Obituaries
Cheri Covell
Cheri Covell, 62, of Holmes Beach, died July 2.
Mrs. Covell grew up in Prescott, Mich., and moved to Holmes Beach in 1998. She was co-owner of Covell Funeral Homes in Traverse City and Elk Rapids, Mich., and Bradenton. After earning a bachelor’s degree in speech from Michigan State University, she taught speech and English for several years. In addition to teaching, she earned an L.P.N. degree from Northwestern Michigan College School of Nursing.
Visitation is scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 7, at Hope Lutheran Church, 4635 26th St. W., Bradenton. Memorial contributions may be made to Tidewell Hospice & Palliative Care, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota FL 34238.
She is survived by her husband Douglas; son Cassidy; mother Jean Papp; brother Randall Papp and wife Jan; sister Lynette Cromwell and husband James; many nieces and nephews; and her Doberman pinschers, Sam and Sally.
Beverly Ruth Long
Beverly Ruth Long, 91, of Bradenton, died June 29.
Born in Stoughton, Wis., Mrs. Long moved to Bradenton in 1982 from Glenview, Ill. She was a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Holmes Beach.
No services are planned. Memorial contributions may be made to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 4401 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach FL 34217. Brown & Sons Funeral Home was in charge or arrangements. Online condolences made to www.brownandsonsfuneral.com.
She is survived by daughters Marlyn Thornton and husband James of Holmes Beach, and Sue Allen and husband Bobby of Phoenix, Ariz.; sister Pat Lea of Evansville, Wis.; five grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
 Jeffery Park, 1959-2009
Every so often, the powers that be install on this Earth someone whose individuality and sheer presence can influence our world, as we know it. Jeffery Park was one of these rare persons.
Born in Wisconsin and schooled in Ohio, he spent the last half of his life here in Florida. Fun loving by nature, he was well read and could carry on a conversation on virtually any subject. He also was one of those rare individuals who could remember and repeat every joke he had ever heard. He was larger than life and equally comfortable in blue jeans or white dinner jacket and pink tie. He once attended a friend’s wedding dressed in a kilt.
He was in all respects the very definition of “bon vivant.”
But, his greatest quality was his immense heart and his compassion for everyone he met. He was always guided by his deep insight into human nature and anyone who ever met him could call him “friend.” There are at least 10 people in this world who will say he was their very best friend.
As Jonathan Swift once noted: “When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign, that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.”
And much like the outrageous Ignatius J. Reilly, whom I believe JP truly revered, he danced to a different tune to his very last day.
JP passed away on June 27, along with a large part of all of our hearts.
He is survived by his mother Adeline Brown Sipes; his brother and sister-in-law Brian and Karen Park; sister and brother-in-law Valerie and William Weaver; loving wife Julia; his cat Chloe; and his enormous host of friends.
Donations can be made to icompassion.org, a non-profit organ-donor program.
— Julia Park
Elizabeth “Betty” Pierce
Elizabeth “Betty” Pierce, 86, of Holmes Beach, died July
1 after a long illness.
She married Bill Pierce and they resided most of their adult lives in Bardonia, N.Y., on land Bill cleared and in a home he built. They were full-time residents of their ‘Shangri La’ on Anna Maria Island since 1996.
After receiving her undergraduate degree from Hunter Lehman College in the Bronx, she studied at the University of Madrid in Spain and received a master’s degree from New York University. She taught Spanish at Ramapo High School in Suffern, N.Y., and retired in 1983.
She and husband Bill attended Grace Conservative Baptist Church in Nanuet, NY., and, on Anna Maria, they attended Island Baptist Church.
Betty was patriotic and passionate about politics, but most loved being surrounded by family. She and Bill were avid dancers, and greatly enjoyed traveling. She especially loved any place with a spectacular view.
A service for family and close friends will be at their home Saturday, July 11. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Coral Ridge Ministries, P.O .Box 1920, Ft Lauderdale FL 33302. The family is being served by Covell Funeral Home, Bradenton.
Mrs. Pierce is survived by her husband of almost 68 years, William T. Pierce; sister Emily Batluck of Saddle River, N.J.; son Donald Pierce and wife Charlene of Mine Hill, N.J.; daughter Lisa Pierce and husband Andrew Sheridan of Holmes Beach; and nieces in nephews in several states. |
