Walter R. Dunn
June 12, 1924 – September 19, 2021
Walter R. Dunn was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, June 12, 1924, and passed away in Sun City Center, Sept. 19, 2021. Growing up the child of a World War I vet and a private duty nurse, Walter talked fondly of a simpler time of ice trucks delivering ice; passing Honus Wagner, strolling down the sidewalk and saying hello to his dad; and going to one of FDR‘s inaugurations in Washington, D.C. As a child of the depression, he learned how to fix many things himself and continued to do so throughout his life. When World War II began, he enlisted on his 18th birthday in the Army Air Corps and was sent to Miami Beach for boot camp.
After serving in Italy during the war, he found himself coming back to Miami, where he met his future wife, career, music and family. Walter was married to Merle McGehee of Cordele, Ga., for 50 years. They met while he was working briefly at Pan American Airlines in Miami. He had a 35 career with Eastern Airlines at their hub in Miami. During that time he worked for EAL’s original founder, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, and later, astronaut Frank Borman, who became the EAL president.
Simultaneously during this time, Walt established a popular dance band,”Walt Dunn and The Starlighters,” that played South Florida. He went to the University of Miami under the G.I. Bill as a percussion major, and no one loved jazz, swing, big band or Dixieland more than he did. Proud of his band, he always had top-notch side men who played for the big entertainers, i.e., Frank Sinatra, who worked the big hotels on Miami Beach at the time. Among the jazz legends that sat in on some of his gigs were trumpeter Bobby Hackett and trombonist Jack Teagarden.
For 25 years Walt played EAL’s annual 25 year party held in Miami with his big band and a cocktail band as well as Pan-American Airlines Credit Union’s annual Christmas party, held at Bayfront Auditorium in Miami. His Dixieland band played for Eddie DeBartolo’s 49’ers when they played the Super Bowl in Miami in 1989.
As proud as he was of his career and moonlighting successes as a drummer, he was always prouder of his family. His wife pre-deceased him in 1997. Mr. Dunn is survived by his daughter, Shay Gomez (predeceased son-in-law Frank Gomez), of Sun City Center, Fla.; daughter, Roslyn Brunner (husband Michael), of Sun City Center, Fla.; grandchildren, John Hosford (wife Lizza), of Weehawken, New Jersey, Allegra Scheirer (husband Dan), of Mountain View, Calif., Kelsey Brunner (husband Brian Holaday), of Ann Arbor, Mich.; great-grandchildren, Raven Peters, of Sarasota, Fla., and Abigail Hosford, of Weehawken, N.J., and Jeremy and Cameron Scheirer of Mountain View, Calif. In addition to family, Walt had many, many friends who enjoyed his lectures on the roots of jazz, whether he was teaching at Sun City Center Community College or Aston Gardens Courtyards independent living. His trio accompanied him on these lectures, and he played records, CDs, tapes and VCRs of concerts and movies relevant to the week’s topic from his private collection. When not conducting his classes, he enjoyed singing at Happy Hour on Fridays at Courtyards. All of these wonderful, musical times were most dear to him, and the friends who helped and encouraged his efforts were a great treasure to him.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Sun City Center Emergency Squad, 1009 N Pebble Beach Boulevard, FL 33573. Plans for a Celebration of Life are not finalized at this time.
<h2>Delores Jean Sleziak, April 6, 1925 - July 21, 1921</h2>
<img class="wp-image-34003 size-full alignleft" src="/assets/images/uploads/wp/2021/10/Delores-Jean-Sleziak-e1633553325199.jpg" alt="" width="125" height="153" />We pray in thanksgiving for the life of Dee Sleziak who passed away in Shelby Twp., Mich,. on July 21, 2021, at the age of 96, following a brief illness. She was born on April 6, 1925, in Washington, Ind. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 62 years,Ray, and her granddaughter, Tiffana Hoebeke. She is survived by her two daughters Beverly Haverkamp of Grand Rapids, Mich., Pamela Willis, and her husband Jim of Shelby Twp. Mich.; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and countless nieces, nephews, and other family members.
