Soa 2017

KEEPING THE SPIRIT ALIVE There’s more to our history than dates. Eight stories help preserve its heart and soul.

Observer JULY 2017

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JULY 2017

History gives the gift of perspective T imes, they are a changin’. I’m reminded of this often, as I try to keep up with the newest social media platform, or learn the new features of my iPhone. Or, as folks of my generation talk disparagingly about millennials, or “kids today” or any number of things about “the way things were.”

And I’m 36.

I often wonder during these discussions if people have always felt this way. Is this new, or have people always felt like the changes in our country were something to fear? Have people throughout the generations felt like we as a society are losing ourselves and our values as we evolve?

I suppose it depends whom you ask, and how they view change.

For me, it’s at times like these that history can lend us some perspective about the things we face today.

In the following stories, we tried to do just that. We found members of our community who experienced times of change in our nation’s history. We wanted to hear about how things were, and what affect these events and

CONTENTS

changes had on people at the time.

A lot of these times were tough. Times of war, of strife, of growing pains as a country and a society. These people’s stories reflect that.

Some are sad, such as Gerard McParland’s tale on what it was like to be a firefighter working at Ground Zero after 9/11. Others are inspiring, such as Arleane Stier’s story on the lessons of gratitude she gleaned from the Great Depression.

All of them hopefully will help remind us that yes, even though we are divided right now as a country, and yes, things have changed, it’s not the first time.

In our history, we as Americans have faced many challenges and hardships. It’s the spirit we share in common that always pulls us through.

So let us not lose our perspective. May the tales of history continue to shine as examples of the things we can overcome as a strong, united nation. And may we all work to keep our history — and the spirit of America — alive.

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Arleane Stier says the Great Depression taught her a great lesson: gratitude.

20

Gerard McParland recalls weeks at Ground Zero after 9/11.

26

Frank Cona was one of seven instrument engineers who worked to put John Glenn in space.

ON THE COVER

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Top: On Feb. 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth. See Page 26.

Center: Newtown community members pose with the educator and philanthropist Mary McLeod Bethune. See Page 28.

KAT HUGHES EXECUTIVE EDITOR

ALSO INSIDE Fourth of July calendar................... 5 Kids say the darndest things......11 How well do you know your Fourth of July history? ......... 12 Gus Andreone served under Gen. George S. Patton ............................... 16 Suzanne Bissell attended Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech in 1946....................... 18 Brock Beason and Dave Edwards’ adoption broke through prejudice ................................24 Sheila Sanders found her voice in 1950s Sarasota.....28 Pauline Kozuch volunteered with Rosie the Riveter campaign in the 1940s.................... 30 Column: What it means to be an American...............32

Bottom: The helmet Gerard McParland wore on 9/11 at the World Trade Center site while cleaning up debris. See Page 20.

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JULY 2017

YOUR FOURTH OF JULY CALENDAR File photos

Lisa Carter captures the fireworks over Sarasota Bay from the terrace of the great room at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens on July 4, 2016. See listing on Page 9.

OBSERVER SATURDAY, JULY 1

MANATEE COUNTY BRADENTON MARAUDERS INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATION What’s more American than baseball? Watch the Bradenton Marauders take on the Florida Fire Frogs in America’s favorite pastime to launch the holiday weekend. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., and the game begins at

6:30 p.m. at McKechnie Field at LECOM Park. The event features a kids zone with a face painter and balloon artist, a patrioticthemed baseball jersey auction and a free shirt giveaway to the first 1,500 fans to enter the stadium. A fireworks show will follow the game. Tickets are $15, of which $5 benefits nonprofit Turning Points. Call 747-3031.

Twins Katie and Emily Stansbury, 4, attend the 2016 Freedom Fest.

‘AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL:’ A PATRIOTIC CELEBRATION FEATURING BRIAN GURL If you’re looking for something to do before the barbecue and fireworks this Fourth of July weekend, join Brian Gurl on a “patriotic adventure” honoring American music legends such as Elvis Presley, Woody Guthrie and Irving Berlin. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. at The Players Centre Main Stage. Tickets are $20 to $25. Call 365-2494.

NATHAN BENDERSON PARK FIREWORKS SHOW The Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates Inc. is starting a new tradition the weekend before Fourth of July with a fireworks display over the water at Nathan Benderson Park. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the event runs until 9:30 p.m. The celebration is a family-friendly affair with music, games, food and aquatic equipment rentals such as kayaks and paddleboards, which will be available from 5-7 p.m. Guests can bring their own food and beverages, but no glass. Admission is free and parking is $5. Call 487-1917.

ANNUAL FIRECRACKER 400 RACE Hit the bay in your squadron PHRF boats and one-design fleets for a pursuit-style race with the slower boats starting first.

Registration is at 11:30 a.m. at the Sarasota Sailing Squadron, 1717 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota. Must have a valid WFPHRF certificate to race in the PHRF Fleet. Entry is $10 per boat. Unlike last year, the race is the Saturday before the Fourth of July, but there will be a casual family social at the squadron on Independence Day with a family sail, cookout and viewing of the bayfront fireworks show. Email manager@sarasotasailingsquadron.org.

CALENDAR CONTINUES ON PAGE 6

TIP

Be respectful of marine life. You’re sharing the water with them when boating, so be courteous of our underwater neighbors during your Independence Day festivities. Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium scientists say dolphins frequent the shallow waters of Sarasota Bay, and the most accidents involving them happen around Fourth of July. Watch where you’re going when boating, and don’t let any trash off the boat get into the water.

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SARASOTA GRAND PRIX WEDNESDAY, JUNE 28

‘THE FRIENDLIEST CATCH’ FISHING TOURNAMENT 9 a.m. at Sarasota Outboard Club, 1604 Ken Thompson Parkway, City Island. Invitation only.

THURSDAY, JUNE 29

SARASOTA POWERBOAT GRAND PRIX FESTIVAL KICKOFF PARTY 6 to 10 p.m. at Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens, 811 S. Palm Ave., Sarasota Tickets $150, call 487-7904.

FRIDAY, JUNE 30

‘MEET & GREET WHO’S IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT’ AUTOGRAPH SIGNING EVENT Noon to 2 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota Tickets $5; free for ages 18 and younger, call 487-7904.

‘BOATS ON MAIN’ DOWNTOWN BLOCK PARTY 6 to 11 p.m. on Main Street Sarasota from Orange Avenue to Palm Avenue Free, call 487-7904.

SATURDAY, JULY 1

FINZ FINDS MOTORCYCLE CHARITY RIDE 9 to 11 a.m. at Rossiter’s Harley-Davidson, 330 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota Tickets $10 per rider, call 487-7904.

SUPERSTOCK AND AQUAX QUALIFYING RACES 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Lido Beach, 400 Benjamin Franklin Drive, Sarasota Free; VIP viewing $100 per person at Sandcastle Resort at Lido Beach, 1540 Benjamin Franklin Drive, Sarasota.

Call 487-7904.

For more information, visit sarasotapowerboatgrandprix.org

File photo

Logan Cutts gets a lift from his grandfather Peter Ross to get a closer look at Watt-Ahh! at the Boats on Main Block Party on July 1, 2016.

TUESDAY, JULY 4

LONGBOAT KEY ANNUAL FREEDOM FEST AND HOT DIGGITY DOG! PARADE This classic Longboat Key patriotic affair begins at 9 a.m. and runs until 11 a.m. The parade begins at the Longboat Key Town Hall, 501 Bay Isles Road, and ends at Bicentennial Park next door, which is why it’s earned the nickname of the world’s shortest parade with its quarter-mile route. Assemble your best red, white and blue ensemble and deck out your bike, wagon and the dog, while you’re at it, to show your patriotism. The fun continues after the parade at Bicentennial Park, where activities, food and refreshments will be available, and the Rotary Club of Longboat Key will announce the winners of its annual Hot Diggity Dog! Parade costume contest.

Free. Call 383-2466.

MANATEE COUNTY ANNA MARIA ISLAND PRIVATEERS 4TH OF JULY PARADE Ahoy mateys! It’s all hands on deck for this processional of Anna Maria Island buccaneers (AKA local philanthropists) and area businesses and organizations in honor of Independence Day. The parade runs from 10 a.m. at Coquina Beach, 2650

Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach, and ends at City Pier, 100 S. Bay Blvd., Anna Maria. Free. Email tlt_florida@yahoo.com.

