7:00 PM at Strunk Funeral Home; Mass and Christian Burial – Monday October 6, 2014, 10:00 AM at St. Helen Catholic Church, 2000 20th Street, Vero Beach. Strunk Funeral Home (9/30/14)

PHILIP RUBIN – After a short illness, on September 24th, 2014 in Vero Beach, FL. Predeceased by his wife, Barbara. He is survived by his children Seth (Heidi Helf) Rubin, Ferne (George) Uschold, and Cliff Rubin; granddaughters Carissa Uschold, Rebecca (Dave) Vincent, Amanda Uschold, Madelyn (Matt) Ziino, Sara Uschold, and Lisa Rubin; great grandsons Jackson and Henry Vincent; brothers Jack (Phyllis) Rubin and Al (Arlene) Rubin; as well as many dear family and friends.

Philip grew up in Brooklyn, NY. He received his MD from the State University of New York, College of Medicine in New York City. He did his residency in Therapeutic Radiology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After heading the Radiation Therapy Service at the National Cancer Institute he was recruited to the University of Rochester where he founded and chaired the Department of Radiation Oncology from 1957 to 1996. During his career he received numerous awards and distinctions, among them the Gold Medal from the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in 1984. His passion for the field will leave a lasting imprint through his more than 250 articles, landmark text publications and notably, the founding of The International Journal of Radiation Oncology, Biology and Physics [‘The Red Journal’].

As dedicated as Philip was to his professional work, he also brought great zeal to his sporting interests including tennis, skiing, and sailing. He and his wife, Barbara, loved the arts, and were avid world travelers who embraced the multicultural experience with enthusiasm. His fervent desire to explore and discover in his field and life will be carried on through all those he has taught and loved during his time.

A special thank you to the wonderful aides from Douglas Health Services in Vero Beach who took care of him in his final days.

A memorial service will be held Thursday, October 2nd, 4:00pm at the Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Avenue, Rochester. Donations in his honor can be made to the Department of Radiation Oncology, and sent to attention of Monica Lewis, Wilmot Cancer Institute, 300 East River Rd. Box 278996, Rochester NY 14627. Lowther Funeral Home (9/30/14)

RICHARD CLYDE WILLIAMS, 74, died September 27, 2014 at Consulate Health Care of Vero Beach in Vero Beach. He was born in Vero Beach on January 21, 1940 and was a lifetime resident. Richard was the gardener, landscaper and all around handyman for Pine Tree Condominiums for 38 years.

Survivors include his wife, Carleen Williams of Vero Beach, daughter Latoshia Hubert of Niagara Falls, New York, sons Rodney Williams of Fort Pierce, Craig Williams of Palm Beach and Richard Williams, Jr. (Gloria Robinson) of Fort Pierce, granddaughters Clarissa Williams and Jennifer Taylor (Antonio), grandsons Terell Hubert, Rodney Williams, Richard Williams, II (Savanna) and Demontraye Jordan (Helena), seven Great-grandchildren, sister Elizabeth Gibson,sister-in-law Rose Gibson, special friends Glenn Simmons, Candy McKenzie and Sheila Kline He was preceded in death by his sister Leola Cummings and mother Francis Hogan.

Visitation will be held 5 to 7 PM on Friday, October 3, 2014 at Strunk Funeral Home, Vero Beach. Funeral services will be held 2:00 PM Saturday, October 4, 2014 at Strunk Funeral Home. (9/30/14)

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