Debbie Bartee, 57, Vero Beach
Debbie Bartee, 57, of Vero Beach, passed away on Feb. 27, 2020. Born Dec. 5, 1962, in Vero Beach, she was a daughter of James Bartee and Jerelene Spikes Fowler.
Debbie was of the Jehovah’s Witness faith. Caring and compassionate, she owned and operated group homes for the mentally challenged.
Debbie was a member of the Sista Big Bones Motorcycle Club; she loved to travel, go shopping, but most of all she enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.
In addition to her parents, Debbie is survived by her daughter, Tara Bartee West (husband, William); grandson, William Warren West III; siblings, Tara Bartee (Willie), J. Irwin Bartee (Renee), J. Aaron Bartee (Kim), Antoine Bartee (April), and Vernon Chambliss; step-mother, Brenda; step-father, Jimmy Fowler; a host of nieces, nephews, and many other loving family and friends.
She was preceded in death by a brother, Jermaine Benjamin.
Memorial services will be Saturday, March 7, 11 a.m. at Cox Gifford Seawinds Funeral Chapel.
Glen “Butch” Besancon, 78, Vero Beach
Glen “Butch” Besancon, 78, moved on to a better place on Feb. 29, 2020, in Vero Beach. Glen was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and lived in Vero Beach coming from Hollywood, Fla.
He was a United States Army veteran and served his country as a Medical Logistics Specialist.
Glen retired from the Indian River County School District as a boiler technician. During his retirement years, he traveled nationwide and cared greatly for the outdoors. Glen enjoyed riding his tractor and working on his land.
He loved his family and cherished them above all.
Horses were Glen’s unspoken passion and he admired their companionship throughout the years.
Survivors include sons, Curt Besancon (Rhonda), of Vero Beach, and Mark Besancon (Tiffany), of Vero Beach; mother of his children, Carol T. Besancon; grandchildren, Lindsey Besancon, of Okeechobee, Ryan Besancon (Lindsey), of Vero Beach, Brooke Besancon, of Vero Beach, and Ryley Besancon, of Vero Beach; great-grandson, Marshall Besancon, of Vero Beach; sisters, Gloria Mosley, of Wilkes-Barre, Joyce Simms (Harvey), of Fort Lauderdale, and Ruby Besancon Rodriguez, of Fort Lauderdale.
He was preceded in death by his father, John E. Besancon; mother, Irma Besancon; brothers, Burrnell and Joseph Besancon; and sister, Jessie Scafella.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Visiting Nurses Association.
Dr. Frederick Braun Jr., 90, Vero Beach
Dr. Frederick Braun Jr., 90, passed away on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, in Vero Beach. He was born on July 16, 1929, in Irvington, N.J.
He attended St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark N.J. and graduated from Georgetown University in 1951. He received his Doctor of Medicine Degree from The Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia where he was President of the Jefferson Chapter of Alpha Omega Alpha Honorary Medical Society and the recipient of the gold medal in Physiology.
After graduation he interned at St. Michael’s Hospital in Newark, N.J., and completed a pediatric residency at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania. He then was commissioned as a lieutenant in the US Navy Medical Corps and was on active duty at Philadelphia Naval Hospital for over two years. Part of this time he was assigned to the Marine Corps.
Upon discharge, he returned to Penn and CHOP and under took a fellowship in Pediatric Hematology and Oncology. Doctor Braun was Board Certified in both Pediatric Hematology Oncology and General Pediatrics.
He practiced many years with Westfield Pediatrics in Westfield, N.J., and the “Valerie Center for Children with Blood Diseases and Cancer” at Overlook Hospital in Summit, N.J., and Morristown, Hospital in Morristown N.J.
He retired to Vero Beach in 2005 and practiced part-time general pediatrics there until April 2018.
Fred was an avid golfer and had been a member of Plainfield Country Club (NJ) and Hawk’s Nest Golf Club at The Moorings in Florida. During his golfing days; he had an 8 handicap most of the time, shot his age about 20 times, and scored eight holes in one.
His other hobby was flying his Bonanza as an instrument pilot. He flew mostly along the east coast from Nova Scotia down into the Caribbean, logging about a thousand hours.
Doctor Braun is survived by his wife, Carol McDaniel Braun, of 30 years. He had six children, Cynthia Braun, FL, Frederick Braun III, FL, Stephen Braun, SC, Christopher Braun (deceased, ALS), Kathleen Cavallo, PA and Timothy Braun, FL; and two stepchildren, Geoffrey Birchall (lives overseas) and Allison DeMichael, Ohio; He had 14 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Fred has attended daily Mass since his son, Chris, died with ALS 18 years ago. Currently he is a communicant of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Vero Beach.
A Memorial service will be held at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Vero Beach, on Friday March 27, at 11 a.m. followed by an informal gathering of friends and family at The Moorings Club in Vero Beach.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you consider donations to St. Benedict’s Preparatory School (www.Sbp.org) or ALS Association (www.alsa.org).