PALMETTO FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVAL Palmetto Community Redevelopment Agency’s fifth annual Fourth of July Festival features a bigname headliner, and this year’s performers are Country Music Hall of Fame 2015 inductees The Oak Ridge Boys. Family-friendly activities start at 1 p.m. at Sutton Park. Openers Boss Hog and Carol Cole will take the stage at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m., respectively, before The Oak Ridge Boys go on at 7 p.m. Attendees can stay in their seats or walk down to the Manatee River for a more dramatic view of the fireworks show, which starts at 9 p.m. There will be food and drink available for purchase.

Free. Call 723-4988.

FOURTH ANNUAL MYAKKA KAYAKA FOURTH OF JULY JAM BLAST Get active and take a kayak ride along the Myakka River this Fourth of July from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Snook Haven, 5000 E. Venice Ave., Venice. Eventgoers will also enjoy brews and live Americana music, all to support Friends of Sarasota County Parks. Free. Call 484-7362.

OBSERVER

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Keep our public spaces clean. Trash is bound to accumulate on the Fourth of July, but don’t leave it behind. Dispose of trash properly, and bring trash bags to outdoor celebrations in public in case public garbage cans are full.

CALENDAR CONTINUES ON PAGE 8

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TUESDAY, JULY 4

SANDBAR RESTAURANT FOURTH OF JULY EXTRAVAGANZA Head to the pavilion at Sandbar Restaurant, 100 Spring Ave., Anna Maria, for a perfect view of the Anna Maria Island fireworks show. Pavilion opens at 6 p.m. and VIP package holders get food, an open bar and party favors for $140 per adult and $50 per child age 12 and under. The fireworks show begins around 9 p.m. and viewing is free. Seating is limited. Call 778-8709 for reservations.

SARASOTA COUNTY ALL-AMERICAN COOKOUT Celebrate Independence Day among Sarasota’s natural beauty at 6 p.m. at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. Enjoy music by SoulRCoaster, all-American grill classics and beverages available for purchase by Michael’s On East and a picturesque view of the Sarasota Bayfront fireworks show. A trolley will be available from 5 to 9:30 p.m. from the Sarasota Friendship Center, 1888 Brother Geenen Way. Admission is $25 for members, $35 for nonmembers, $10 for children ages 4 to 12 and free for children ages 3 and under. The VIP Selby Experience, which includes food, beverages and valet, is $125. Call 366-5731.

File photo

VOICES OF FREEDOM Choral Artists of Sarasota, formerly Gloria Musicae, will hold a Fourth of July concert aimed at celebrating the American dream — liberty and justice for all. This year’s 90-minute performance has a new setting of the Gettysburg Address and will begin at 4:30 p.m. at First Church, Sarasota, 104 S. Pineapple Ave. The event will be dedicated to the memory of June LeBell, the late former performer and executive director of Choral Artists of Sarasota. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Call 387-6046.

Parker Marie, Riley Marie and Savannah Torres attend the All-American Barbecue on July 4, 2016, at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens.

OBSERVER

TIP

Don’t forget that this is sea turtle nesting season.

Whether you’re spending your whole day seaside or just hitting the beach for fireworks, fill any large holes and kick over sandcastles and other sand formations before leaving.

They interfere with the path of baby sea turtles during their nighttime journey to the ocean.

OBSERVER

TIP

Fireworks are not legal in Florida without a permit, so stick to sparklers for your Fourth of July festivities. You’ll find plenty of vendors selling fireworks, but you might be asked to sign a waiver stating you’ll be using them for other purposes that aren’t genuine.

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If you think beach parking will be easy to find on Fourth of July, think again.

Don’t try to park at the beach. If you plan to catch some rays on Independence Day, call an Uber or Lyft, but remember that there definitely will be a surcharge.

A way around this is to ask a friend or colleague who has festivities planned elsewhere to drop you off. If you’re feeling lucky and want to give parking a shot, get to the beach as early as possible on Tuesday morning.

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SIESTA KEY 27TH ANNUAL FOURTH OF JULY FIREWORKS DISPLAY Grab your towel and head to the soft, white sand of what TripAdvisor and Dr. Beach recently dubbed the No. 1 beach in the U.S. The Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce will host the event, which starts at 9 p.m. at Siesta Key Beach. Free. Call 349-3800.

VENICE FIREWORKS Watch a spectacular fireworks display fired from the south Venice Jetty at Venice Beach after sunset. Ideal vantage points include Venice Beach, Nokomis Beach or via boat on the Gulf of Mexico or intracoastal waterway.

Free.

Don’t count on finding open benches at Sarasota Bayfront Park. Think ahead and pack a beach chair, blanket or towel for comfortable seating, and bring snacks and games to distract any potentially impatient children before the show starts.

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Kids say ...

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JULY 2017

He has the stars on his hat. He is probably George Washington’s friend. (I think he wants me to) fight, just like he had George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and some other people. He protects us also from the bad guys that are British to keep us safe just like our two armies. (I think he’s) grumpy.

ANNA BRUGMANN STAFF WRITER

I

n the cast of American characters there are some more elusive than others.

George Washington was our first president, Paul Revere warned us that the British were coming and Sam Adams really didn’t like tea. Enter Uncle Sam. He’s nothing more than the personification of a campaign to recruit troops for World War I and World War II. His actual origins are shaded in lore, and his popularity as a national symbol has dwindled since the 20th century.

So we introduced children to the imposing man in the starspangled hat to see what they had to say about their longlost Uncle Sam. Their initial reactions were, well, just read for yourself.

|

— Austin Taylor

He has a hat. I’d play My Little Pony with him.

— Juniper Coleman

He’s like a star. I think he’s telling me to build something (like) a house. Maybe we’d play hide-and-seek.

I think he’s named after the United States of America. I think it’s to represent the United States. Did he work with George Washington? He tells people what to do and how to do it. I think (he wants me to) go get a flag.

He does building white houses for (my friend) Alex. He likes bugs to get on his hat and silly pointing. He’s disappointed at something.

— Ella Taylor

— Madison Taylor

— Calvin Coleman

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JULY 2017

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW FOURTH OF JULY HISTORY?

S

o you are as patriotic as they come, and you bleed red, white and blue.

When it comes to the Fourth of July, though, are you an ace?

Before you bite into your holiday hot dog, see if you can pass this patriotism test with flying colors.

1

What country cast the Liberty Bell? a. United States b. England c. Spain

3

6

How many presidents celebrate July 4 as a birthday?

On July 4, 1778, George Washington issued double rations of what to his soldiers?

a. One b. Three c. Five

a. Beef b. Beans c. Rum

4

How old was Benjamin Franklin when he signed the Declara-

7

West Point opened as a military academy on July 4 of what year?

tion of Independence? a. 43 b. 61 c. 70

a. 1802 b. 1870 c. 1914

5

Speaking of Ben, what did he propose as the national bird instead of the bald eagle? a. Turkey b. Swan c. Robin

2

As of July 4, 1776, how many people had signed the Declaration of Independence? a. One b. Two c. 56

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a. 1777 b. 1870 c. 1934

9

On July 4, 1803, the U.S. announced a major land deal. Which was it?

a. Purchase of Alaska b. The Florida land swap c. The Louisiana Purchase

10

How many men who signed the Declaration of Independence eventually became President of the United States? a. One b. Two c. Three

11

How many times is the Liberty Bell tapped in honor on July 4?

a. Four b. 13 c. 1776

12

George Washington became the nation’s first president in what year:

JULY 2017

13

14

How many U.S. Presidents have died on July 4?

a. None b. 3 c. 5

15

In the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest annually on July 4, what is the record for most hot dogs and buns eaten in 10 minutes? a. 73 b. 89 c. 102

16

In what state is the largest Fourth of July fireworks exhibition

held?

a. New York b. Pennsylvania c. California

17

a. 1776 b. 1777 c. 1789

a. 16 b. 23 c. 27

19

The stars on an American flag are what color?

a. Red b. White c. Blue

Watermelon is a Fourth of July tradition. What state produces the most watermelon? a. California b. Illinois c. Florida

18

How many official U.S. flags have there been?

