In Memory: May 14

From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory

Donald John Keller, 92, Vero Beach

Donald John Keller passed away peacefully at age 92 on April 26 in Vero Beach, Florida, his home since 2002.

A life-long Cubs Fan, Don was born on February 14, 1932, in Chicago, Illinois, to Gertrude and Philip Keller. Philip passed young, and Gertrude was a strong influence for Don’s success; she was the first woman elementary school principal in the State of Illinois. Don attended New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois, a stepping stone to Princeton University, where he majored in English. Don had great Princeton friends and was a member of the Cap and Gown Club. He was also a star on the track team, where he held a Princeton record in the 60-meter hurdles from 1954 to 1982.

After graduation, Don and Virginia Wilson caught eyes and fell in love. They were married in 1955. She accompanied him as he served in the U.S. Army in Berlin, Germany. They later raised four children Ann, Jane, Ed, and Amy. Their marriage was a strong one, surviving the tragic loss of Jane at 10 years old. Virginia and Don loved, supported, and sustained each other with much happiness until her death in 1999.

Don earned an MBA at Northwestern University and began his storied business career in advertising at the Leo Burnett Company in 1957. Five years later, he joined the General Foods Corporation, from which he retired as Executive Vice President and member of the Board of Directors in 1986. That same year, he became President of West Point-Pepperell.

In 2004, Don married Martha Myers, a bright and lovely woman who won the hearts of the Keller clan. Don is survived by Martha and family members Ann Keller and her husband Richard Latour, Ed Keller and his wife Sara, Amy Keller Fox and her husband Brian, David Myers and his wife DeeDee, Jane Myers Winch and her husband John, Amy Myers Peters and her husband Reuben, as well as 17 cherished grandchildren and seven adored great-grandchildren.

Don’s life was an example to others and was defined by gratitude, purpose, and a genuine interest and joy in all those who were fortunate enough to know him.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the VNA & Hospice Foundation, vnatc.org; The Community Church of Vero Beach, ccovb.org; or the charity of your choice.

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of DONALD JOHN KELLER, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory

Francis J. Bonner, MD (“Frank”), 81, Vero Beach

October 9, 1942 – April 29, 2024

Francis J. Bonner, MD (“Frank”), of Vero Beach, Florida, died on April 29, 2024, at the age of 81 with his wife of 38 years, Colleen, by his side.

Frank was a well-respected physician and developer of rehabilitation hospitals around the country. He was Director of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Sacred Heart Hospital in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Additionally, he served as Chairman of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Graduate Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for 28 years, and as residency Program Director at the University of Pennsylvania. Throughout his impressive career, Frank developed four rehabilitation hospitals, the first in Vero Beach, Florida, and most recently the Rehabilitation Hospital of South Jersey in Vineland, New Jersey, which he operated until his retirement in 2008.

Frank was a Fellow of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, the American Board of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine, and the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. He served on numerous Boards, including the United States Presidential Scholars, the National Osteoporosis Foundation, the Lupus Foundation of America, the Department of Physical Medicine at Mt. Sinai and Graduate Hospitals, the Friends of the National Library of Medicine (past President), the Curtis Institute of Music, and the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. Frank was instrumental in establishing the John Henry Newman Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on encouraging research and education in Ireland. The University College Dublin conferred Frank an Honorary Doctorate of Science in 2017.

Born on October 9, 1942, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Frank was the second of nine children born to Marion (Henderson) Bonner and Dr. Francis Bonner. Frank and his siblings were raised in a Roman Catholic family who celebrated their Irish heritage. He served as an altar boy during his childhood and was a strong student at Devon Preparatory School, in Devon, Pennsylvania, before graduating from Malvern Preparatory School, in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

Frank received a Bachelor of Science from Mt. Saint Mary’s University, in Emmitsburg, Maryland, before moving to Ireland for medical training. He earned his medical degree from the University College Dublin School of Medicine and, thereafter, received his residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Pennsylvania.

Frank served his patients, his community, and his alma maters with great dedication and distinction. He devoted his life to helping and providing for others. He was a connoisseur of wine, an avid boater, and an enthusiast of art, skiing, and travel. Frank lived largely and generously. He enjoyed sharing experiences and creating memories with his loved ones over everything else.

