Carrie V. Trumbo

Carrie V. Trumbo, president of the Sons and Daughters of Italy, Lodge 2436, for 10 years, and vice president of the Lions Club, died on the morning after her 75th birthday, following a long illness. She was born May 1, 1937, an only child, in Havre de Grace, Md. Carrie is survived by her close friend, Patricia Major, MD, and her two dogs, Shadow and Wilma.

She was a longtime resident of Key West and a well-known figure. She managed the Mermaid Lounge on Duval Street and later, Carrie's Airport Lounge. She was also active for many years in real estate and was a member of the Florida Board of Realtors. For the past 20 years, she managed the guesthouse Sweet Caroline.

Carrie was a charter member of the Sons and Daughters of Italy and worked tirelessly for their charities. She was proud to be a true Italian and was active throughout the state. She had an indefatigable energy in everything she did. She tirelessly nurtured the lodge from its fledgling beginnings in 1979 to its present 75 members. Under her leadership, the lodge donates over $15,000 annually to various charities and scholarships.

Craig Cates proclaimed Feb. 23, 2012, Carrie V. Trumbo Day for her service to the Order of the Sons and Daughters of Italy, as well as her national and local fundraising efforts.

She will be dearly missed by all the Sons and Daughters of Italy, which she considered to be her baby. She was, without doubt, the backbone of the lodge. She never hesitated to give her boundless energy to all her charities and to any endeavor she undertook.

A memorial service is planned in the future by the Sons and Daughters of Italy. Carrie's wish was that her ashes be scattered in the ocean following her cremation, and this will be done in the near future.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the VNA/Hospice of the Florida Keys Inc., 1319 William St., Key West, FL 33040.

CATHERINE L. DIXON

Mrs. Catherine LaVera Dixon, 62, passed away at Lower Keys Medical Center on May 9, 2012 after a long illness. She is survived by her husband, James E. Dixon, her sister Deborah Dennis and her husband Brian, her daughter Stephanie J. Whittaker and her husband Larry and her granddaughter Elizabeth Catherine, as well as numerous extended family and friends.

Born on April 27, 1950 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Catherine was an operating room nurse for 30 years in various hospitals in New Jersey. Catherine was a freshwater Conch who began coming to Key West in 1984, and like many others, she and James fell in love with Key West. She and her husband moved to Key West just before hurricane Wilma in 2005. James will continue to reside in Key West.

Memorial visitation was held in New Jersey on Saturday, May 12, 2012. There will be a memorial in Key West on a date not yet determined. The Dean-Lopez Funeral Home is entrusted with funeral arrangements.

GALLAGHER, "HAPPY" EDNA B

LODI-"Happy" Edna B. Gallagher, age 80, passed away on Thursday, May 10, 2012. She was born on February 22, 1932, in Lacona, Iowa, the daughter of Jerry and Anna Mae Wetherall. Edna was united in marriage to Thomas Elisha Gallagher on December 26, 1950. She had a variety of interests including cooking, curling, hunting, playing cards, golfing, fishing and was an avid Brewers and Packers fan, but treasured most the time spent with her family and friends. Edna is survived by nine children, Jerry T. (Sharon), Mary L. (Todd) Gallagher, Patrick A. (Robin), Michael D., James E. (Jean), Clyde R., Elizabeth A. Ryan (Michael), Joseph B., and Tony(Amy); 17 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; a brother, Jerry (Sandy) Wetherall and a brother-in-law, Alvin Brager. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Thomas Gallagher in 1971, three brothers, Homer, Harris, and Roger, and two sisters, Betty Bishop and Norma Brager. Memorial services will be held at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 521 Fair Street, Lodi at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, May 16, 2012 with Father Francisco Higuera presiding. Burial will be in St. Patrick's Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be held at the Hamre Gunderson Funeral & Cremation Care, 157 S. Main St., Lodi from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM on Tuesday, May 15, 2012, where a rosary will begin at 3:00 PM. Friends and family may also call on Wednesday from 9:30 AM until the time of the service at the church. Happy requested that no flowers be sent. The family would like to extend a special thank you to all the residents of Pleasant Valley Apartments and to Agrace HospiceCare for the wonderful care they gave to Happy.

Laurence Taylor Nelson Harvey

Laurence Taylor Nelson Harvey passed away peacefully to his heavenly home on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at the Key West Health and Rehabilitation Center following a brief illness, just 33 days after grandly celebrating his 91st birthday.

Larry was born April 6, 1921 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the only child of the late Lawrence V and Bertha R Harvey. Larry was very proud of his ancestry. Larry's middle name of Nelson refers to Thomas Nelson Jr. an early governor of Virginia and signer of the Declaration of Independence. His family had ties to Yorktown, Richmond, Philadelphia, Washington D.C. and the eastern shores of Maryland. Larry's family also had distant ties to President Zachary Taylor, hence his other middle name of Taylor.

Larry was an educator by trade, having graduated from Boston University. His first teaching job came somewhat unexpectedly. As a young graduate student at Boston University Larry needed a job and applied for a maintenance position at the Mary Brook School for Girls. He was somewhat confused during the interview which centered on the classroom and textbooks instead of maintenance. Larry was hired as a faculty member and thus began his teaching career. Larry's teaching career included the Portia Law School, now the New England School of Law, a private school in Westchester County New York, Searing in the Country, where he served as headmaster and Gulliver Academy in Coral Gables, Florida.