20

23

When inaugurated as President the first time, George Washington had how many teeth? a. None b. 1 c. 12

24

The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says Americans will eat how many hot dogs on July 4? a. 100 million b. 125 million c. 150 million

What are the most stripes a U.S. flag has ever had?

25

Forbes magazine reports Americans are expected to spend how much on hamburger patties on July 4?

a. 13 b. 14 c. 15

21

The Pledge of Allegiance was written in what year?

a. $193.6 million b. $212.2 million c. $280.8 million

a. 1776 b. 1892 c. 1901

13

Congress declared July 4 as an official holiday in what year?

ANSWERS

22

Where was the first capital of the United States?

a. 1777 b. 1812 c. 1870

a. New York City b. Philadelphia c. Washington, D.C.

1: b. 2: b (Thomas Jefferson and Charles Thompson). 3: a ( Calvin Coolidge, July 4, 1872). 4: c. 5: a. 6: c. 7: a. 8: a (they were ignited over Philadelphia). 9: c.

10: b (John Adams and Thomas Jefferson). 11: b (In honor of the original 13 colonies). 12: c. 13: c.

14: b (John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe). 15: a. 16: a (the Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks show). 17: c (Florida produced 750 million pounds of watermelon in 2016). 18: c. 19: b. 20: c. 21: b (by Francis Bellamy).

22: a. 23: b. 24: c.

25: c.

8

What year were fireworks chosen by Congress as an official way to celebrate the Fourth of July?

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JULY 2017

GREAT DEPRESSION

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rleane Stier looks at her life with a deep sense of appreciation. She’ll be the first to tell you she has much for which to be thankful.

From the window of her Grand Bay condo on Longboat Key, the 94-year-old Brooklyn, N.Y., native can see fish jumping in the bay below. The view is one of life’s simple pleasures, but Stier cherishes it. It’s one of the reasons she first fell in love with the area.

She’s lived a long, full life.

Before retirement, she worked as a registered nurse in New Jersey, and in her 50s, she became one of the first female physicians assistants in the country, pioneering protocols for a position previously unavailable to women.

Stier is happy. Her secret?

Gratitude.

She remembers a time when things weren’t so easy.

Born in 1922, Stier grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., during the Great Depression, the youngest daugh-

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ter of Russian immigrants. Her father, Abraham Miller, came to the United States in 1909 as an accomplished wood carver, working on commissioned pieces for high-end clients like the Vanderbilts and the Mellons. His intricately detailed work is in the Frick Collection in New York City.

But big commissions didn’t necessarily mean big pay.

“We were poor,” she says. “But everyone we knew was in the same situation. We didn’t know any different. We were taught to be satisfied with what we had.

My mother instilled in me not to expect too much out of life, and you won’t be disappointed. She said, ‘Do the best you can, and be happy with what you have.’”

At 16, Stier’s family moved to Orange, N.J., where her father and brother opened a stationery store.

She and her two sisters hoped to pursue professional careers. But without money for college, their options were limited.

“At that time, you could either

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15

Left: In her home, Stier displays a photo of her father, wood carver Abraham Miller, near some of his carvings.

Below: Arleane Stier and her late husband, Carl Stier.

Nick Friedman

Arleane Stier, 94, says growing up during the Great Depression instilled in her a sense of gratitude.

be a typist, a secretary or a nurse,” she says. “Becoming a nurse didn’t cost anything, so I ended up with an RN degree.”

In New Jersey, she met her future husband, Carl Stier, who also came from humble beginnings. Carl Stier worked his way through law school and eventually become a judge in Bloomfield, N.J., where he served for 27 years.

“When we started out in our marriage, we had nothing,” she says. “I can remember we couldn’t even share a hamburger — in those days, you could get a hamburger for a dime. They were tough times, but we didn’t brood

about it. We did the best we could, and we were happy.”

Today, Stier is enjoying life on Longboat. On this day, she’s drinking sweet tea in the living room of her condo, surrounded by photos of her three children, five grandsons and two greatgrandchildren.

Her father’s artistic genes kicked in late in life, she says. She took up sculpting and watercolor painting in her 70s.

Stier is cheerful. She’s a great conversationalist and an even better host — quick to offer a slice of warm apple pie. She’s not one to dwell on hardships endured, but her early life experiences no doubt shaped her sunny outlook.

It’s a trait she hopes to pass on.

“My advice for younger people is to appreciate what you have,” she says. “Don’t look too far afield. Our generation came from nothing, so we were grateful for everything.”

Stier finishes her tea and glances out the window. It’s storming, and the normally serene view is a dreary gray. But she’s quick to point out the positive.

“Soon the sun will come out,” she says. “If we’re lucky, we’ll see a rainbow.”

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SPIRIT OF AMERICA

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YourObserver.com

JULY 2017

WORLD WAR II

Call of duty MANAGING EDITOR

T

he memories came flowing back, and Palm Aire’s Gus Andreone did his best to tell the story 72 years after it occurred.

It was May 1945, and Andreone was in Germany on patrol with his 61st Armored Infantry Division of the Third Army, which was famously commanded by Gen. George S. Patton.

A staff sergeant at the time, Andreone was put in charge of his column the worst possible way ... his colonel was severely injured when he stepped on a grenade (and later died while being transported for medical care) and his lieutenant, who laid side-by-side with Andreone in a foxhole during an attack, died when mortar shrapnel pierced his helmet.

Andreone, now 105, described how he woke up to find his lieutenant dead. He had to lead his column out of the area to join the

Gus and Betty Andreone celebrate Betty’s 100th birthday in a ceremony on Feb. 22 at Palm Aire Country Club.

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rest of his group.

He managed to rejoin his division, but they met more resistance. Fortunately for Andreone and his fellow soldiers, one of their machine gunners wiped out a nest of Germans who had gotten the jump on them with machine guns of their own.

“He took care of them,” was the way Andreone described it.

A short time later, though, Andreone yelled for his men to get down. “Hit the dirt,” he said, cupping his hands over his mouth and re-creating his actions of May 7, 1945. “Mortars.”

Andreone managed to escape serious injury. The machine gunner, a good friend of Andreone, did not.

“Who do you think was dead in my arms?” he asked rhetorically.

As he dealt with his grief, Andreone looked into the distance to see a large group of Germans walking toward him.

“They had fired all these mortars, and then they came out,” Andreone said of the enemy. “The war was over. If we could have made it through another hour, my friend would have been alive. You never know when your number is up.”

Andreone, who lives at home with his 100-year-old wife, Betty, agreed to revisit the unpleasant

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File photo

Gus Andreone was an honored veteran in the Tribute to Heroes Parade in Lakewood Ranch in May.

ONLINE Listen to audio clips from this interview at YourObserver.com

memories approaching Fourth of July. He believes it is important younger generations hear the stories no matter how much horror is involved. “We don’t hear enough of them,” he said of the stories.

Best known for being the oldest living PGA golf professional, Andreone became a soldier when he was 30 in 1944, living a nice, pleasant life as an assistant golf pro in Pennsylvania. It was interrupted when he was drafted by the U.S. Army.

“When you are drafted, it’s like when anyone is drafted. You accept the call,” Andreone said.

After training at Fort Benning and Camp Gordon in Georgia, Andreone was shipped to France to join Patton’s forces. A part of the 10th Armored Division, he joined his fellow soldiers, entering France at Cherbourg on Sept.

23, 1944. The opposition had been cleaned out by D-Day forces earlier in the year, so they met no opposition. They trained in the area at Teurtheville for a month before entering combat.

The first combat was Nov. 2, 1944, at Mars-la-Tour, France.

Later that month, the division faced intense fighting at Metz, which eventually fell (the first time the ancient fortress had fallen in 1,500 years).

“When I heard that first shell going over my head, even though I had that training, I was looking to get myself in a safe area,” Andreone said. “After a while, you get adjusted to it. But some people act different when they hear that first shell.

“When you are in an armored division, you are exposed to all kinds of things that might hap-

Gus Andreone

pen. You hope you come out of it. We had a certain mission and once we completed it, we had another. We always kept moving because Patton never stopped for anything. I’m telling you, there was no stopping with that man.”

As the fighting continued and Patton’s forces marched into Germany, Andreone said many of the soldiers grew harder as they were exposed to war.

