From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory
Michael James Horst, 76, Vero Beach
March 19, 1947 – December 16, 2023
Michael James Horst, 76, of Vero Beach, Florida passed away on Saturday, December 16, 2023 at St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach, FL after a long battle with his health.
He is survived by the love of his life, Mary Ellen (Black) Becker, daughter Tarra Witte (Courtney), his brother Raymond Horst (Gail), sisters Carol Carson (Bob-deceased) and Debbie Deeney (John), step-children Jeaneen Mestiri (Medhi), Shawn Becker, and Michelle Pregler (Greg), grandkids Brittany McCann (Kerry), Cassidy Lee, and Greg Pregler, plus numerous nieces and nephews who all thought of him as that special Uncle: Mike Carson (Anne), Linda Guarmaccia (Ed), Danielle Coan(Charlie), Christopher Horst (Jackie), Carrie Horst, Nicole Roxbury (Everett), Ray Jachimowicz, and numerous great nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by brothers Robert and James, and a sister, Donna.
Born in Germantown, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Edward and Virginia Horst. Raised in the Philadelphia area, he graduated from Cardinal Dougherty High School in 1965 and lived life to the fullest with a special panache and kindness for others.
After graduation he enlisted in the Army and upon graduation from Officer Candidate School he deployed to Vietnam, where he proudly served as a 1st Lieutenant.
He was employed for more than twenty years as VP of Frozen Food Express, the largest food distributor in the US. And before retirement, worked as head of transportation for First Student in Fort Washington, PA.
He retired to the Cape May, NJ area in 2014 but due to his poor health moved to Vero Beach, Florida in 2021.
He was a member of The Lighthouse Church in New Jersey where he was one of the original Trustees for the Addiction Ministry, CURE – Christians United for Recovery, which is now Recovery Ministries. In Florida he volunteered at Calvary Chapel Vero Beach until his health declined.
He was a member of the Elks, the VFW, and the DAV.
Michael was an excellent skier and had many great memories with friends and family on ski trips to Austria, Vail, and Steamboat Springs. He loved to travel and especially enjoyed cruises to the Caribbean and Mediterranean. He was always up for an adventure. He could fix anything and if he did not know how he would google it until he figured it out. He loved sport cars and sometimes drove too fast and had countless stories to tell about his adventures.
A small service will be held in mid-January for his Floridian friends and family at Strunk Funeral Home, 916 17th Street, Vero Beach, and a Celebration of Life is being planned for early June, 2024 in Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey.
In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to TLC, 1248 Rt. 9, Cape May Courthouse, NJ 08210, reference “Recovery Ministries” or “Missions” at Calvary Chapel, 941 18th St, Vero Beach, FL 32960.
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From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory
Joyce Beverly (Ahlstrand) Blackfield, 92, Vero Beach
October 29, 1931 – December 4, 2023
Joyce Beverly (Ahlstrand) Blackfield died peacefully on December 5th 2023 at the age of 92.
Joyce was born Joyce Beverly Ahlstrand on Oct 29th 1931 in Chicago, Illinois to her beloved father Arthur Ahlstrand and her mother Merle Dubois. She had a younger sister Joan. She and Joan had a wonderful relationship and adored one another. They were known as J and J and had a special bond up until the day Joan passed several years ago.
Joyce was working at an advertising agency in Chicago when she was introduced by a friend to a handsome young man named Roy George Blackfield. Although she was dating someone else, Roy was determined to win her over and that he did. They were married in 1954 and spent the next 65 years together until Roy passed in 2019.
They moved from Chicago to Connecticut, Connecticut to Michigan, and then back to Connecticut while raising 3 daughters. Roy’s career as a newspaper advertising executive afforded them a wonderful life. They traveled extensively throughout the US and Europe both for work and for pleasure. Roy and Joyce made so many lifelong friends during those years, friendships that they treasured.
Joyce loved entertaining and having family dinner’s at home. She adored being a grandmother and taking care of her grand babies.
After retirement they moved to Vero Beach, Florida and eventually built a home on a golf course, a lifelong dream. They named the house “Blondinernas Hem”, House of Blondes in Swedish. They spent their retirement years there playing golf and spending time with friends. Joyce loved paying tennis and played into her 80’s. They were members of the First United Methodist Church, now First Methodist Church, in Vero Beach.
The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff at Somerset House at Oak Harbor for taking great care of both Joyce and Roy in their years there. And a special thank you to Dawn Dismuke who was Joyce’s caretaker and friend for the past several years.
Joyce and Roy leave behind their daughters and sons in law Robin and Ted Clarke Savannah, GA, Tracey and David Smith Sandy Hook, CT and Allison and Jeff McKinnon Park City, UT. They also leave behind their beloved grandchildren, Nicholas David Edward Smith, Jeffrey Alan McKinnon, Clarke Roy McKinnon, Taylor Joy Smith and Kiley Powers McKinnon.
A celebration of Joyce’s life will be held on Friday, January 5th 2024 at 1:30 in the afternoon at the Hillcrest Memorial Gardens 6026 North US Hwy 1, Fort Pierce, FL 34946
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