Longboat Key Obituaries: Oct. 12, 2017

Fred Marsh

Fred Marsh, 70, of Longboat Key and formerly New York City, died Oct. 4.

Mr. Marsh was a shoe designer and the owner of several stores in Manhattan. He was a man of many talents and interests.

Mr. Marsh is survived by his wife, Ann Caruso Marsh.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Multiple Systems Atrophy Society at crowdrise.com/fred-marsh-memorial-fund.

Betty Lassiter

Betty Lassiter, 86, of Orlando, died Sept. 9.

She was born on Aug. 12, 1931, in North Carolina. She grew up in Jacksonville and graduated from Landon High School in 1949. She attended Stetson University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and education in 1954. During her junior year, she met Richard Lassiter, and they were married in September 1954. They settled in Orlando and joined the First Baptist Church.

Mrs. Lassiter was an active volunteer in her church as a Bible study teacher and missions coordinator. In 1983, Mrs. Lassiter became the volunteer director of the International Ministries program at the church. She taught conversational English to immigrants and refugees. She helped them find jobs, locate housing and served as a counselor. At one time, the program was the largest in the United States.

Mrs. Lassiter was able to visit almost every state in the continental U.S. as well as several foreign countries. Her favorite destinations were beach trips to Longboat Key, Ridgecrest, N.C., and Lake Louise in Canada. Her family also made trips to Japan and Singapore to assist in missionary ministries.

Her later years were spent traveling with her husband to Western Europe and spending time at the family cabin in North Carolina.

Mrs. Lassiter was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Richard.

She is survived by her three children, Laura Jeanne Giese, Richard Williams Lassiter and John Thomas Lassiter; their spouses; six grandchildren; and a wide circle of extended family and friends.

Memorial donations can be made to the First Baptist Church of Pine Castle, 1001 Hoffner Ave., Orlando, FL 32809, or to Casa David at P.O. Box 432, Sorrento, FL 32776.

David Leach

David Leach, 62, of Sarasota, died Sept. 21.

He was born on Oct. 29 in Pennsylvania and moved to Maine with his family when he was 9.

Mr. Leach graduated from Orono High School in 1972 and received his Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from the University of Maine in 1976.

In 2004, his career led him to Sarasota, where he met his wife, Donna. The two married in June 2005.

Mr. Leach held positions as director of project management and director of engineering at the Resort at Longboat Key Club and construction consultant with Ajax Consulting Services.

He was a member of Remnant Church of Sarasota and remained connected with South Shore Community Church, where he was a youth leader.

Mr. Leach was a New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox fan.

Mr. Leach is survived by his wife, Donna; stepdaughter Codi Auten; parents Roger and Thela Leach; daughters Kate and Joana; their spouses; three grandchildren; sisters Jan and Nancy; brothers Rod and Scott; their spouses; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 14 at South Shore Community Church, 1899 S. Tuttle Ave., Sarasota.

Memorial donations can be made to Team Tony Cancer Foundation in Sarasota at donate.teamtony.org or The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Cancer Center, DUMC 3624, Durham, NC 27710.

Robert John McFarlin Sr.

Robert McFarlin, 87, of Duluth, Minn., and previously of St. Louis Park and Wayzata, Minn., and Longboat Key, died Sept. 24.

Mr. McFarlin was born on Dec. 3, 1929, in Pennsylvania and was a graduate of Withrow High School, the University of Delaware and the University of North Dakota. Mr. McFarlin had a career as a bridge designer and was an advocate for the engineering profession, with design work found in more than 250 street, highway, pedestrian, railroad and light rail bridges across 13 states. He was the first professional engineer elected to the Minnesota Legislature. He was a member of St. George’s Episcopal Church and All Angels by the Sea Episcopal Church of Longboat Key.

Mr. McFarlin was passionate about family history and genealogy, studying the Civil War, gardening and baseball, especially the Pittsburgh Pirates. During retirement, he worked for the Cincinnati Reds at their former spring training facility in Sarasota.

Mr. McFarlin was preceded in death by his wife of 59 years, Alice-Jean, sister Dorothy McCleary, brother Henry McFarlin, and grandson Jeff Sepeda.

He is survived by children Charles, Nancy Diner and Judith Murray; their spouses; stepbrother James Tolley; 11 grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorial donations can be made to Boys Town, YMCA Camp Menogyn or the ACEC/MN Scholarship Fund.

Wayne Elden Murray

Wayne Elden Murray, 76, of Kittery Point, Maine, and Longboat Key, died Sept. 27.

Mr. Murray was born in Concord, N.H., on Dec. 17, 1940, to John and June Murray.

He graduated from Central High School in Manchester, N.H., in 1959. He later served in the U.S. Air Force, graduated from the University of New Hampshire and received a law degree from the University of Maine. Mr. Murray practiced law in New Hampshire and later started a family frozen dessert business called Sweet Scoops.

Mr. Murray loved skiing, traveling, art, gardening, dogs and reading. He was a member of the Portsmouth Yacht Club and was a founding member of The New Castle Yacht Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents and stepmother, Frances McCann Murray.

Mr. Murray is survived by his partner, Jackie Adams; son, Brian Murray, daughter, Brigid Murray; their partners; Brian and Brigid’s mother, Jane Kavanaugh; grandson, August Murray; sister, Barbara Murray; and numerous extended family members.

Teresa Helen Rush

Teresa Rush, 90, of Windsor Locks, Conn., died Oct. 3.

Ms. Rush was born on Oct. 21, 1926, at her parents’ home on North Street in Windsor Locks to the late Andrew and Sophie Iskrzak.

She graduated from Windsor Locks High School in 1944 and was a communicant of St. Mary Church in Windsor Locks.

Ms. Rush grew up on a broad-leaf tobacco farm. She worked many years at Pratt & Whitney, Kaman Aircraft and was a Windsor Locks school bus driver. She retired from Connecticut Housing and Finance Authority as a mortgage loan underwriter.

Ms. Rush loved Polish music and always had it playing in her home and car. She attended numerous Polish picnics and enjoyed many Polish group bus trips to New York, Detroit, Chicago, the Caribbean and cruises.

Ms. Rush vacationed on Longboat Key for 20 years. She was a great cook and gardener and enjoyed exercising and bowling.

Ms. Rush is survived by her daughter, Barbara Montgomery; three sons Anthony Montgomery, William Rush and James Rush; three daughters-in-law; and three grandchildren.

Donations can made to St. Mary Church, 42 Spring Street, Windsor Locks, CT 06096, or to a charity of one’s choosing.