“After a while, you’ve had so many things happen to your buddies all around you ... it’s such a tough thing to do,” Andreone said. “These were buddies you’ve worked with, and trained with, and you had to let them lay there, because they couldn’t move.

Everyone went through that.”

Andreone was responsible for a squad that included two 81 mm mortars. He also was responsible for shooting smoke into an area to give his troops cover.

Patton sent half the Third Army forces to Bastogne in Belgium during a key battle during of the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, with the other half going to Luxembourg. Andreone was sent to Luxembourg. After the Battle of the Bulge finally went in the favor of the Allies, the 10th Armored reassembled in Metz and then raced through the German lines.

It wasn’t happening without pain and suffering.

In one battle, Andreone said the Germans knocked out four U.S. tanks and his group was forced to proceed on foot. The U.S. forces headed into a village that was located in a valley. German snipers had taken position above the Americans and were hammering them. Andreone found a multistoried building and headed upstairs with the hope he could locate the German snipers.

Unfortunately, the Germans saw him climbing stairs in the building, which had no windows.

“They must have seen what I was trying to do,” Andreone said.

“They hit the upper area of the building with a shell and it blew my ears out and dazed me. It was one of those 88s. Man. Those are the same ones that took the tanks out. For a couple of weeks, I couldn’t hear. It sounded like a bomb exploding, right over your head.”

After the Germans surrendered on May 8, 1945, Andreone was sent home after his division received some rest and relaxation time. He boarded a ship and headed for New York, sailing past the Statue of Liberty.

“When I was leaving (America),

|

17

JULY 2017

“When you are drafted, it’s like when anyone is drafted. You accept the call.”

— Gus Andreone

it was the last thing I saw,” he said.

“I was hoping I could come back and see it.

“Then I did see it.”

Emotion overtook Andreone and tears came to his eyes as he talked about the Statue of Liberty.

He couldn’t speak for a moment.

Asked if his return was an amazing time, he whispered: “Yes. It was.”

After landing back in the U.S., he went back to his Pennsylvania golf course and resumed his life.

“But you don’t forget,” he said.

“You never forget the experiences you go through.”

He does say he is proud of what the Third Army accomplished.

“We had a mission,” he said. “It was bad people and something had to be done. To kill all the people they did in the countries they invaded, for (Hitler) to unleash that stuff, the super race, it was bad. The people who lived in Germany, I feel bad for those poor people, too, You can just imagine Germany from all the bombs and everything else.”

He he was able to keep his war memories locked away most of the time while continuing his life.

“Everything was put aside,” he said. “It was about digging out so you could do your own thing. You try to forget as much as you can.”

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SPIRIT OF AMERICA

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JULY 2017

THE COLD WAR

A NEW WORLD Suzanne Bissell didn’t know that a quick trip to Fulton, Mo., would give her the reporting opportunity of a lifetime.

NIKI KOTTMANN STAFF WRITER

T

Courtesy photos

Suzanne Bissell, who was born in Oak Park, Ill., and raised in Downers Grove, Ill., was a student at Lindenwood College in 1946 when she attended the “Iron Curtain” speech.

ONLINE Listen to audio clips from this interview at YourObserver.com

he headline in the small c o l l e ge n ews p a p e r blared: “Linden Bark Sends Reporter To Cover Winston Churchill’s Speech at Westminster College.”

Part of it was true. A Lindenwood College student attended the famous 1946 speech by the former British prime minister at Westminster College. She heard “The British Bulldog,” as he was known, utter his now-famous 18 words: “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.”

But Suzanne Berry Bissell wasn’t sent by the student newspaper. That’s fake news, she said.

She was there because her aunt thought she would enjoy the occasion, and she only wrote about the speech to share the experience with her family. Bissell showed the paper to her college English teacher, who turned

the report in to the newspaper, the Linden Bark.

Bissell was a sophomore at Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University) in St. Charles, Mo., when she left to visit her aunt on Saturday, March 2 — the weekend before the speech. Her aunt, Rachel Hinman, taught the organ at nearby William Woods College (now William Woods University) in Fulton, so she traveled from St. Charles with family friends headed to a fraternity event at Fulton’s Westminster College.

The day before the speech, Hinman told Bissell she was getting her tickets to hear Churchill speak. Hinman was scheduled to perform at the event, so she got her niece a spot in the press box at what would become the biggest affair to ever take place in tiny Fulton.

“It was a spectacle,” Bissell said.

“I honestly couldn’t believe it was happening. I was kind of in a daze.

I was like, ‘What am I doing with all these really advanced reporters, what am I doing sitting in the

press box?’”

She doesn’t remember many details of that day, but Bissell’s observations are forever remembered through her descriptive 22-paragraph chronicle of the historical affair.

The story began with some background on how Churchill, the former prime minister of the United Kingdom, was asked to make the speech by Franc McCluer, then-president of Westminster College. She described the grand entrance made by Churchill, President Harry Truman and Secret Service contingent as they passed the 25,000 spectators who had lined the streets many hours before in anticipation of their arrival.

“Uproarious cheers were raised as the crowd sighted the wellknown face of the former prime minister holding his cigar and that of the President as he waved over the heads of the secret service men in the black, shining limousine,” Bissell wrote.

She described everything from the banners hanging in the city’s streets to what Truman was served by McCluer and his wife for the pre-speech luncheon — his favorite meal of ham. She told the story of a crowded gymnasium where men clad in darkcolored robes took to the stage and listened to the “Star Spangled Banner” and “God Save the King” while “movie cameras hummed” and Western Union boys ran around relaying messages across the world.

The content of the speech itself, however, was confined to a single paragraph. She wrote of

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19

Suzanne Bissell, pictured in 2012, moved to Sarasota in 1952 with her husband, Jack Bissell, after earning an education degree from the University of Florida.

The Linden Bark, the student newspaper at Lindenwood College (now Lindenwood University) wrote an inaccurate headline for Suzanne Bissell’s Iron Curtain story. The paper claimed to have sent her to cover the “Sinews of Peace” speech when in reality, she got tickets by chance and wrote the story for her own enjoyment.

how Churchill warned about Russia’s bid for power and urged for a continued British and American alliance. The second half was reserved for her thoughts on Churchill, who she called a “short, pudgy, sympathetic, elderly gentleman.” She was responding to a line in his speech: “I am only what you see here.”

When asked why her story focused on the experience of

being in that gymnasium rather than on the content of the speech, the answer was simple.

“I was so young — I was kind of naive about that stuff,” Bissell said. “I didn’t know how important it was. I really truly didn’t.”

As a college student, Bissell didn’t have an interest in politics.

What she found fascinating about the event was the grandness of the procession and the recession, the

throngs of people in the crowd and the way the sunlight streaming through the window seemed to make a direct path toward the speaker. Bissell, like most Americans, did not know on that day in Fulton, Mo., that Churchill became the first political figure to see the coming of the Cold War. Bissell felt out of place surrounded by journalists from all over North America and Europe.

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She wasn’t a reporter, and she never intended for her story to be published. She just loved to write, and when her aunt gave her the opportunity to document the event for her loved ones, she seized the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Churchill’s speech, she said, “changed everything for everyone in this country for many years to come.”

“It changed our lifestyle, what our values were — it changed the world at that time,” she said.

The message of that speech is

still relevant, she said, especially with President Donald Trump in office.

“I remember it because I think what he (Churchill) said still applies today,” she said. “There is an iron curtain. Russia is a very aggressive country. I think, believe it or not, everything holds true today. Now I’m getting too political, but that’s the truth.”

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JULY 2017

SEPT. 11, 2001

The end of innocence A firefighter from Ground Zero shares how 9/11 showed our nation its vulnerability. But it also showed our resilience.

BERKLEY MASON STAFF WRITER

O

n the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Gerard McParland, then a lieutenant in the New York City Fire Department, was playing golf in Maryland with 15 other firefighters who called themselves the “old timers.”

When they first saw coverage of the World Trade Center in flames, none of them knew what to do, but they quickly checked out of their hotel and headed straight for Manhattan.

“There was four or five of us in the car,” the 66-year-old retired fireman said of his drive back.

“As we were going north, the wind was blowing south that day, so the entire drive on the way up you could see the plume of smoke coming from the other way. We knew what it was, but we weren’t real sure.”

