Longboat Key Obituaries: Sept. 14, 2017

Patricia M. Balerna

Patricia Balerna, 95, of Longboat Key, died Aug. 4.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Philip and Margaret McLaughlin; siblings Margaret Haynes, Philip McLaughlin, and Georgina Lips.

She is survived by her husband, John Balerna; children Patricia Balerna, Paula Riley, James Kennedy, Mark Balerna and John Balerna; eight grandchildren; and two great grandchildren. Memorial services will be scheduled at a later date.

Daniel Herz

Daniel Herz, 83, of Longboat Key and Denver, died Sept. 1.

Mr. Herz was born in Chicago and grew up in Highland Park, Ill. He graduated from Highland Park High School in 1952 and began his college career at Colorado University in Boulder on a football scholarship. After one year, Mr. Herz transferred to Lake Forest College, where he graduated with an English degree in 1957. There he was a member of both the baseball and football teams. As a member of the football team, he earned the Little All-American honors twice.

In 1979, Mr. Herz was inducted into the Lake Forest College Sports Hall of Fame. Following college, Mr. Herz served two years with the U.S. Army. When he returned to Highland Park, he met Barbara Kiser. The two married on Dec. 21, 1960, and raised four children together.

For more than 35 years, Mr. Herz worked as an industrial auctioneer and became president of Industrial Plants Corp. He traveled throughout the U.S. and overseas facilitating the auction sales of industrial machinery at large-scale manufacturing companies.

In 1998, Mr. Herz retired and relocated with Barbara to Longboat Key and Boulder, Colo.

Mr. Herz was preceded in death by his brother Stephen.

Mr. Herz is survived by his wife, Barbara; children, David, Robert, Jennifer Clark and Joseph; their spouses; nine grandchildren.

Memorial donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America at alzfdn.org, to the Anti-Defamation League atadl.org, to the Employee Gratitude Fund at the Peaks at Old Laramie Trail in Lafayette at 660 Old Laramie Trail, Lafayette, CO, 80026.

Mary Ellen Zierke

Mary Ellen Zierke, 84, of Belvidere, Ill., died Sept. 3.

She was born on April 1, 1933, in Belvidere to Carl and Helen Bender.

Mrs. Zierke graduated from Belvidere High School in 1951 and married Donald Leroy Zierke on Sept. 15, 1953, at First Presbyterian Church of Belvidere, where she was a lifelong member.

Mrs. Zierke loved spending time with her family and grandchildren. She enjoyed spending time on Longboat Key, teaching vacation bible and Sunday school. She was an avid reader and enjoyed bird watching.

Mrs. Zierke was preceded in death by her husband, Don; her parents; and brothers, Clifton and Clayton.

Mrs. Zierke is survived by her sons David and Mark; their spouses; four grandchildren; three great grandchildren and two on the way; her sister Elizabeth Gunderson and numerous nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund has been made in the family’s name.