Longboat Key Obituaries: Sept. 7, 2017

Susan Lohr  (Hall) Alexander

Susan Lohr (Hall) Alexander, 72, of Longboat Key, died Aug. 18.

She was born in Detroit and spent much of her childhood in Indianapolis. She was a graduate of Indiana University with a master’s degree in spiritual psychology from the University of Santa Monica. She was a high school English teacher in Indianapolis and a Realtor and developer and counselor in Indianapolis, Naples and Sarasota.

In Indianapolis, Ms. Lohr Alexander was a member of the Junior League and the Day Nursery Auxiliary and Stephen Ministry at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church. In Sarasota, she volunteered her time counseling with the Salvation Army.

Ms. Lohr Alexander was divorced from Stephen Ross Alexander and the widow of Marvin Eugene Jaffe.

She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Marjorie Hall; and her sister, Carol Peters.

She is survived by her daughters, Shannon Lohr Alexander Farrar and Heather Lohr Alexander; son-in-law Grant Farrar; two granddaughters, a niece; and two nephews.

A celebration of life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 30, at Unity Church of Sarasota, 3023 Proctor Road.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network at pancan.org or 1500 Rosecrans Ave., Suite 200, Manhattan Beach, CA, 90266.

Gerda L. Smith

Gerda Smith, 91, of Atlanta, died Aug. 31.

She was born on May 20, 1926, in Berlin, Germany. At age 12, in 1938, Mrs. Smith left Nazi Germany in an escape with her parents to settle in Newark, N.J.

She later attended Ohio State University, where she met her future husband, Morton Smith. They married in 1947.

After having three children, Mr. and Mrs. Smith made it a priority to host frequent family gatherings, which became highly anticipated and annual events including August in Wellfleet, Mass., May in Stowe, Vt., and winters on Longboat Key.

Mrs. Smith was an accomplished bridge player, an active member in a variety of civic organizations including ORT and the Council of Jewish Women. She was known for her cooking and entertainment expertise including table settings, floral arrangements and culinary works of art. Her flourless chocolate cake decorated with chocolate ribbons was popular.

At age 50, Mrs. Smith began a catering company.

She is survived by her husband, Morton; children, Leslie Corris, Cindy Smith and Neal Smith; their spouses; and four grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Mort and Gerda Smith Philanthropic Fund at the Jewish Federation of Cleveland, Ohio, at jewishcleveland.org.