Larry also was an entertainer, delighting audiences with song and story with his wonderfully powerful voice. He had traveled to England, France and Italy where he performed and upon moving to Key West performed in many of the clubs and venues on the island.

Larry came to Key West in 1966 at the suggestion of a cousin and like many became enchanted with the island making it his home for the rest of his life, 46 years total. It was in Key West were Larry met the love of his life, Alan Ferguson, his partner of 30 years. Although his formal teaching days were past, Larry continued to teach through song and his 30 plus years of employment with the Hemingway House Museum. Larry was always ready to lend his voice and talents to any charitable event, which he did countless times. He was one the original participates in the annual St. Paul's Christmas Concert, performing since its inception 26 years ago. In 2006 Larry was honored and served as the Grand Marshall of the Gay Pride Parade. Larry was a long time member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Larry will be dearly missed by his loving partner of 30 years, Alan Ferguson and many, many acquaintances, colleagues and friends too numerous to list here.

Services and celebrations for Larry will be held on Saturday, May 19, 2012 at St. Paul's Episcopal Church beginning with a 10:30 a.m. musical celebration followed by an 11:00 a.m. Mass officiated by Father Larry Hooper and Father Don Sullivan. A reception and light refreshments will follow in the parish hall. Following the reception a Celebration of Larry's Life will be held at the Hemingway House Museum at 2 p.m. Larry's wishes were to be cremated and his ashes will be interred in the Memorial Garden at St. Paul's Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Paul's Church for the restoration fund for the Blessed Mother Mary Statue that Larry loved so very dearly.

Thank you to all who helped or visited Larry at the hospital and rehabilitation center during his stay, especially: Bobby, Fizz, Gene, Jacque and Tom. A special thank you to the staff at Lower Keys Medical Center and Key West Health and Rehabilitation Center for the care and comfort you provided.

PAUL ROSENBERG

"Mr. Paul," as he was so lovingly called, passed peacefully in his home on Big Pine Key and went to be with the Lord on Friday, May 4, 2012.

Paul was born on Nov. 7, 1923, to Frank and Elsie Rosenberg in New York City, N.Y. At the age of 17, in April of 1942, he left school and joined the Navy, where he trained and served as an electronics engineer. As part of the Navy's Air Program, Paul began his tour with the "Lighter than Air" Blimp Squadron and was stationed in Lakehurst, N.J., in January of 1943. The Blimp Squadrons were responsible for surveillance missions, and during the war, they patrolled above our submarines and destroyed many enemy submarines. Paul worked on them and flew in them. In June of 1946, he was stationed with the "Hurricane Hunters" Squadron, which patrolled off the east coast of Florida and the Florida Keys.

In 1955, he proudly served in Antarctica in "Operation Deep Freeze" and he did a four-year tour of duty in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, from September of 1963 until 1967. During his career, he was also stationed in the Pacific, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Point Mugu, Calif., Jacksonville, Fla., and finally in Key West, Fla.

After 30 years of service, in 1972, Paul was granted an honorable discharge but was retained to work in a civilian position for another 15 years with the Navy until his retirement in October 1990.

Paul had been raised in the Jewish faith, but after meeting Donita, he became a Christian in 1986, and after a two-year courtship, they married at the Big Pine Christian Center (later to become the Vineyard). Paul and Donita settled down on Big Pine Key and spent their retirement years traveling in their motor home, fishing from their boat in the beautiful waters of the Florida Keys, and enjoying the company of many friends.

During his military career, this quiet man was awarded the Good Conduct Medal seven times. He was awarded the WWII Victory Medal, the Navy Expert Pistol Ribbon, two National Defense Service Medals, the American Defense Service Medal, the Antarctica Service Medal, the Navy Unit Commendation Award, The American Theater Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and an award for "Principals of Teaching NAS" in Jacksonville, Fla.

"Mr. Paul" was a member of the Vineyard Community Church (from its founding days as the Big Pine Christian Center) and he will be missed by all his friends and family there.

Paul Rosenberg is survived by his loving wife, Donita DeWitt Rosenberg; and his sister, Gloria Schaller. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Marvin; and his brother-in-law, "Mendy" Schaller.

There will be a memorial service for "Mr. Paul" at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 12, 2012, at the Vineyard, 100 County Road, Big Pine Key, FL 33043, with a luncheon to follow. On May 17, in Rockford, Ill., there will be a viewing at 9 a.m. and a service at 10 a.m. in the chapel at the Sunset Memorial Gardens (Machesney Park) with interment immediately following.

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Vineyard Community Church that he loved so much.

DALE GORDON JENKINS

Dale Gordon Jenkins, 63, passed away Friday, May 4, 2012. A memorial will be held at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, May 20, at the Lazy Lakes Clubhouse.

Elbridge W. Curry

Mr. Elbridge W. Curry, 79, passed away Monday, May 7, 2012, unexpectedly, in his home.

Mr. Curry was a lifetime resident of Key West. He taught at the Florida Keys Community College and in the Monroe and Miami/Dade County School Systems for over 30 years.

Visitation/wake will be held today, Friday, May 11, 2012, at Castillo & Thurston's Key West Mortuary.

Funeral services will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 12, 2012, at the Basilica of St. Mary's Star of the Sea, with Father John Baker officiating. Burial will be in the family plot at Southern Keys Cemetery Big Coppitt Key.

All arrangements entrusted to Castillo & Thurston's Key West Mortuary.