Frances Carmella Caniano, 105, Vero Beach
Frances Carmella Caniano, 105, of Vero Beach, passed away Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at the VNA/Hospice House in Vero Beach. Frances was born in Tarrytown, N.Y., and moved to Vero Beach in 1994 from Pembroke Pines, Fla.
She and her late husband, James Caniano, owned Patti Jays, a dry cleaning business in Pembroke Pines, where she also served as a seamstress.
Frances was a member of St. Helen Catholic Church in Vero Beach and enjoyed sewing and gardening.
Survivors include her daughter, Patricia A. Munoz (Victor) of Vero Beach; grandchildren, Dawn Oakes (Vincent), Brian Burgess (Elizabeth) and Kristy Miller (Bruce); five great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, James Caniano; and their son, James Caniano, Jr.
Memorial contributions may be made to VNA/Hospice Foundation 1110 35th Street, Vero Beach, FL 32960.
Mass will be celebrated 10 a.m., Saturday, March 21, at St. Helen Catholic Church in Vero Beach. Interment will be at Hollywood Memorial Gardens, Hollywood, Fla.
Claire Helene Lynner, 89, Vero Beach
Claire Helene Lynner, 89, of Vero Beach, died Feb. 29, 2020. She was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., to Russell and Margaret Mooney and raised in Rockville Centre, N.Y., and briefly in Connecticut.
Claire married Paul K. Lynner on May 30, 1952, and they moved to Carle Place, N.Y., to raise their family and each worked at Hofstra University, though Claire only briefly as the Women’s Tennis Coach. In 1991, they moved to Sea Oaks in Vero Beach to start the next chapter in their lives.
Claire was an avid tennis and bridge player both on Long Island and at Sea Oaks and an important part of Sea Oaks community.
She will be remembered by family and friends alike for her strength of character, wit, compassion and competitiveness.
Survivors include Kitt Connolly (Michael), of Cooperstown, N.Y., Kris Lynner (Sylvette), of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., and Liz Lynner (Jim Palenchar), of Denver, Colo., in addition to eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her husband, Paul, and her daughter, Meg Lynner.
Memorial contributions may be made to VNA Hospice of the Treasure Coast, 1110 35th Lane, Vero Beach, FL 32960.
At the request of the family, there will be no service.
Glenn A. Strunk, Vero Beach
Glenn A. Strunk, of Vero Beach, passed away on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2020, at his home after a long battle with cancer. He was surrounded by loving members of his family who have been with him throughout his illness.
His daughter, Mary Kopchak, also of Vero Beach, made a statement on behalf of her brother, Kevin Strunk, and sister, April Strunk: “My father was the pillar of our family and loved us and the people in this community, whom he served for many years. We will continue to operate the business with the same integrity, dedication, ethics and values as my father did all of his life.”
He was the owner of Strunk Funeral Home, which has been in business in Vero Beach since 1972 and Strunk Funeral Home and Crematory in Sebastian since 1981. He joined what was originally Floyd Funeral Home as a funeral director, and he became part owner in 1973; at that time the name was changed to Floyd/Strunk Funeral Home.
Glenn is survived by his wife of 40 years, Dorothy Strunk; children, Kevin Strunk, Mary Kopchak (Danny), April Strunk, Billy Whittaker (Sara), Tracy Whittaker Ross (Gavin), and Molly Hanks (Chris), all of Vero Beach; brother, Don Strunk (Gina); sister, Vonda Dixon (Bruce); and his 11 grandchildren and one great-grandson; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his siblings, Frank, Bob, Helen and Lucille.
Visitation was held Tuesday, March 3, at Central Assembly of God, 6767 20th Street, Vero Beach. Entombment followed in Riverview Memorial Park, Ft. Pierce.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church, 2206 16th Ave., Vero Beach, in memory of Glenn A. Strunk.
Francis Thomas Williams, 80, Sebastian
Francis Thomas Williams, 80, passed away Feb. 29, 2020, after an extended illness in Sebastian. He was born Sept. 2, 1939, in Wilks-Barre, Pa., to Frances Williams and Phyllis McHenry Williams Tanis.
He was the owner of Marine Fiberglass and Refinishing, Inc. in Sebastian. Before moving to Sebastian, he was an avid boater and an aircraft pilot in North Miami Beach, Fla.
He is survived by his wife, Devon Halbach Williams; a son, Thomas, of Wichita, Kan.; a daughter, Christa, of Long Valley, N.J.; a son, Brian, of Tobyhanna, Pa.; a step-daughter, Tammy Jones, of Emporium, Pa.; and a step-son, David Weir, of Hollywood, Fla.; brothers, Donald, Gerald, and Sally Williams; and seven grandchildren.
Per his request, there will be no funeral services. Final cremation arrangements are provided by Seawinds Funeral Home and Crematory in Sebastian.