Both the Garden State Parkway and Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in

Brooklyn were closed, and only those with proper identification could cross.

McParland remembers how beautiful the weather was until it began to rain later that night, the first of many nights McParland would spend sorting through debris at Ground Zero.

“It was like a big hole of just smoke, you could see it coming right at us,” McParland said. “It was a nice day, a beautiful day, that day, but that night it started to rain, and because of the mist, it kept all the soot and everything from the buildings hanging around in the air. It looked muddy.”

The “muddy,” smoke-filled air lingered. Not just around the city, but on the first responders, too.

“It was all over everything, all over everybody,” McParland said.

“He came home covered in white ash, it was terrible,” Donna McParland, Gerard’s wife, said.

“He smelt so smoky.”

McParland spent a month going back and forth between the firehouse and the recovery site.

He describes most of the scene as just steel and rubble, through which he and a team searched for survivors or remains.

“You would find things, and you didn’t know what it was,”

Photos by Berkley Mason

University Park’s Gerard McParland shows his tattoo, his mark of remembrance for the 343 firefighters who lost their lives on 9/11.

Above: The helmet Gerard McParland wore on the 9/11 site while cleaning up debris.

McParland said. “One time later on, I think it was somebody’s knee or something that they were pulling out, and every time they found something they stopped, and we didn’t know who it was or what

it was, but you just knew it was something.”

There were no bodies to be found. McParland said the best way to described the scene was “pulverized.”

“You never found a piece of wood,” McParland said. “Those buildings had cabinets, couches, chairs, and you knew that it was 100 stories of buildings with offices and office furniture, and there was no wood, it was just steel.”

McParland said the first night was chaotic.

“The original thing was that we were there to rescue, but there was nobody there to be rescued,” McParland said. “So it quickly became a recovery situation.

Everybody responded the same way, because it was initially to rescue people, but when you got there, you realized that there was no rescuing going on. Everybody that was there had died. It was strictly recovery.”

Fire departments across the nation learned a lot from what took place on Sept. 11, “the worst day in the fire department’s history,” McParland said.

“In the normal procedures of a fire, you go in, fight a fire and you come out,” McParland said. “That was just different. Because they cut the buildings in half and they came down. It was the strangest thing because nobody knew they were going to come down, and the SEE 9/11, PAGE 22

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9/11 FROM PAGE 21

guys that went in never thought they wouldn’t be coming out.

It became a gravesite for a lot of people.”

McParland describes Sept. 11, 2001, as the day “we found out that the age of innocence was over,” because there are people in the world that have the capacity to do something so terrifying to the American people.

“We found out that we are vulnerable to anything and everything,” McParland said.

Many firefighters nationwide often talk about “survivor’s guilt.”

Why were they not there? Why were they still alive while hundreds of other firemen lost their lives that day?

After many years of reflecting on his weeks sorting through the rubble at the site, he has reached the conclusion that despite losing many of his colleagues — 343 firefighters died that day — he remains grateful for his life.

“As years went on, I decided that I’m glad I was in Maryland,” McParland said. “If you weren’t there, it wasn’t your time. We got there later on, but everything was done. The people that got killed were killed. It wasn’t my turn. It wasn’t meant to be.”

ONLINE Listen to audio clips Photos by Berkley Mason

University Park’s Gerard McParland holds a portrait of himself when he was a probationary fireman in 1978.

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JULY 2017

MARRIAGE EQUALITY

LOVE

without boundaries A same-sex couple fought for the right to form a family — and for acceptance.

KATIE JOHNS STAFF WRITER

L

ooking at the relationship of Brock Beason and Dave Edwards, it seems the Sarasota couple has been one step ahead of history for decades.

Beason and Edwards met in 1990, when they both worked at a Lazarus department store in Indiana.

“It was love at first sight,” Edwards said.

On their 22nd anniversary in 2012, they had a commitment ceremony to solidify their relationship, though legal gay marriage was still a dream, especially in Florida.

But in January 2015, a U.S. District Court ruling overturned the

(formerly Gloria Musicae) Joseph Holt, Artistic Director

ban on gay marriage in the Sunshine State. Edwards and Beason legally married in March 2015.

A few months later, in June 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the case of Obergefell v.

Hodges that same-sex couples could indeed marry, citing the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment.

“I was shocked,” Beason said. “I mean, just floored.”

But even before those monumental cases were decided, Beason and Edwards took another matter into their own hands — growing their family. Because same-sex adoption was banned in Indiana in 2002, the couple moved to New York, where they could legally adopt their son, Matthew.

As the then 7-year-old Matthew sat before a New York judge, he answered a delicate question from the bench. What did Matthew want for his birthday? The answer was simple: Two daddies.

Matthew’s next answer sealed the deal. “What do you want from

Courtesy photos

Brock Beason, Matthew Beason and Dave Edwards

Santa?” the judge inquired.

Matthew said his dads promised they would move to Indiana where no one would ever hurt him again. And just like that, Dave Edwards and Brock Beason became Matthew’s parents.

Even the couple’s attorney was swelled with emotion. “It’s on me. If anyone deserves to have kids, it’s you.”

Two days later, the new family moved back to Indiana. That was in 2002. Indiana didn’t legalize same-sex adoption until 2006.

Same-sex adoption is now legal

in all 50 states.

In today’s political climate, Beason and Edwards are a tad concerned. On a scale of one to 10, Beason said he’s worried at about a level six. He’s worried about losing rights granted to samesex couples by the U.S. Supreme Court. Because his husband had bypass surgery in 2014, Beason said if gay rights are scaled back, he would be prohibited from having a legal say in Edwards’ medical decisions.

Edwards, on the other hand, looks to the past and said he is

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ing openly as a same-sex couple, Matthew has been subjected to incidents that arose because he has two dads.

A boy in Matthew’s Indiana school kept picking on him. The school principal assumed it was because Matthew’s parents were gay, but that wasn’t the case.

The little boy, who didn’t have a father, said it was unfair that Matthew got to have two.

In another instance, Beason’s and Edwards’ sexual orientation did came into play at Matthew’s school.

Matthew has ADD, ADHD, OCD, ODD and a mild form of Asperberger’s. After a disagreement over discipline, the principal of Matthew’s school told Beason and Edwards they shouldn’t be parents.

Despite the principal ultimately being ordered to attend a class on tolerance, she was promoted the following year.

In 2009, the family moved

JULY 2017

25

You try to fit into what everyone expects. None of my friends knew, so I had to pretend around them.”

— Dave Edwards

to Sarasota so Matthew could attend Oak Park School, a school for special-needs students from pre-kindergarten to 22. Matthew has had no problems there, and Beason has worked there for the last seven years as a para-professional.

His favorite part of working at Oak Park School, Beason said, is seeing the impossible — something to which he’s no stranger.

“You can see when the children just make a special achievement that people might have thought was impossible,” he said.

ONLINE Listen to audio clips from this interview at

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only worried “a little bit” about mother. the future.

“I had told my mom that I had “We’re legally married now, so something to tell her and had a I’m not as worried as I would have conversation,” he said. “I cried. been a couple years ago,” he said. She laughed because she told me Both Beason and Edwards came she knew I was.” out to their families when they Edwards said he’s lost some were 19, when being openly gay friends because he is gay, but was a shaky endeavor. Both say some of those people have come their families already knew, but around. for different reasons.

“You try to fit into what everyBeason said his family didn’t one expects,” he said. “None of disown him. Though his mother my friends knew, so I had to prealready had an idea her son was tend around them.” gay, others had some issues, BeaAnd while Beason say they’ve son said.

DaRuMa-SunsetSpecials ad 5x8.pdfbeen 1 spared 6/19/17 from 1:56 discriminaPM In Edwards case, he just told his tion that often surfaces when liv-

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JULY 2017

THE SPACE RACE

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rank Cona was sitting in a rooftop lawn chair on Feb. 20, 1962.

As he looked into the sky, he saw a vapor trail from the Friendship 7 spacecraft that John Glenn was aboard. Like many Americans, he cheered along with fellow spectators.

There was the notion that Americans had pulled alongside the Soviets in the race for space.

But for Cona, that launch, and Glenn’s successful return, meant a job well-done on a personal level, too.

