From Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home & Crematory
Richard A. Bolinger, 85, Vero Beach
December 05, 1936 – August 21, 2022
Richard A. Bolinger, 85, died on August 21st, 2022. He was born in 1936 in Indiana, wintered in Lake Worth and moved permanently to Vero Beach in 1948. He graduated from Vero Beach High School and the University of Florida. At UF he was President of Beta Alpha Psi, national honorary accounting fraternity. He served with the US Coast Guard for eight years. He was also the past Chairman of Marine Bank & Trust Company.
Mr. Bolinger was a CPA for 40 years, the last 25 years as a managing partner of Bolinger and Mohler. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Wendy and his children, Caren, Richard Jr. (Janeann), Nancy, Randall, Tina, and John (Debbie); grandchildren, Brian, Zachary (Erica), Jacob, Abbey, Richard, III, Emily (Jake), Natalie (Nicholas), Aaron, Daniel, Halley, Alannah, Natasha (Dustin), Jacob, Joey (Brandy), and Justin; great-grandchildren, Sophie, Jayson, Luke, Colton, Jaxson and Lainey.
He served eight years on the Indian River School Board, the last two years as Chairman.
A Funeral Service will be held 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, August, 30, 2022 at First Methodist Church of Vero Beach, 1750 20th St, Vero Beach, FL 32960 with full military honors. Inurnment will follow at Crestlawn Cemetery, Vero Beach.
“I lived a long and wonderful life with my great wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. I wish my family and great friends success and happiness. Sincerely, Richard”
Arrangements are by Thomas S. Lowther Funeral Home and Crematory, Vero Beach.
From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory
Jean Jefferson Oglethorpe, 76, Vero Beach
October 10, 1945 – August 22, 2022
Jean Jefferson Oglethorpe died on August 22, 2022, at the age of 76 surrounded by her family in her Vero Beach, FL home.
Jean was born on October 10, 1945, in Washington, DC to William and Ann Jefferson and moved with them and her older sister, Waverly, one year later to Atlanta, Georgia where she lived until leaving for Greenbrier Women’s College in Lewisburg, West Virginia in 1963.
Between her freshman and sophomore year at a summer job in Zion National Park, she met the love of her life, Ray, on his birthday. It turned out to be the best birthday present he ever received!
After graduation from Greenbrier, Jean went to the University of Georgia and later joined United Airlines as a flight attendant based in Washington, DC. With Vietnam raging, Jean and Ray married in June 1967 prior to Ray reporting to active duty in the US Army as a second lieutenant. Fortunately, Jean helped arrange a duty assignment for Ray at the Pentagon where they made lifelong friends over those two amazing and eventful years.
After the Army, Jean and Ray moved to Phoenix, AZ where they bought their first house and Jean became the proud mother of two daughters: Kimberly Ann and Katherine Elizabeth.
Jean began her journey to multiple cities as the ultimate corporate wife when the couple next moved to Detroit, MI. She had a fantastic gift as a home economics major in college to be able to design houses, decorate them, make curtains, upholster furniture, paint walls, and hang wallpaper while also raising two daughters. She had a unique ability to take on any project, figure it out, and then spearhead doing it.
Following her interest in cooking, Jean became an accomplished gourmet chef. Her dinner parties and holiday celebrations were legendary in the communities where they lived. Each detail of decoration and cuisine was carefully thought out and perfectly prepared for her guests.
In Paris, Jean took cooking classes at the Ritz, La Varenne, and Le Cordon Bleu; and while living in Connecticut, she was featured in an Abby Mandel’s Cuisinart Classroom video. At the Aspen Food and Wine Festival in 2000, she was teamed with Marcus Samuelsson, a celebrity chef, and won the timed Iron Chef Contest before a live television audience. She loved Chinese food, and would take the train from New Canaan, CT to Chinatown for lessons from renowned Chinese cookbook author, Grace Zia Chu.
In addition to being an accomplished chef, Jean was also an avid sportswoman and talented athlete. She loved playing tennis and had a wicked forehand that terrorized even the hardiest net man. After decades of playing tennis, Jean turned her attention to golf where she became a fearsome and successful competitor, especially when a tournament was on the line.
Following retirement, Jean and Ray enjoyed spending time together at the home she designed, built, and beautifully decorated in Cordillera, CO near Vail. It had room for all their children and grandchildren and many a memorable summer and winter vacation were spent there with them and guests skiing, biking, fishing, hiking, and golfing.
Jean was a committed volunteer wherever they lived serving at her daughters’ schools, the Junior Leagues in Birmingham, MI, Stamford/Norwalk, CT, and Kansas City; and the board of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indian River County. Her talent with handicrafts and design gave her the distinction of following Martha Stewart to chair the Stamford/Norwalk League’s Christmas Store.