His inviting, giving, and deeply principled personality, combined with his astute medical acumen and quick wit, allowed Frank to be a deeply loved and respected man in every community where he lived or served.

These communities include the city of Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs, the University of Pennsylvania, the Town of Avalon, New Jersey, and the community of John’s Island in Vero Beach, Florida.

Frank became close friends with many throughout his life. Love of Country led him to host two U.S. Presidents and a Vice President at his home. He was also the personal physician of several notable figures.

Through all of these interests, what he valued most was the friends he met along the way. The respect and admiration he gave to them and reciprocal respect and admiration that he received was the true bounty of his life.

Frank was a member of the Union League of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Country Club, the Merion Cricket Club, the Johns Island Club, and the Quail Valley Club.

He is survived by his wife, Colleen C. Bonner, and his three loving children: his son, Francis J. Bonner III (“Sean”) (Mrs. Alicia O’Brien Bonner) from a previous marriage to Dr. Hillary Hart, his daughter, Kathleen B. Benjamin (Mr. William E. Benjamin IV), and his son, Dr. Kirk H. Bonner.

Frank is also survived by his five grandchildren: Emma, Fionn, Declan, Beau, and Cara.

With his passing comes great sorrow. Frank was loved and admired by so many and he will be sincerely missed and forever loved. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Curtis Institute of Music or the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University.

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of FRANCIS JOHN BONNER, MD, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory

William D. Weaver (Bill), 74, Vero Beach

December 20, 1949 – March 31, 2024

William D. Weaver (Bill), 74, of Vero Beach Florida passed in his home on March 31, 2024.

He was born on December 20, 1949 in Ft. Pierce, Florida.

Bill received a degree in Civil Engineering from University of South Florida at Tampa.

He was employed at Piper Aircraft; Grumman Corporation; and Parker Hannefin, the Vero Beach plant.

Survivors include his wife of 44 years, Cynthia Weaver; daughter, Jennifer Rezabek; sisters, Carol Greenlee, Susan Carzoo and Elizabeth Stowe; grandson Micah Rezabek as well as multiple nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Highpoint Church, 3660 16th Street, Vero Beach, Florida 32960 on Saturday May 18th at 5 pm, with reception to follow (details will be announced at the service).

Memorial donations can be made to the Glaucoma Research Foundation and Halo Pet Rescue.

Bill loved his family and was a devoted father and grandfather.

He was a music lover of all types and a loyal Tampa Bay and Florida Gators football fan, who loved aviation and surf culture. In his younger days he enjoyed boating and waterskiing. He also liked making small wood projects.

Most importantly he had a kind heart and a generous soul as he was always willing to go the extra mile to help. He loved his pets and he believed in Jesus and a hope for Heaven. He was a faithful husband and a wonderful father who taught his family well.

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of WILLIAM WEAVER, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory

Deborah Michele Collins Yates, 64, Vero Lake Estates

August 16, 1959 – April 27, 2024

Ms. Deborah Michele Collins Yates, 64 passed away on April 27, 2024 at her residence in Vero Lake Estates.

She was born on August 16, 1959 in Winter Beach, FL, where she remained a lifetime resident of Indian River County.

Deborah attended Vero Beach High School and owned and operated her own cleaning business for many years.

She loved walking on the beach searching for her treasured shells and driftwood to add to her vast collection. Her green thumb can’t go without mention as well.

Deborah loved fiercely and her children and grandchildren meant everything to her, she loved spending as much time with them as she could. She is survived by her daughter, Miranda Hendrix of Little Torch Key, son, Justin Yates & wife, Kaydee Yates of Okeechobee, grandson’s River Yates and Carson Yates. Brother Danny Collins of Vero Lake Estates.

She was preceded in death by her Sister Carmen Collins, Mother Kathleen Collins Biggers, Father Oliver Bobby Collins.

A Celebration of her life will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2024 at 3:00 PM at Strunk Funeral Home & Crematory, 1623 North Central Avenue, Sebastian, Florida 32958.

Arrangements are entrusted to Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory, 1623 North Central Avenue, Sebastian, Florida 32958.

