From Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory
William Robert Smith, 93, Indian River Estates
September 22, 1928 – March 18, 2022
William Robert Smith, age 93, passed away March 18, 2022 at Willowbrooke Court of ACTs Indian River Estates.
Bill was born September 22, 1928 in Chicago, Illinois to the late Marius W Smith and Ada Miriam Stanley. He moved to Florida from Elmira, New York.
Mr. Smith served in the United States Army as a First Lieutenant. He was of Presbyterian faith.
Bill was self employed as a Financial Consultant. Early in his career he worked for IBM in New York and RCA in Florida. He and his wife, Dorothy, traveled to 89 different countries.
Survivors include his sister-in-law, Lois Smith; nephews, Clyde, Robert, and Kenneth; niece, Elizabeth Hill; cousins, Thomas A. (Judith) Stanley and Thomas R. (Darlene) Stanley.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Dorothy L. Smith and brother, James Ivan Smith.
Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory, Vero Beach.
From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory
Truman S. Casner, 88, Vero Beach
October 9, 1933 – March 15, 2022
Truman S. Casner of Vero Beach, FL and South Dartmouth, MA, age 88, died unexpectedly on March 15, 2022. Truman was born in Baltimore, MD on October 9, 1933 to the late A. James and Margaret (Snell) Casner. Truman was raised in Belmont, MA and graduated from Belmont Hill School and Princeton University. He earned his degree at Harvard Law School, which provided the foundation for his lifelong career in law. After a one-year judicial clerkship with Chief Justice Raymond Wilkins of the Massachusetts Supreme Court, Truman joined the firm of Ropes & Gray in Boston. Truman rose from an associate in 1959 to Managing Partner in 1994 until his retirement in 2001. He was a devoted and esteemed advisor to his clients and colleagues alike, and he represented Ropes & Gray as a place where integrity and high quality legal work were of paramount importance.
Truman served as trustee on several civic, educational, and non-profit boards throughout his life, devoting his free time to organizations he cared about deeply. He served as a trustee and board chair of Belmont Hill School and was the recipient of its Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001. He also was a trustee of Buckingham School during the multi-year phased merge with Browne & Nichols School. He was a trustee at the Boston Museum of Science and the New Bedford Whaling Museum, and served on the boards of State Street Corporation, State Street Bank and Trust Company, and the Massachusetts Business Roundtable.
Truman was an outstanding athlete in hockey, golf, and tennis. He spent his free time chasing the tennis ball on the lawn at Longwood Cricket Club or enjoying a round of golf at The Kittansett Club and Riomar Country Club. Truman was an avid sailor and yachtsman, finding his true passion on the ocean aboard his Block Island 40 yawl, Astral. Sailing was a true escape from the rigors of law practice and provided him the opportunity to connect with family and friends passionate about adventure and travel. There was an unmistakable, carefree joy that came across his face when he was at the helm of his boat.
Beginning in 1972, Truman sailed with his late wife, Betsy, out of the New Bedford Yacht Club and spent weekends racing and exploring harbors and islands from Buzzards Bay to Nova Scotia, always as captain. He was a superb navigator and participated in several Newport to Bermuda Races as crew. In his retirement, Astral was sailed across the Atlantic to Europe by a crew of five trusted friends and accomplished sailors where he moored the boat for nearly twelve years. Over the years, Truman enjoyed quality time with his children, grandchildren, and friends aboard Astral with the Cruising Club of America, where he served as Commodore for three years. He explored several countries while cruising on Astral including Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark before having her shipped back to her home waters.
In retirement, Truman continued to enjoy his summers on Buzzards Bay in South Dartmouth, MA, yet made his primary residence in Vero Beach, FL where he was a member of the Quail Valley Club and active in the golf community at the Riomar Country Club.
Truman’s legacy will live on as an accomplished leader, lawyer, and advisor, and those who knew him well, had the pleasure of his gift of storytelling and dry humor. He often told his golf friends, “I sail better than I play golf. Otherwise, I would have drowned years ago.”
Truman was predeceased by his first wife, Elizabeth “Betsy” Lyons Casner, in 1997, and his brother, Andrew James Casner, in 1999. He is survived by his wife, Gaynor Davol Casner, and his three children, Richard D. Casner of New Canaan, CT, Elizabeth Anne Casner of Wellesley Hills, MA, and Abigail Ackerman of San Diego, CA. Truman is also survived by ten grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and three nephews.
A celebration of Truman’s life will be held in Massachusetts this summer. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the New Bedford Whaling Museum or send an arrangement to someone you love in memory of Truman.
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