Longboat Key Obituaries

Ruth Hample

Ruth Hemple, 93, of New York and Sarasota, died Jan. 4.

During World War II, Ruth worked as an educator at an Army depot in Buffalo, N.Y.

While raising her children in Elmira, N.Y., Ruth was involved in various organizations and boards in the community including the Jewish Community Center and Thursday Morning Musicals. In Florida, she was an active member of the Longboat Key Library. She was a founding member of the Sarasota Alzheimer’s Ambassadors and pioneered outreach to the medical, spiritual and civic communities on how Alzheimer’s affects people and their families. She enjoyed the arts, music and museums, and loved hosting dinner parties and being around people. She and her husband, Bob, were avid travelers and once hosted an exchange student from South Africa, whom they visited later in life.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Milton and Pauline; her husband, Robert; and brother, Baron.

She is survived by her children, Judith Russo, Heidi Hample and Mark Hample; two grandchildren; one great grandchild; and her brother, Sheldon.

A celebration of her life will be held at a later date at Brookdale Senior Living Sarasota Central, 4540 Bee Ridge Road.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Arnot Art Museum, 235 Lake St., Elmira, N.Y. 14901.

Marcia Carey Mott

Marcia Mott, 90, of Las Vegas, died Jan. 4.

She was born on Jan. 17, 1926, in Laurel, Iowa. While her husband, William Mott, worked with General Motors, the couple lived in Europe and Africa before retiring to Longboat Key and upper Michigan. The couple was married for 61 years.

Mott lived in Las Vegas for almost six years following William’s death.

She is survived by her three children, Barbara, Jane and Bill; their spouses, seven grandchildren; and seven great grandchildren.

A memorial celebration will be held at a future date on Longboat Key.

Patricia Tisbo

Patricia Tisbo, 90, of Barrington, Ill., died Dec. 9. 

She was born to Anton and Anna Ruth on Jan. 3, 1926.

She was a member of St. Anne’s Church in Barrington for 50 years. She was a volunteer at Sarasota Florida Memorial Hospital and Good Shepherd Hospital.

She enjoyed spending her winters on Longboat Key.

Patricia was an avid Chicago Cubs fan and enjoyed spending time with family, cooking and baking for them and sharing their holiday traditions.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Cosmo, her parents, and brother Tony Ruth. She is survived by her children, Tom, Peter, Linda Hamilton and Cindy Phillips; their spouses; nine grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Harley Whitfield

Harley Whitfield, 86, died Jan. 9.

He was born to Allen and Irma Cowen and grew up in Des Moines, Iowa.

He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1947 and attended Iowa State University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in science. He married his high school sweetheart, Syrena Kinneman, in 1951. He graduated from Drake University Law School in 1956 with honors following two years in the Air Force. During his last year of law school, he served as the executive vice president of the nationwide American Law Student Association, sponsored by the American Bar Association.

He was a practicing attorney for more than 40 years and specialized in business and corporate law. He spent his entire legal career with the Des Moines law firm of Whitfield and Eddy. He was a member of three bar associations, president of the Des Moines Jaycees and served on the Model Cities Board along with various other boards and organizations.

He spent summers on Iowa’s Lake Okoboji with his family. During retirement, Harley and Syrena spent several winters on Longboat Key.

He is survived by his four children; Melanie Carlson, Robert Whitfield, Harley Whitfield Jr. and Anne Frink; 11 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Memorial donations can be made to the Okoboji Yacht Club Sailing School, Inc., P.O. Box 544 Milford, Iowa, 51351.

Donald Wright

Donald Wright, 62, of Danbury, Conn., and 

Longboat Key, died Dec. 1.

Donald was born in the Bronx to Donald and Catherine.

He attended St. Nicholas of Tolentine Elementary school and enjoyed swimming competitively. After moving with his family to Mahopac, N.Y., he graduated from Mahopac High School and attended Westchester Community College and Pace University. He had a long career in accounting of royalties for major music publishing companies including EMI Music and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. He retired in 2002 after working as a mortgage broker in Danbury.

He had many interests throughout his life. He was the architect and designer of his home in Brewster, N.Y., and spent his vacations scuba diving in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean. He was a New York Yankees fan and attended many games with his son Michael. He spent summer weekends on Candlewood Lake on his pontoon boat, “The Wright Stuff.”

He moved to Longboat Key in 2015 and took advantage of being in nature. He spent time monitoring sea turtle nests, bird spotting and watching sunsets.

He is survived by his wife, Lee; son Michael; daughter-in-law, Jayme; his mother, Catherine Wright; brother Robert; sisters Deborah O’Donnell, Laura Irwin and Dorean Cazzari; daughter Kelley; and dozens of nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Help our Military Heroes Inc., 15 Pheasant Lane, Easton, Conn., 06612.