Tuesday ObitsCoyote |
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Master and Commander Posts: 1254 Location: NE Florida | Subject: Tuesday Obits https://www.facebook.com/ussvi.eternalpatrol/ The above link goes to the USSVI (United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.) Facebook page where their members who have gone on “Eternal Patrol” are noted. I’ll keep my work here going, trying to get others who were not USSVI members. You’re encouraged to look there as well as here! Obviously, there’ll be some I miss and some I duplicate. SPERBER .. .. .. John William Sperber passed away at the age of 88 in Murray, Utah. In 1952 John joined the U.S. Navy. He served in the Submarine Service 20-plus years, retiring as Sr Chief Petty Officer. He then worked as a civilian at the U.S. Navy Puget Sound Shipyard, WA, overseeing maintenance, upgrading and decommissioning of nuclear-powered submarines and other vessels. In 1960 John married Linda Mae Rising Sperber. They were married just short of 50 years before Linda passed in 2010. They liked to camp, fish, boat, garden, support their children’s activities, travel, go to casinos and play cards with friends. They lived in Port Orchard, WA. They had two children, John Lee Sperber and Kimberly Jo Trupiano. They had three grandchildren: Hannah Sperber, August Trupiano and Sierra Trupiano. John remarried in 2015 to Joyce Kay Wells Sperber. They had been long-time friends who were reunited after losing their spouses. Their love of travel and casinos brought them together. They also liked to camp and play cards with friends. They lived in Kirkville, N.Y. John had four step-children: Chris Wells, Joni Pickering and husband Dennis, Lynn DiFlorio and husband Vincent, and Steven Wells and wife Amy. He had many grandchildren: by Chris– Timothy Wells, Jessica Wilson, Stacey Wells, Erik Ellefson and Karina Wells; by Joni– Ryan Wells, Jeffry DuSell, Collin DuSell; by Lynn– Brooke DiFlorio; and by Steven– Ava Wells. John is survived by his spouse, Joyce, his children, John and Kimberly, his grandchildren, his four step-children Chris, Joni, Lynn and Steven, and his many step-grandchildren. John was reticent and wise. He observed much more than he let on. He liked people to get along and was generally kind-hearted. He took care of his family and was very loyal. He will be greatly missed. John’s daughter Kimberly and his two grandchildren, August and Sierra, will be having a celebration of life memorial and releasing his ashes as he wished in the Cascade Mountains, WA. MERRITT .. .. .. William Merritt 7-21-2025 Cumberland, Me 1936-2025 Bill Merritt passed away in the loving presence of his family in Cumberland, ME, after a long, courageous journey with Alzheimer's. Born August 7, 1936, in Flushing, NY, and raised in Amityville, Long Island, Bill was the son of Florence and Bill Sr., and brother to Justine. He attended Chaminade High School, Holy Cross College, and Harvard Law School. Between college and law school, he served three years of active duty in the Navy and later retired as a Captain after 20 years in the reserves. Bill's entrepreneurial career spanned industries-from grain to telephones, tugboats to real estate. He lived his bachelor years in NYC before settling in Darien, CT with his wife Chris to raise their family. Bill was known for his bold stories, sharp wit, and deep love for his kids especially cheering them on in sports. He had an encyclopedic memory for obscure athletic stats of his children and their friends, never missing a game or forgetting a play. He was a proud member of the Saturday "Breakfast Club," a gathering of fellow sports fanatics, where his unfiltered commentary often made people laugh, cringe, or both. A standout track athlete, Bill ran the 400m relay at Madison Square Garden and Boston Garden, and was inducted into the Holy Cross Hall of Fame. He often claimed he was once "the fastest man in the East" and just missed qualifying for the Olympics. His Navy years shaped his life profoundly, instilling discipline, loyalty, and lifelong friendships. He loved recounting tales from that time-whether chasing Russian submarines on the Riviera or being swept overboard and miraculously returned by a wave. Not all of his stories were verifiable, but all were unforgettable. Later, Bill found deep joy in his work with McAllister Tugboat, combining his love of the sea, New York Harbor and lifelong friendships. Many family celebrations took place on McAllister tugs, thanks to the generosity of the McAllisters. Bill is survived by his wife, Chris; children Tyler, Brian, and Elizabeth; and grandchildren Cody, Sage, Nina, Hadley, Lincoln, Asher, and Mazzy. His personality was larger than life, and his loyalty unmatched. As a friend said, "An oak has fallen and the forest mourns." A small celebration of life is being held by his immediate family on a boat off the coast of Maine where his ashes will be scattered into the sea. LARSON .. .. .. Dale Larson, age 89, of Webster, WI passed away peacefully on July 26, 2025. Preceded in death by his parents, Lorentz and Bernice Larson; and brother, Roger Larson. Dale is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Rosemarie "Rosie" Larson; his adored daughters, Julie (Mike) Harvey and Jeanne (Karl) Guernsey; and his cherished grandchildren, Wyatt, Lucas, Tessarose, and Dayle. He is also survived by his brother, Keith (Karen) Larson of Fairbault; his sister Marcia Schmehl of Arizona; many loving nieces and nephews, and his deer hunting partner, Billy (Vickie) Felstow of Huntersville, NC. Born on April 28, 1936, in Stillwater, MN, Dale graduated from Stillwater High School in 1954 before proudly serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the submarine, the USS Bang. After his military service, he began his career as an elementary school teacher before transitioning to a successful career in industrial sales. In 1992, Dale and his beautiful wife retired to the lake home he built with his own hands - a place that became the heart of many treasured family memories. Dale was a passionate outdoorsman through and through. Whether building a tundra buggy to drive from Minnesota to Alaska in pursuit of moose, patiently waiting in a deerstand, teaching his daughters, nieces and nephews how to water ski, or casting a line off the dock at sunset, the wilderness was where Dale felt most at home. His love for nature was matched only by the deep pride he held for his family. He instilled in his children and grandchildren a lasting love for the outdoors and lake life, a legacy that lives on with every sunrise paddle, every fireside story, and every cast into still waters - where his spirit will always be felt. A special thank you to our Dove family, Tina, Aryiss, Jacob, Linda, Steve, Nevaeh and Chloe. Their care and compassion brought comfort to Dale and our entire family. We are forever grateful to them and the incredible women with Hospice, Ann, Barb, and Darcy. Dale's memory will be honored quietly without a formal service, in the hearts of those who knew and loved him. MORGAN .. .. .. Benjamin Wesley Morgan June 25, 1954 - May 21, 2025 Raleigh, North Carolina - Mr. Morgan, a longtime resident of Raleigh, NC, is survived by his children, Anna Katherine Morgan and James Alexander Morgan. Throughout their young lives, Ben was an ardent supporter of Anna in her horse shows and chorus performances and a faithful Scout master to Alex, from Tiger Cub to Eagle Scout. In addition to his many professional accomplishments, Ben was a gourmet cook and an avid reader. He delighted in carving intricate jack-o-lanterns and in writing song parodies for family birthdays and holiday celebrations. Known for his intelligence, dry wit and unwavering loyalty, Ben is remembered with love and admiration. A native of Lynchburg, VA, Ben grew up in Winston-Salem, graduating from North Forsyth HS in 1972. He continued his education at Duke University, where he had been awarded a full Navy ROTC scholarship. After receiving his B.S. in chemistry in 1976, Ben completed naval nuclear power officer and radiological control officer training. From 1978-1981, Ben lived in Charleston, SC, where he served as an engineering division officer on the USS Henry Clay, a nuclear submarine. In August '81, Ben and his bride, Jan, moved to Connecticut, where Ben served as the radiological controls officer on the USS Fulton, a submarine tender. Ben resigned from the Navy in 1983, to accept a position in Raleigh with Carolina Power and Light (now part of Duke Energy Progress). Ben held technical positions in both corporate health physics and in the radiation protection unit at the Shearon Harris nuclear power plant. While working fulltime and caring for his family, Ben studied for and received an MS in health physics, Georgia Institute of Technology 1992. He retired from Progress Energy in 2006 to work as a health physics consultant. With Bartlett Services, Inc., Ben served as the radiological design engineer/ radiological control manager at the Savannah River site, Aiken, SC. Ben capped his professional life by serving at the Naval Dosimetry Center, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, helping to provide radiation monitoring for US Navy ships, hospitals and clinics world-wide. Ben was named the Dosimetry Center's Civilian Employee of the Year in 2014. Ben retired from the Center in 2020 and returned to his home in Raleigh. In July of that year, he underwent a kidney transplant at Duke University Hospital. He was living in Raleigh at the time of his passing and was preceded in death by his parents, James P. Morgan and Anne Taylor Dahm, by his stepmother, B.J. Morgan and by his three siblings, Lyn, David and Michael. Along with Anna and Alex, Ben leaves behind his former wife and life-long friend, Jan Doub Morgan, as well as a large and loving circle of extended family, friends and colleagues. | ||