Cona was one of seven instrument engineers to develop a thermometer that could measure the temperature of the fuel, liquid hydrogen, to three decimal points. Using the fuel temperature, a physicist calculated the

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precise burn time for three retro rockets to allow the capsule to reenter Earth’s atmosphere.

The temperature was minus 454 degrees Fahrenheit.

“You always had to have a plan B,” Cona said. “You learn that quickly in engineering. At least B. [Even] C, D sometimes.

Plan A was for Glenn to return and splash down in the Atlantic Ocean. Plan B was for him to land in the Indian Ocean.

“John Glenn was right on the right mark,’’ Cona said. He landed within 1,000 yards.”

Cona graduated from Villanova University in 1961 and began working at Pratt & Whitney as an instrument engineer.

Originally, Cona wanted to work on the Ford Motor Co. team.

Then, in 1960, President John F. Kennedy said it was a point of his administration to put a man on the moon and bring him back before the end of the decade.

Cona was sold. He moved within his mechanical engineering degree from autos to aerospace.

He said he was bothered by the Soviet Union’s early successes in space. And he wanted to help put America back in the race.

“Down deep I was kinda ticked off that the Russians had been up

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27

NASA photos

Below: On Feb. 20, 1962, John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth.

Here, Glenn enters the Friendship 7 capsule with the help of technicians.

Left: Friendship 7 launched from Cape Canaveral on Feb. 20, 1962.

Katie Johns

Frank Cona was one of seven instrument engineers to work on Project Mercury.

there, and we couldn’t even get a monkey in space, and that really motivated me,” he said.

So he worked in West Palm Beach for Pratt & Whitney. He was about 150 miles away from Cape Canaveral when Glenn launched.

He said the engineering for the launch and mission was like peeling an onion — deeply layered.

Although Americans had been to space, they had never orbited the Earth, which is what Glenn’s mission set out to do.

The myriad calculations and measurements was Cona’s area of expertise. Getting it right meant

getting Glenn home and the space program another step ahead.

“I just measured stuff,” Cona said. “Because engineering, the way it’s broken out [is] you have very, very smart people who conceptualize it, then you have folks who are design people and they put the meat on the bones, and then you have field people like me who say, ‘Who’s the idiot that came up with this contraption?’ ” Project Mercury, as Cona says, was the granddaddy of more complex projects such as Gemini and Apollo. But before Glenn headed into space and became

the first American to orbit Earth, Alan Shepard and Gus Grissom launched aboard the Freedom 7 and Liberty Bell 7, respectively, as a part of Project Mercury.

Although Shepard and Grissom flew first, neither orbited Earth. Shepard’s flight was only 15 minutes. During their flights, the astronauts were monitored for their pulse and overall physical well-being. Cona recalls one of the monitors saying Glenn seemed to remain the most calm.

“He was saying that Grissom and Shepard’s pulses went through the roof when they were

launched,” Cona said. “Glenn didn’t move. He was like, ‘Oh yeah, I’m going to drive a Sunday drive.’”

It’s an American accomplishment that hasn’t been forgotten.

In September 2016, Margot Lee Shetterley’s book, “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians who Helped Win the Space Race,” was published. A movie based on the book came out on Christmas Day. The movie centered on three women, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson and Katherine John-

son who were the brains behind Glenn’s launch. “It was great,” he said.

“I would never trade it because I felt that was a match and use of my skills. I was too young for a career and too old for Vietnam.”

ONLINE Listen to audio clips from this interview at

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JULY 2017

CIVIL RIGHTS

Finding

a voice

ANNA BRUGMANN STAFF WRITER

S

he sat in the back of the library.

Amid stacks of papers and books, Sheila Sanders sat separated from other patrons of the Sarasota County Public Library.

She was smart, competitive and stubborn. At age 5 she could read, write and tell time.

Sanders was black. In 1950s Sarasota, that meant many things.

It meant she went to an allblack school in Newtown. Sarasota wouldn’t integrate its public schools until 1962 — eight years after the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision.

It meant she lived five miles from Sarasota’s white, sandy beaches but would not be allowed to visit until 1964.

And it meant that when Sanders went to the library, she sat in the back. To check out a book from a Sarasota Public Library, Sarasota’s black residents had to prove they owned land.

“My family did own property in Sarasota. We had lived here since the ’20s, but they wanted my parents to have to sign an order to check books out of the library,” Sanders said. “What they did is

they let me sit in the stacks and read … The librarians were very, very kind. It wasn’t their rule. It was the rule.”

Despite the treatment she experienced there compared to her white counterparts, the library was her oasis. It afforded her the knowledge to dispel the stereotypes associated with her age, her gender and her race.

“People used to just assume that because you’re small, you’re younger, you don’t know anything,” Sanders said.

The injustice was clear.

“What bothered me about it is that tourists, who did not own property in Sarasota, were allowed to check out books,” Sanders said. “And I thought that was grossly unfair.”

Sanders was never one to rest on her age as an excuse. At the library, her presence was her protest. As she got older she found that her voice had power.

“I think it’s important that you’re always aware of what it is you stand for and that you’re willing to communicate that to somebody else,” Sanders said. “If it’s not worth standing up for, it’s not worth being part of you.”

In third grade, Sanders and her classmates learned finances by bringing change to school each

Anna Brugmann

Sheila Sanders poses in the Ringling library, which is on the first floor of the building where she now works.

Photo courtesy Sarasota County Historical Resources

A Newtown residence circa 1960s

week to deposit into accounts the school had opened at a Sarasota bank. However, Sanders and her classmates were not allowed to tour the bank.

Not only did she organize a tour of Palmer Bank, then located at

Five Points, she also persuaded her classmates to withhold their funds. If Sarasota Federal didn’t want them in the bank, it was not going to get their money.

“It wasn’t a protest. It was an act of fairness.” Sanders said.

The teacher asked why there were no nickels and dimes to deposit. All eyes were on Sanders.

“The teacher ... said everybody had to save something,” Sanders said. “So we had a roll of pennies and everybody put in a penny. My thinking was that if we would just put in a penny it would cost them more to process.”

Although she concedes some might have viewed her actions as disrespectful, she doesn’t see it that way. For her, age is no excuse.

That’s why at the age of 12 and standing below 5 feet tall, she took over leadership of the youth branch of the Sarasota NAACP. “I was the youngest one there, but I have always felt that opportunities should not be based just on numbers,” Sanders said. “A number of people thought I was just petite. They didn’t know I was that young.”

It has been decades since Sarasota abandoned legal segregation, but Sanders’ sense of justice has not waned. She wields her wallet and her words with power.

When her words won’t do, she allows her actions to speak.

She signed her name to a lawsuit in the 1970s against the city in an effort to install single voter districts. She refused to buy diamonds during apartheid. She’s been an advocate for victims of domestic violence and teaches Sunday school at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church.

She knows the world isn’t fair, and may never be, but her convictions prohibit her from resting.

“I think it’s important that you don’t have to clean the whole world, but you clean the area that you are,” Sanders said. “And you keep it clean … I think it’s important that you act like you care all the time if you care.”

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EVERYTHING FOR THE

it felt good.”

At the time of the war, Kozuch lived in a four-room, fourth-floor apartment in Hartford, Conn., with her mother, Catherine Young, and older sister, Elizabeth Wolf. The three shared the combined living and dining area to sleep and rented the bedroom to a war bride named Natalie Garvin.

Garvin manufactured engines at Pratt & Whitney.

“I never did meet her husband, but he came home,” she said.

Kozuch said her contributions pale to those of a true Rosies, and she feels passionately their contributions should be recognized.

“It’s not about me,” said Kozuch, whose story is in a collection of Rosie memoirs published by American Rosie the Riveter Association. “I wasn’t a real, true Rosie, but they accepted me.”

When the war started, Kozuch remembers only that she was attending Sunday school. When it ended, she remembers the triumph.

Kozuch said the war, in many ways, may have impacted adults more than the children like her, but it planted in her a “you can do it” attitude and a deep sense of patriotism.

Fasold said those traits are synonymous with Rosies.

“They were doing what was required,” she said of Rosies.

“They didn’t know it was anything special. They broke barriers for the rest of us.”

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the stamps in place, a war bond booklet with a face value of $18.75 would be worth $25 at maturity.

