Grace Marie Becker, 92, Vero Beach
Grace Marie Becker, 92, of Vero Beach, passed away peacefully on Oct. 9, 2017. She was born Sept. 30, 1925, in Bridgeville, Del.
She graduated from Madison College and worked in the accounting department of Trans World Airlines. In later years, she would enjoy telling stories about her weekends flying to exotic locations on TWA employee passes with her girlfriends.
Grace met her husband while spending the summer on Fire Island, N.Y. They lived for many years in New York, N.Y., and East Hampton, N.Y., where she spent her time raising her son, Steve, volunteering and playing golf.
Following his retirement, they moved to Stuart, and subsequently to Vero Beach, and also maintained a summer home in Hendersonville, N.C.
She continued to play golf regularly until just a few weeks before her death. She loved her grandchildren and attended every one of their graduations. She was upbeat, energetic and made friends easily, including some of her closest friends in her last few years at Oak Harbor.
Grace is survived by her son, Stephen N. Becker, and her daughter-in-law, Sara Granley Becker, of McLean, Va.; and her three grandchildren, John Sidbury Becker and Sarah Grace Becker, of New York, N.Y., and Evan Granley Becker, of McLean, Va.
She was predeceased by her husband of 56 years, Stephen W. Becker; and by her sister, Hazel. There will be a reception to celebrate her life on Dec. 29, at 4:30 p.m. at Oak Harbor County Club in Vero Beach.
Arrangements are by Strunk Funeral Home and Crematory, Vero Beach.
Richard Thomas Gabrich, 74, Vero Beach
Richard Thomas Gabrich, 74, died Oct. 16, 2017, at his residence in Vero Beach.
He was born in Hubbard, Ohio, raised in Koppel, Pa., and lived in Vero Beach for 32 years coming from Boca Raton.
Rich received his Bachelor’s Degree from Gannon College, Erie, Pa., and a Masters from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pa.
He owned and operated Dimensions in Landscaping and Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow Car Restoration. Rich was a member of the Veteran Automobile Association of America and the Packard Club.
Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Charlotte; sister, Crystel Aiello, of Pittsburgh; and brother, Robert Gabrich of Ashtabula, Ohio.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Jeanne Hayden.
Memorial contributions may be made to Humane Society of Vero Beach, P.O. Box 644, Vero Beach, FL 32961 in memory of Richard Gabrich.
Arrangements are by Strunk Funeral Home and Crematory, Sebastian.
Edna A. Legname, 91, Vero Beach
Edna A. Legname, 91, of Vero Beach, passed away on Oct. 19, 2017.
All County Funeral Home – Stuart.
Barbara A. Mostowy, 80, Vero Beach
Barbara A. Mostowy, 80, of Vero Beach, passed away on Oct. 19, 2017.
Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home Crematory – Vero Beach.
Edwardo Nicholas Rosa, 26, Vero Beach
Edwardo Nicholas Rosa, 26, of Vero Beach, passed away on Oct. 14, 2017.
Strunk Funeral Home – Vero Beach.
Jim Victory, 98, Indian River Shores
Jim Victory, 98, a longtime resident of Indian River Shores, and Quiogue, N.Y., died Friday, Oct. 13, 2017. Born in New York City, his parents were Owen Victory and Anna Feeney, recent immigrants from Ireland.
Jim was the oldest of four siblings of whom only John, the youngest, is still living. He attended Bishop Loughlin High School and City College of New York night school before enlisting in the Army in 1941.
After graduating from Officers Training School, Jim was sent to the Pacific, stationed in Hawaii before moving on to combat in Okinawa as a captain in a field artillery unit. Upon his return to the States, he joined Twentieth Century Fox, working first as the personal secretary to its President Spiros Skouras and then as a film sales representative.
Intrigued by the possibilities that the new medium of television presented, he joined CBS Films and soon became head of its domestic division. He quickly rose to President of Syndicated Films, Vice-President of Viacom and then President of NBC Films.
But he wanted more than just management; he wanted ownership. Finally, in the 1980s, he had his opportunity. Jim formed his own company, Jim Victory Television, and acquired the sales rights to the MTM (Mary Tyler Moore) Productions library plus distribution rights to many of the Goodson-Todman game shows. In addition, he became co-producer of CONCENTRATION.
Second only to family was his passion for golf. He played golf, watched golf on TV, and enjoyed talking golf. He had several holes-in-one over his lifetime and was still a member of seven golf clubs at his death.
Primarily though, Jim will be remembered as a “people person.” Immensely likable and with a ready laugh, he made a friend of everyone he met — and somehow he managed to keep up the connections. Once introduced, you became his friend for life. Such people are rare. He will be missed.
Jim was a devoted family man, married for 56 years to Faith Rieg, with whom he had a daughter, Nancy (married to R. Michael Senkowski). He loved and was very proud of his two girls.