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of DEBORAH COLLINS YATES, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory

Michael “Mike” Young, 58, Florida

July 2, 1965 – April 23, 2024

Michael “Mike” Young passed away on April 23, 2024. He was born July 2, 1965 in Hollywood Florida. He was raised in South Florida where he made lifelong friends. Whether it was skiing in the local lake, taking their Boston whaler far offshore, or catching snakes in the Everglades, Mike was always up for an adventure. He joined the Army in 1983. When he was 26 his daughter Rachel was born, and she instantly became the light of his life. As an avid mountain biker, the mountains were calling his name, and he moved his family to Prescott AZ in 2003. Again, forming long lasting relationships with people he met. He married his wife Lila in 2012 and they shared new adventures and a profound connection. Their love was infinite.

Mike was an electrician and a building inspector. He could fix anything from bikes, cars, and homes and was strong enough to break anything too. He was the ultimate “Mr Fix-it” and loved to share his knowledge and help others. He had a significant impact on everyone he met and will always be remembered.

Mike is preceded in death by his beloved dog Jaxon. He is survived by his wife Lila Young, his daughter Rachel Young, his fur children Mila and Oliver, his best friend Bruce Johnson, his Uncle Mike and Aunt Sandy, nieces and nephews as well as numerous friends across the country.

In lieu of flowers please send donations to United Animal Friends at https://unitedanimalfriends.org/donate/in-memory-of/

Arrangements entrusted to Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory, 1623 North Central Avenue, Sebastian, Florida 32958.

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of MICHAEL ALFRED YOUNG, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.

From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory

Richard S. Greenfield, 91, Vero Beach

March 19, 1933 – April 24, 2024

Richard S. Greenfield, age 91 of Vero Beach, Florida, formerly of Oakdale and Huntington, New York and Winchester, Virginia, passed away on April 24, 2024. He was born on March 19, 1933, the son of Max Greenfield and Bertha Steiner Greenfield, and grew up in the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn, playing stickball, experimenting dangerously with his chemistry set, and listening on the radio to Spike Jones, The Lone Ranger, and Fibber McGee & Molly.

Richard graduated from Lafayette High School in 1949, and then attended Columbia University, where he received a bachelors’ degree in 1953 and a Masters in Hospital Administration in 1958. In between, from 1954 to 1956, he served honorably in the United States Army, stationed in Frankfurt, Germany. While there, Richard took advantage of the opportunity to explore Germany and the rest of Europe whenever he could.

In 1958, Richard met his wife and the love of his life, Myra Schwartzman, whose family he came to adopt as an extension of his own. Together, Richard and Myra raised two children, Daniel and Victoria, instilling in them a strong moral compass tempered with tolerance, and imparting to them his own abiding curiosity about the world around him. When not at work or school, the family explored the islands and lakes of Maine, the caverns of Kentucky, the cathedrals and dungeons of Europe, and more traditional family entertainment destinations like Disney World, making memories to last a lifetime. Those adventures continued through the ensuing years, as Richard and Myra traveled together to destinations far and wide in America and abroad. They rafted the Colorado River, slept in a tent in the deserts of Morocco, explored archeological sites in Israel, and climbed ruins in Cambodia.

Richard’s interests were varied and impressive. He was a talented and prolific photographer, recording his and his family’s travels, and in younger days developed prints in his own darkroom. Richard enjoyed the solitude of nature whether in the wilderness or in the backyard gardens that he tended with care, and the solitude of the Sunday Times crossword puzzle, accompanied only by Bach, Beethoven, and Dvorak, though occasionally calling out unsolved clues (“Anyone know a five-letter word for….?”). An active member of Trout Unlimited, he was a dedicated fisherman of lakes and streams from the Appalachians to the Rockies, and tied his own flies, which were works of art. Richard was also an accomplished painter of landscapes in oil and pastel, a hobby he embarked on in his twenties and resumed in retirement. He shared his love of art with his children and later with his granddaughter, Leila, spending hours painting pictures with her— chatting quietly and making small happy messes— to her delight.

Richard gave back to the community through his work and outside it. His career as a hospital administrator spanned  more than thirty years, twelve of them at the former Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, New York. Particularly rewarding was his role in the reopening of Syosset Hospital in 1980, where he served as president. Richard also contributed to the leadership of the family’s synagogue, Temple B’Nai Israel in Oakdale, and was a longstanding member of Temple Beth Shalom in Vero Beach, Florida. After retiring, he and Myra combined their enthusiasm for travel with their dedication to service by volunteering at Kingsley Plantation, a National Park Service site in Florida, where he applied his gardening skills and led programs for visitors.