Kozuch may not have built bombers during World War II, but she still felt compelled to “do her part.”

At 9 years old, she became a volunteer “Rosie,” a term coined from the 1942 poster of Rosie the Riveter flexing her arm muscles beneath the words “We Can Do It!” The campaign encouraged women to enter the workforce.

It’s estimated more than 6 million women helped produce 297,000 airplanes, 102,000 tanks, 372,000 artillery pieces, 88,000 warships and about 44 billion rounds of ammunition, according to the American Rosie the Riveter Association.

They were joined by an estimated 10 million Rosie volunteers, women who performed such war-related work as collecting materials or growing food.

Kozuch was one of them.

“The war wouldn’t have been won without the women,” said Yvonne Fasold, a past president of the American Rosie the Riveter Association. “It was the production of all the war goods that made winning WWII possible.”

The Tara Golf and Country Club resident remembers taking both ends off cans with a can opener, placing the can on its side and stomping it flat with her feet.

The metal could be recycled.

She helped plant a Victory Garden, filled with food to help ease demand on the food supply.

She hastily pulled down black window shades if sirens signaled a possible air raid. And she prayed.

“I was trying to do what I could,” Kozuch said. “You felt patriotic. What can I do when I’m 10, 11? When you could do it,

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Maggie Hicks

★★ ★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★★ Maggie Hicks ★ Turning your dreams into an address! ★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★ ★★★★ ★★★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★ ★ ★ Turning Your Dreams into an Address Beachplace

Recently Listed Properties

Happy 4th★ of★ July! ★★★★★★★Happy ★★★★ ★★★★★★★★ 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!

It takes a lifetime becomean an experienced experienced professional It takes a lifetime to to become professional takes a lifetime become anyour experienced professional & seconds only minutes to realize working withwith one! one & Itonly totorealize you are working & only minutes realizean your working with one!

It takes a lifetime toto become experienced professional & only minutes to realize your working with one!

FEATURED HOME FEATURED HOME HIDEAWAY BAY TOWER RESIDENCES FEATUREDMajestic HOMEBayfront HIDEAWAY BAY280 feet of Bay estate with

at THE RITZ-CARLTON Majestic Bayfront estate with4280& feet of Bay HIDEAWAY frontage!

4 Bedroom, two Captivatingly vibrant viewsBAY Bay1/2 will frontage!

4 Bedroom, 4 of280 &Sarasota twokitchen, Majestic Bayfront estatesuites, with feet of1/2 Bay bathrooms, 2 master chef’s sweep you off your feet at this elegant 2,985 sq. bathrooms, 2 master suites, chef’s kitchen, frontage!

4 Bedroom, 4 & deep two water 1/2 exquisite renovations, and private ft., 14th fl oor abode, perfectly poised with exquisite renovations, and private deep water bathrooms, 2 master suites, chef’s kitchen,its dock with lift. $2,695,000 dock with lift. $2,695,000 endless views across the Bay, Ringling Bridge and exquisite renovations, and private deep water Mexico beyond. Enjoy the$2,695,000 downtown lifedock Gulf withoflift.

Largest two-bedroom Gulf-front unit at Beachplace, re-modeled from Resort at Longboat Key Club | $495,000 and every easy-living amenity.

The 240 Sands Point Road #4106 Junior Suite | Fully Equipped

style with nearby sandy beaches, world class dining, shopping, golfing, theatre and art galleries.

HOMES && LOTS LOTS HOMES HOMES & LOTS

NEW LISTING Best bay views in Beachplace! There are views of Sarasota Bay, the

★★★★★★★★ ★★★★★★★★

$2,495,000

Ha

It takes a lifetim & only min

This three bedroom residence has been completely updated with neutral colored tile in the living areas, a new kitchen and covered parking.

Gorgeous views of the grounds, swimming pool and Gulf of Mexico, from this corner residence in Bldg. 3. The southwestern exposure allows building. Available furnished with covered parking for $610,000

Seasonal Rental Beachplace | $8,400 /month Direct Beachfront | Available Seasonally Beds: 2 | Bath: 2 | Turnkey Furnished

Beachplace | $479,000 1125 Gulf of Mexico Drive #103 Beds: 2 | Bath: 2 | Sq. Ft.: 1400 sq. ft.

Ready to Buy or Sell?

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Maggie has been a realtor for 20+ years and focuses on luxury residential real estate in South Florida.

DEDICATED TO LUXURY REAL ESTATE Owned and operated by NRT, LLC

Maggie Hicks Coldwell Banker Previews maggiehicks201@gmail.com 941-321-1759 Mobile

201 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Ste. 1 • Longboat Key, FL 34228

MANGOHARBOR BAY SUNSET

SUNSETThis HARBOR “New Construction”.

British West Indies 14,000+ SFrichlot lot located in in aa 14,000+ located style residence isSF in architectural detail SUNSET HARBOR private and gated enclave of andprivate locatedand on agated canal with directof Bay enclave 99 14,000+ SF lot located in a home sites with deeded boat access. residence is comprised homeThe sites with deeded boat and interior gated fienclave of an 9 slip. $450,000 ofprivate sophisticated nishes with slip. $450,000 home sites with deeded boat expansive floor plan, all on one level, that takes of the outdoors. slip.in the natural beauty $450,000 $1,749,000

MANGO BAY SUNSET HARBOR

LEGEND’S BAY MANGO BAY

MANGO BAY New construction located inresidences the private, SUNSE West Indiesinspired inspired 14,000+ SF West Indies residences maintenance free, and gated community BAY ononofprivate and under MANGO construction under construction Legends Bay. This beautiful 3 BR, 2 BA plus West IndiesKey. inspired residences Longboat Custom estatehome sites Longboat den is move-inKey. ready Custom and featuresestate excellent under construction on slip. sized homes with over 3,000+ quality throughout hurricane sized homes withincluding over 3,000+ Longboat Key. Custom estate SF,canal canal frontage andprivate glass windows.

Legends Bay isprivate located SF, frontage and sized over &3,000+ beachhomes access. minutes from IMGwith Academies 6.5 miles beach access.

SF, Florida’ canals fabulous frontage and $1,895,000 from white sandprivate beaches. $1,895,000 $699,000 beach access. $359,000

SUNSET HARBOR Start building your custom dream home BAYFRONT BAYFRONT today in Mango Bay. Three expansive 180 Enjoy spectacular sunsets andx SUNSET HARBOR Enjoy sunsets 140 estatespectacular sized lots available locatedand on a BAYFRONT endless water views from this endless water views from this canal with direct Bay access & private beach Enjoy spectacular and direct Bay frontsunsets lot with direct Bay lot access.

Several floorfront plans available towith conendless water viewsresidences from where this deeded boatinspired slip. struct West Indies deeded boat slip. direct frontat$699,000 one can enjoyBay island living it’$699,000 slot best. with deeded boat slip. $750,000 - $995,000

Saint Cacchiotti, Cacchiotti, PA PA Saint 941-809-0787 941-809-0787 Saint Cacchiotti, PA SaintCacchiotti.com SaintCacchiotti.com 941-809-0787 SaintCacchiotti@MichaelSaunders.com SaintCacchiotti@MichaelSaunders.com

SaintCacchiotti.com SaintCacchiotti@MichaelSaunders.com

Saint Cacchiotti, PA

$1,895,000

SUNSET HARBOR MarieMonsky, GRI 14,000+ SF lot located in a MarieMonsky, GRI private and gated enclave of 9 home sites with deeded boat 941-350-3245 941-350-3245 MarieMonsky, slip. GRI $450,000 MarieMonsky.MichaelSaunders.com MarieMonsky.MichaelSaunders.com 941-350-3245 MarieMonsky@MichaelSaunders.com MarieMonsky@MichaelSaunders.com

MarieMonsky.MichaelSaunders.com MarieMonsky@MichaelSaunders.com

Marie Monsky, GRI

941.809.0787 941.350.3245 2009 -- 2015 2015 Five Star: Star: 2009 Five SaintandMarie.com SaintandMarie.com Best in in Client Satisfaction Real EstateAgent!

Agent!

Best Estate SaintCacchiotti@MichaelSaunders.com MarieMonsky@MichaelSaunders.com 2009 -Client 2015Satisfaction Five Star:Real

En end dir dee

Saint Cacchio 941-809-0

SaintCacchiott SaintCacchiotti@Michae

Best in Client Satisfaction Real Estate Agent!

