Colonel Donald J. Acker
– May 17, 2017
Colonel Donald J. Acker, retired, U.S.A. of Sun City Center, Fla., formerly of West Hartford, Conn., died on Wednesday, May 17, 2017, while in the company of his loving family. Don leaves his wife, Virginia A. Acker and his children from his first marriage to Virginia R. Acker (deceased), Carl Acker, Ruth Acker Bellemare, Louise Acker Fegy, Kathryn Acker DCamp and Don Acker, Jr. He also leaves five grandchildren, Dominic Corso, Kevin Corso, Victoria White, Kristen DCamp and Jennifer Acker; four great-grandchildren, Dominic Corso, Jr., Sydney Corso, Gabriella Corso, and Madison Corso; and three step-daughters, Linda Lauritano, Nancy Schumann and Julie Martin. He was predeceased by his parents, Carl J. Acker, President of Highland Dairy in Hartford, and Ruth Bushey Acker of West Hartford.
Don was career military. He served a total of 35 years between the Connecticut Army National Guard and on active duty with the U.S. Army. His career assignments included Battalion Commander of a Nike Hercules Battalion, and several high-ranking positions on the staff of the Connecticut Army National Guard.
In 1973, the Army requested that he enter active service to take charge of developing automated pay and accounting systems for the Army Guard. He stayed on active duty until 1983 when he retired from active service. He then worked in the Pentagon as a financial manager and consultant for the U.S. Government.
In his youth, Don was a good athlete playing baseball for a semi-professional team in West Hartford, Conn. He always wanted to play third base for the St. Louis Cardinals but never could run fast enough. Don had many interests and avocations over his life. He loved golf and bridge and was accomplished at both. He was dedicated to the development of the Kings Point Bridge Club, and was a past president and a director of the club. He was a lifelong Lutheran belonging to Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hartford, Conn. and after retiring to Florida, was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sun City Center, Fla.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, May 26, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 701 Valley Forge Blvd., Sun City Center, FL 33573.
<h2>Arabella Osborne Arnold (106 years old)</h2>
<a href="/assets/images/uploads/wp/2017/05/Arabella-Arnold.gif"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-18116" src="/assets/images/uploads/wp/2017/05/Arabella-Arnold-120x120.gif" alt="" width="120" height="120" /></a>Arabella Arnold, 106, passed away May 13, 2017. She was predeceased by her husband William, and is survived by nephew, Charles Pinkston, and niece, Sarah Hansel, and their families.
Arabella was born at a logging camp named Paint Creek in Clendenin, West Virginia, the fourth of five children. She studied the arts in Charleston before beginning a life as a touring director of plays along the Eastern Seaboard. During the war years, she met and married William “Bill” Arnold of Pittsburgh.
Bill’s government career took them predominately to Washington, D.C. and San Francisco where Arabella wrote a column for a local newspaper and became active in poetry circles, enjoying publication of many pieces of her work. She and her husband moved to Sun City Center, Fla. in 1972 after his retirement from the CIA. Later, she moved to Freedom Plaza to enjoy the activities there.
Arabella was raised with her four siblings in Clendenin where her father ran the Osborne Lumber Mill and built the family home, which remained in the family for more than 100 years. She traveled extensively with her husband to Brazil, Tokyo, Saigon, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Arabella modeled in her early years, which was obvious in her love of fashion and style. Her signature color was RED, and she loved wearing bright-colored socks.
She remained active throughout her years and especially enjoyed being in the Freedom Plaza atrium where one and all could come by to acknowledge her wit and hear her stories. She always admonished, “never tell your age,” but somehow her age was always part of the conversation. Arabella’s description of Arabella — “feisty.”
A memorial service will be held May 26 at 2 p.m. in the auditorium at Freedom Plaza, Sun City Center, Fla.
Don was career military. He served a total of 35 years between the Connecticut Army National Guard and on active duty with the U.S. Army. His career assignments included Battalion Commander of a Nike Hercules Battalion, and several high-ranking positions on the staff of the Connecticut Army National Guard.
In 1973, the Army requested that he enter active service to take charge of developing automated pay and accounting systems for the Army Guard. He stayed on active duty until 1983 when he retired from active service. He then worked in the Pentagon as a financial manager and consultant for the U.S. Government.
In his youth, Don was a good athlete playing baseball for a semi-professional team in West Hartford, Conn. He always wanted to play third base for the St. Louis Cardinals but never could run fast enough. Don had many interests and avocations over his life. He loved golf and bridge and was accomplished at both. He was dedicated to the development of the Kings Point Bridge Club, and was a past president and a director of the club. He was a lifelong Lutheran belonging to Emanuel Lutheran Church in Hartford, Conn. and after retiring to Florida, was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Sun City Center, Fla.
A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, May 26, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 701 Valley Forge Blvd., Sun City Center, FL 33573.
<h2>Arabella Osborne Arnold (106 years old)</h2>
<a href="/assets/images/uploads/wp/2017/05/Arabella-Arnold.gif"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-18116" src="/assets/images/uploads/wp/2017/05/Arabella-Arnold-120x120.gif" alt="" width="120" height="120" /></a>Arabella Arnold, 106, passed away May 13, 2017. She was predeceased by her husband William, and is survived by nephew, Charles Pinkston, and niece, Sarah Hansel, and their families.
Arabella was born at a logging camp named Paint Creek in Clendenin, West Virginia, the fourth of five children. She studied the arts in Charleston before beginning a life as a touring director of plays along the Eastern Seaboard. During the war years, she met and married William “Bill” Arnold of Pittsburgh.
Bill’s government career took them predominately to Washington, D.C. and San Francisco where Arabella wrote a column for a local newspaper and became active in poetry circles, enjoying publication of many pieces of her work. She and her husband moved to Sun City Center, Fla. in 1972 after his retirement from the CIA. Later, she moved to Freedom Plaza to enjoy the activities there.
Arabella was raised with her four siblings in Clendenin where her father ran the Osborne Lumber Mill and built the family home, which remained in the family for more than 100 years. She traveled extensively with her husband to Brazil, Tokyo, Saigon, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Arabella modeled in her early years, which was obvious in her love of fashion and style. Her signature color was RED, and she loved wearing bright-colored socks.
She remained active throughout her years and especially enjoyed being in the Freedom Plaza atrium where one and all could come by to acknowledge her wit and hear her stories. She always admonished, “never tell your age,” but somehow her age was always part of the conversation. Arabella’s description of Arabella — “feisty.”
A memorial service will be held May 26 at 2 p.m. in the auditorium at Freedom Plaza, Sun City Center, Fla.