However, it was her family that gave Jean her greatest pride and joy. She loved her husband, Ray, her two daughters, her three grandchildren and would do anything for them. The summer romance became a wonderful marriage of 55 years.
Jean enjoyed being around people (the more the better) and having fun, especially when dancing with Ray. She could talk to and make friends with anyone (and often did) and made everybody around her feel welcome with her generous and gracious hospitality, her ready smile, and frequent laughter. No matter what life threw at her, she kept her quick wit and to the end remained positive, caring, and kind. She lived life at full speed and never gave up!
She is survived by her husband, Ray, her daughters, Kimberly, and Kathy, and her three grandchildren: Raymond Toole, Davis Toole, and Kailee Webster, and is predeceased by her parents and older sister, Waverly.
A reception to commemorate Jean’s life will be held in the fall in Vero Beach. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Learning Alliance in Jean’s name and honor.
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of JEAN JEFFERSON OGLETHORPE, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory
Charles Michael Birnie Davidson, 77, Florida
November 2, 1944 – August 21, 2022
The 77 year life of Charles Michael Birnie Davidson – “Mike” – ended August 21, 2022 in Vero Beach, Florida.
Mike was born on November 2, 1944 to Charles Davidson and Grace Gibson in Colombo, Ceylon. He earned degrees from the University of Cambridge and London Business School before building a career as a business management consultant, author, and entrepreneur. He was the first graduate of a business school outside the United States to be hired by Boston Consulting Group.
After marrying in 1969, Mike’s life purpose became caring for his family, a passion he pursued with greater zeal than any other. That pursuit took him to Germany, South Africa, and Belgium before, in 1979, the self-described “American by Choice” chose United States as the place to best provide for his family. After a year in Baltimore, Maryland, he and his wife, whom he called “My Darling,” raised their four children at their New Canaan, Connecticut home, where he prepared hundreds of Sunday suppers of his signature crackling, roast potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding.
Mike’s work and ambition enabled him to attain his goal of family financial independence in just two decades. And so, in the early 2000s, at both his Connecticut and Florida homes, the avid reader and sports fan took occupation of “Grandpa’s chair,” which, except for such missions as brewing tea for his darling, family vacations, and a pint at the pub, he rarely relinquished for the rest of his life.
Mike was preceded in death by his sister Ann, who died on his fourth birthday. He is survived by his wife Carol, children Claire Carbonier (spouse Roger), Simon Davidson (spouse Kelly), Gail Davidson, and James Davidson (spouse Kathryn), grandchildren Ashley Carbonier, Jackson Carbonier, Ryan Davidson, Chase Davidson, and Harper Davidson, and brother John Davidson.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 10 at 10:00 am at the Congregational Church of New Canaan, 23 Park Street, New Canaan, Connecticut.
From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory
Linda R. Colvin, 73, Vero Beach
February 6, 1949 – August 22, 2022
Linda R. Colvin, 73, of Vero Beach, Florida passed away Monday, August 22, 2022 at Cleveland Clinic – Indian River Hospital in Vero Beach.
Linda was born in Vero Beach to the late Boyde and Mary Ola McCloud McNeal and was a lifelong resident of Indian River County. She was a graduate of Vero Beach High School.
Linda enjoyed fishing, camping outdoors, growing peas, and raising chickens.Survivors include her husband 54 years Johnnie Colvin of Vero Beach, sons Johnnie “Gene” Colvin (Kimberly) of Vero Beach and Tommy Colvin (Kim) of Fellsmere, FL, brothers Richard McNeal (Diana) of White Springs, FL and Roland McNeal (Diane) of Vero Beach, grandchildren Ryan Colvin (Hanna), Victoria Colvin, C.J. Goude, Kalyn Goude, Trissten Colvin, Abby Colvin, Bryson Colvin, and five great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in honor of Linda to the charity or foundation closest to your heart.
The family will receive friends 10 – 11 AM, Friday, August 26, 2022 at the First Pentecostal Church in Vero Beach with a funeral service celebrating her life beginning at 11 AM at the church. Interment will follow at Winter Beach Cemetery.
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of LINDA R. COLVIN, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
From Cox-Gifford Seawinds Funeral Home & Crematory
Virginia Clare Pautzke, 98, Vero Beach
August 20, 2022
Virginia Clare Pautzke, 98, of Vero Beach, died on August 20,2022. Virginia graduated from Menominee Falls High School in Wisconsin and attended business school in Milwaukee after graduation.
To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Virginia Clare Pautzke, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.