2009 - 2017 Five Star: Best in Client Satisfaction Real Estate Agent!

2009 -

Michael Saunders Saunders && Company, Company,Licensed LicensedReal RealEstate EstateBroker Broker Michael Best in C 4 of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key, FL 34228 • 941-383-7591 440 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key, FL 34228 • 941-383-7591 Michael Saunders & Company, Licensed Real Estate Broker Saunder of Christie’s Christie’s Great GreatEstates Estates&&Leading LeadingReal EstateCompanies Companiesofofthe theWorld World MichaelExclusive Exclusive affiliate of Estate 440affiliate Gulf of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key, FLReal 34228 • 941-383-7591 440 Gulf of Mexico D 243788 174522 174522

Seaplace | $524,000 Longboat Harbour | $189,000 1945 Gulf of Mexico Drive #216 4400 Exeter Drive #204 lush landscaping of Beachplace. Covered parking included.

Beds: 3 | Baths: 2 | Sq. Ft.: 1532 sq. ft.

Beds: 1 | Bath: 1 | Sq. Ft.: 664 sq. ft.

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Beachplace | $630,000 the studs out with raised ceilings 1125 Gulf of Mexico Drive #404 Beds:the 2 | Bath: | Sq. Ft.: 1400 sq. ft. living2 area.

Exclusive affiliate of Christie’s Gr Exclusive affiliate of Christie’s Great Estates & Leading Real Estate Companies of the World

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SPIRIT OF AMERICA

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YourObserver.com

JULY 2017

For all its warts, America really is great My family has been at the forefront of our nation’s history since the beginning.

KELLY CARSON COPY EDITOR

I

am an American.

One of my forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence.

As a descendant of John Adams, I giggle a bit every July 4 recalling that he famously missed the date on which we would mark the occasion.

“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America,” Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail.

Yes, I am an American.

My great-great grandfathers fought in the American Civil War — both for the South and the North. It’s a history shared by many families and one that my family treasures. On my mother’s side of the family, we stand with the Sons of the Confederate

Courtesy photos

My grandfather, Burton E. Carson I, served with Gen. John Pershing’s American Expeditionary Forces during World War I. During World War II, my grandfather served on the homefront as part of Civil Defense.

My father, Burton E. Carson II, was a U.S. Navy officer. He served from World War II through Vietnam.

Veterans and the United Daughters of the Confederacy. On my father’s side, it’s all about the Grand Army of the Republic.

I am an American.

My father’s father served with Gen. John Pershing and the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I in France.

He was at the Palace of Versailles when the treaty ending “The War to end all wars” was signed. He didn’t talk about his military experiences much, but the hell he lived through — the

gas attacks, the trench warfare — showed on his face and echoed in his voice. During World War II, my mother’s father served in the Army at a prisoner of war camp in Texas. My father’s father was a Civil Defense block captain. I have the armband he wore while on duty, and I treasure it.

I am an American.

My father fought in World War II, China, Korea and Vietnam and all the political hot spots in between. I vividly recall in October 1962 that my father was

My maternal great-great grandfather, Jarrett Todd, served with the Missouri Cavalry as a private for the Confederacy during the Civil War. He was 15 when he enlisted.

home from a deployment. The striking part of that was he took me and my youngest brother out of school for a day, and we went to Folly Beach outside of Charleston, S.C. While my brother and I played in the sand, Dad sat with large binoculars and a notepad scanning the eastern horizon. It was years later that

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FOR A

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

YourObserver.com

for iate ssoc A s Sale See

JULY 2017

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ils Deta

4 y l u J

SALE

copenhagen imports HOME INTERIORS Mon-Sat: 10:00-6:00 Sun: 12:00-5:00 7211 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota • 941-923-2569 copenhagen-imports.com

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he told me what he was doing — charting Russian ships heading to Cuba. It was the Cuban Missile Crisis.

I am an American.

As a child, I watched as Martin Luther King Jr. led throngs of people through the streets of Charleston, S.C., in 1967 in his quest for equal rights for African-Americans. I was amazed by his pose in the face of such brutal hatred.

I am an American.

A few years later, while my family lived in Mississippi, we were roused in the middle of the night by law enforcement after

someone pledged to blow up our home because my parents, publishers of the local newspaper, stood on the side of racial equality. It wouldn’t be the last time I would face trouble because of something written in a newspaper.

I am an American.

When I began my journalism career, the Ku Klux Klan was still alive and active in South Mississippi. They didn’t much care for my “outsider” stand and took it upon themselves to smash the plate glass window of my office not once, not twice, but three times. Apparently I offended the Klan by publishing photos of them unmasking themselves following a demonstration in the tiny town of Lumberton. I didn’t give up, but they ultimately did.

I am an American.

For many years I hid an important part of my identity because, in Mississippi at least, it just wasn’t talked about — not in polite company. It was 2000 when I mustered the courage to say, “Yes, I am a gay American” and not be afraid of the consequences.

I am an American.

In the 241 years since John Adams and the rest of the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, we have survived our struggles as a country and thwarted our attacks on ourselves. We are living in strange yet wonderful times, and we will, ultimately, continue as a country.

And that’s why I’m proud I am an American.

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T H E I S L A N D ’ S M O ST E XC LUS I V E C LU B M E M B E R S H I P

Arrange for your personal tour and find out about our Special Summer Membership option. � DEEP-WATER MARINA WITH PRIVATE POOL � 8 UNIQUE DINING VENUES & LOUNGES � CHILDREN’S SPORTS CAMPS WITH TENNIS AND GOLF INSTRUCTION � GULF FRONT POOL & BEACH � 45 HOLES OF GOLF � 20 TENNIS COURTS � SIGNATURE SPA

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members.longboatkeyclub.com | 941.387.1661 | membership@longboatkeyclub.com

LBKC_Spirit-of-Am_2017.indd 1

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SPIRIT OF AMERICA

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YourObserver.com

JULY 2017

MODERN SHADE AL FRESCO

PROUD

COASTAL

HISTORIC URBAN COOL IN THE

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DOWNTOWN bluemercury

1500 Main Street 941.365.0020 bluemercury.com

Sur La Table 22 N. Lemon Avenue 941.365.0380 surlatable.com

Pixie Dust Metaphysical Boutique 1476 Main Street 941.366.6325 dustypixie.com

EILEEN FISHER 1501 Main Street 941.365.2435 eileenfisher.com

Sarasota Farmers Market Downtown Sarasota (Main & Lemon) 941.225.9256 sarasotafarmersmarket.org

REASONS 20 N. Lemon Avenue 941.388.1602 reasonsfla.com

Patrick’s 1481 1481 Main Street 941.955.1481 patricks1481.com

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

YourObserver.com

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JULY 2017

35

ARE

1525 State Street For Private Parking Call: 941.955.2787 sarasotafineart.com

Brick’s Smoked Meats 1528 State Street 941.993.1435 brickssmokedmeats.com

LUXURY UNIQUE

State of the Arts Gallery

LUCIOUS

N SARASOTA

FIT

Pastry Art Bakery Café 1512 Main Street 941.955.7545 pastryartbakerycafe.com

FARM TO

Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse 35 S. Lemon Avenue 941.366.7788 hydeparkrestaurants.com

DOG FRIENDLY 242664

1287 1st Street 941.366.8111 bijoucafe.net

COFFEE TO COCKTAILS

1503 Main Street 941.706.3587 jmclaughlin.com

The Bijou Cafe

SPARKLING

J. McLaughlin

CREATIVE

FORK

SPIRIT OF AMERICA

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JULY 2017

YourObserver.com

DOING OUR PART TO FEED THE AMERICAN SPIRIT. At Mosaic, our mission is to help the world grow the food it needs. On Independence Day, Mosaic gives thanks for the bounty of freedoms our great nation provides, and we salute hardworking farmers for their plentiful harvests.

We work not only to provide American farmers with essential crop nutrients, but also to reclaim vital lands, conserve precious water and manage thriving wildlife habitats in the community. We are committed and honored to help farmers put food on the table for millions of families — this Independence Day and every day.

That’s our job.

We help the world grow the food it needs.

mosaicco.com/florida 243711

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