Norman Berke, 99, Vero Beach
Norman Berke, 99, of Vero Beach, died peacefully on Oct. 6, 2017, in Vero Beach, having lived life to the fullest. Born in New York, and a graduate of New York University, he served in the Army during WWII.
After military service, like many of his Great Generation, Norman built a manufacturing business. His great passions included literature, music and lively conversation.
A remarkable vision and unquenchable spirit of adventure gave him a love of travel that included an epic, four-year voyage around the world in his ketch, the Shirley B, named for his first wife who pre-deceased him.
He will be forever beloved, revered, and remembered for his unceasing inspiration and guidance by his wife, Stephanie; his son, Peter; and daughters, Thomasina and Caroline, and always missed by his many friends in all corners of the globe.
Constance V. ‘Connie’ Menger, 95, Vero Beach
Constance V. “Connie” Menger, 95, of Vero Beach, died of natural causes on Oct. 7, 2017, surrounded by family and new friends at VNA Hospice House. She was born on Aug. 5, 1922, in Elizabeth, N.J., and moved to Florida in 1962 with her husband, Howard, and two children, Eric and Heidi.
Connie was an amazing woman with an adventurous spirit and loving heart. During her long life, she experienced the Great Depression, World War II, apple orchard farming, modeling for a famous Cuban sculptor, two marriages, the 1950s UFO craze, the tumultous 1960s, authoring five books, traveling the world in the 1980s and 1990s, managing a successful outdoor advertising business, and raising a family.
Connie also became the local News Tribune Bureau Chief in the 1960s and ‘70s, writing a weekly by-line called “I Like it Here.”
She was a very wise, loving, and spiritual person who always maintained a positive and humorous outlook on life. She loved nature in Florida, which she called the most beautiful and unique state in the country. She loved to learn and would read books daily but she paid scarce attention to world turmoil.
Her admonition was always: “This, too, shall pass.”
Connie is predeceased by her husband of 51 years, Howard.
Survivors include her son, Eric, and daughter, Heidi, all of Vero Beach. She has many loving family members and life-long friends in places around the country and abroad.
Services will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the VNA Hospice House, 901 37th Street, Vero Beach, Florida.
Raymond Stark Perry Jr., Vero Beach
Raymond Stark Perry Jr. passed away on Oct. 7, 2017, at his home in Vero Beach. He was born in 1923 in Ossining, N.Y., the second of four children by Raymond and Carolyn Perry.
In 1933 the family moved to Glen Ridge, N.J., where Ray attended high school.
Shortly after graduation, World War II broke out, drawing most of the graduating class into the armed services. Ray volunteered as an enlisted man in the US Marine Corps which ordered him to the Pacific after training as a Navigation Bombardier in a B-25 twin engine bomber. He flew 43 combat missions into the Solomon Islands, and the Philippines while achieving the rank of Tech Sergeant.
After the war, Ray attended Dartmouth College on the G.I. Bill where he became a member of Alpha Delta Phi Fraternity and the Sphinx Senior Society. He graduated in 1949 and was employed 3M Co as manager of a plastic extrusion factory, in Miami. During 1970 he founded a plastic manufacturing company to produce the first set of plastic accessories for plaster and drywalls. He sold his interest in 1991 to retire at the Bent Pine Golf Club in Vero Beach.
He was married to Donna Cady in February 1957 at the Congregational Church in Coconut Grove. She was a graduate from New Trier High School outside Chicago, and The University of Michigan, after which she was employed as a media-director for an advertising agency in Miami. The couple adopted two children, Charles and Pamella, and were proud grandparents of their grandchildren, Olivia, David, and Jeffrey. Survivors also include his brother, Larry Perry; and a sister, Connie Linville.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Donna C. Perry, in 2015.
A Graveside Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017 at Crestlawn Cemetery in Vero Beach.
Memorial Contributions may be made to Semper Fi Fund at sepmerfifund.org to help wounded veterans.
Matthew Todd Warnick, 63, Vero Beach
Matthew Todd Warnick, 63, of Vero Beach, entered into rest peacefully at VNA Hospice House.
Surviviors include his beloved wife of 41 years, Laura (Dobson) Warnick; son, David Warnick; brother, Thomas Warnick; nephews, Alex, Nicholas and Andrew Warnick; and niece, Jessica Warnick.
He was predeceased by his brother, Dell Warnick, Jr.; parents Dell and Virginia Warnick; and grandparents, Harry and Mara Warnick, and Alvin and Lucy Thomas.
Memorial services will be held Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 11 a.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2555 58th Avenue, Vero Beach, FL 32966.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Westminster Presbyterian Church or RSDHope.org.
Future interment at White Haven Memorial Park in Rochester, NY.
Dr. Paul Carney Wilson, 92, Vero Beach
Dr. Paul Carney Wilson, 92, of Vero Beach, and previously of Crystal Lake, Ill., passed away peacefully at home early Saturday morning, Oct. 7, 2017. Paul was born April 28, 1925 in Bloomington, Ind.
He lived on a farm in Grims, Wis., for much of his childhood attending Reedsville, Maple Grove, and Manitowoc schools. He completed his senior year of high school at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Ill.
He then was inducted in the U.S. Army 41st Infantry Division and served in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He was one of the courageous soldiers who helped to liberate the Philippine Islands. His division also was the first to occupy defeated Japan.
Upon his discharge in 1946, he attended Loyola University earning a B.S. in Biology. He then studied at Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine and earned his M.D.
Paul moved to Crystal Lake in 1955 and began his medical practice. After 37 years in practice, he retired in1992. In 2011, Paul moved to Vero Beach, where he enjoyed the warm climate and easy lifestyle.
Paul loved to travel. He took his young family to Europe, Mexico, and Hawaii. He had a lifelong passion for cars, boats, photography and high-tech gadgets. In his retirement years he continued to travel, visiting many national and worldwide destinations. He continued to study a variety of topics up until his death, keeping abreast of medical developments and practicing Spanish.
Paul had a love for life that will be missed by all who knew him.
Paul is survived by his wife, Marilyn (Perron) Wilson; his four children, Paul Kevin Wilson (Donna), Corey Wilson (Maria), Annmarie (Wilson) Jantz (Tim), and Gregory Wilson (Karen); and his grandchildren, Paul, Katie, Stacy, Melina, Tony, Angela, and their six children. He will also be greatly missed by his step-children Cindy Jones, Mike Perron, Jim Perron, Theresa Gretz and their children Jenny, Matt, Renee, Jacob, Richard, Randy and their four children.
He is preceded in death by his parents Nilas and Helen (Carney) Wilson and his wife of 54 years, Anne Marie (Salerno) Wilson.
A memorial mass will be held at 10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 12, at St. John of The Cross Catholic Church in Vero Beach.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 20, in Delavan, Wis., at St. Andrew’s Parish where interment will follow in the Parish cemetery.