Richard S. Greenfield is survived by his beloved wife of 64 years, Myra Greenfield; his son, Daniel and wife Sarah of Carrollton, Georgia; his daughter, Victoria and her husband James Bodner of McLean, Virginia, and Victoria and Jim’s daughter, Leila (who, as Richard and Myra’s only grandchild, always brought a sparkle to his eyes); and several nieces and nephews.

For those wishing to make a donation in Richard’s name and honor, the family suggests Trout Unlimited, at tu.org.

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From Strunk Funeral Homes & Crematory

David Jerome Becker, 94, Vero Beach

August 17, 1929 – May 1, 2024

David Jerome Becker died peacefully on May 1st at VNA  Hospice House in Vero Beach, surrounded by his loving family.

Born August 17th 1929 to Mildred Fischer and Harry L. Becker in Hartford Connecticut, David had a secure childhood, focused on education, hard work, Yankees ballgames, and Jewish family traditions. His scholarship was recognized early, first at Weaver High School graduation in 1947 and then at Cornell University with the highest oratory honor for his speech titled “Discrimination Against the Negro and Our World Position Today”.

In 1955, while at Harvard Medical School, David met and married nursing student, Jane Codington and they began their adventurous life heading to Duke University for David’s residency in internal medicine, and for further training in internal medicine and cardiology at the University of Miami.

David was a veteran, having served in the Air Force in Irumagawa  Honshu, Japan -6022nd US Air Force Hospital Johnson Air Base,  David and Jane had four children while he practiced medicine in Coral Gables, Florida. He later practiced medicine at the Cooper Clinic in Dallas, Texas and at the Mass General Hospital in Boston MA, raising his family in Weston, MA.

Divorced, David moved to Vero Beach in 1978. Vero Beach provided a perfect climate, a perfect community, and a perfect companion in Marylou Ashcroft with whom he spent the rest of his life, marrying in 1999.

In Vero Beach, he practiced medicine, sharing a medical office with Gary Kantzler, MD, and began to contribute to the community he came to love for his remaining years. He served on many hospital committees,  on the hospital district board, as President of the United Way of Indian River County,  the board of the VNA, Bermuda Bay Board and was elected to the Indian River Town Council. Giving back to his community was as important to him as having compassion and understanding for his patients and coworkers.

Walking through the hospital, David stopped to talk to everyone asking about their children’s education or recent sporting event or their parents’ health.  He knew every staff member by name and was interested

in the details of their lives.  His bedside manner included careful listening and humor and time to explain medical diagnoses in plain language. Long before “visit summaries” were in vogue, David dictated a letter to each patient following every visit explaining his findings, plan and instructions.  He partnered with his patients and cared deeply about their values and life experience.

Introduced to running as a sport in the 1960’s, David ran daily, was an early marathoner and a founding member of the Vero Beach SunRunners.  Running and his running community were integral to his well-being.

David was a colorful character and a very social being.  He nurtured and was buoyed by his friendships. He valued his long phone calls with his nephew, John Kupper and cousin, Alan Fischer.  He loved his weekly sharing with his Lefties group of revered buddies. He liked to share a good story or joke and had intense pride in all of his children and grandchildren.

We all remember David as the ‘great interviewer’, the stranger you sat next to on a plane , to whom you shared the “whys” of your life, the guy you met on the beach who remembered treating your father in the hospital, and the person at the party who worked the room.  He leaves us checking any pretense and materialism at the door and settling into an armchair of curiosity and genuine interest and compassion for others.

David was predeceased by his parents, Mildred and Harry Becker, his sister Enid Kupper, and his first wife Jane.  David will be missed by his wife, Marylou Becker and his children Marcie Becker, (Brattleboro VT,) Jan Becker, (Santa Fe), NM,) Meredith and Peter Moses (Charlotte, VT,) and Steven and Carrie Becker (Dallas, TX.) By his grandchildren John and wife Alison Moses (New York) Ivy, Roome, and Gwendolyn Becker of Dallas as well as by his extended family and many, many friends.

In lieu of flowers, kindly contribute to the VNA Hospice Foundation, 920 37th Place, Suite 101, Vero Beach, FL 32960.

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of DAVID JEROME BECKER, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.