In retirement, Dee and Ray spent their winters in Florida, yet loved coming back to Michigan for an annual week-long family reunion in a beach cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan. She was an active member of the Prince of Peace Church and a professed Secular Franciscan. Dee was awarded the Diocese of St. Petersburg St. Jude Award for her dedication and service to Prince of Peace Parish. Dee started painting oil and palette knife painting in her 60s. When they moved to Grand Haven, Mich., she joined the art group “The Lakeland Painters.” After the move to Florida, she joined the local art group and continued her study of watercolors.
In 1994 they moved to Sun City Center, Fla.; she joined the Sun City Art Club, won several awards for her paintings and was invited to join the Phoenix Art Group. When she was not painting or cooking, Dee enjoyed playing bridge and gardening as a member of the Tillers and Toilers for many years. She was a member of the Polish Club and proud of Ray’s Polish heritage and customs. While living in Grand Haven, Dee and Ray were avid wine makers and enjoyed hosting wine-tasting sunset parties on their deck overlooking Lake Michigan.
Interment has taken place privately at Holy Cross Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Friends and family are invited to attend a celebration of Dee’s life on Oct. 22, 2021, at a 10:30 a.m. mass at Prince of Peace Church, 702 Valley Forge Blvd., Sun City Center, FL 33573.
A Franciscan Wake Service will follow the mass.
<h2>William J. Yannotti, Jr.</h2>
<img class="wp-image-34009 alignleft" src="/assets/images/uploads/wp/2021/10/William-J.-Yannotti-Jr.-e1633553393179.jpg" alt="" width="108" height="119" />William J. Yannotti, Jr., 88, formerly of Sun City Center, Fla., passed away on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021. He was born in Oyster Bay, N.Y., in 1933 and is preceded in death by his wife, Pauline, his parents and two sisters.
Bill, as he was fondly known, is survived by his four stepdaughters, six grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. Bill will be missed by his family and friends. No services are scheduled at this time.
<h2>Martin “Matt” Batt</h2>
<img class="wp-image-34006 alignleft" src="/assets/images/uploads/wp/2021/10/Martin-Batt-e1633553452807.png" alt="" width="120" height="146" />Martin “Matt” Batt died unexpectedly on Sept. 19, 2021, at 79 years of age. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sue; his son. Jeff (MaryJo); his daughter. Kirsten (Clay) Schnelker; and his five grandchildren, Nick, Ty, Amanda, Ryan and Colin. Matt is also survived by his younger brother, Fred (Dianna) Batt. There will be a memorial service at 10 a.m. on Oct. 14 at the United Methodist Church in Sun City Center.
If you knew Matt, he may have told you that in 1960 he attended Carnegie Tech, heard the siren song of computers and soon was on the vanguard of mid-20th century computer development. He had an extraordinary and innate affinity for the science of computers; creating software proved to be Matt’s particular interest, and he quickly earned a reputation as an exceptional talent. For two decades Matt worked for U.S. Steel, where he was involved in significant software development. Subsequently, he did consulting work and when he finally retired…well, Matt never really retired. With his generous spirit he mentored hundreds of people through the Sun City Computer Club. More friends were rescued by Matt than we will ever know.
If you knew Matt, you realized he was a Renaissance Man. And when you told him that, he would deflect the compliment; “I am not that old.” True: Matt was about 400 years late to the Renaissance, but that did not stop him from signing up. Matt enjoyed the challenges of photography, but mostly Matt was an artist. He had enormous vision and the stunning talent to make it real. The most gifted people tend to be modest and, in that, Matt was no exception. His work is wildly evocative; it compels you to think and feel.
If you knew Matt, eventually, you would hear him say, “On May 17, 1969, I married Sue and thus became the luckiest man on earth.”
If you knew Matt, he might have told you he discovered a cave in West Virginia that was later named after him. So, there truly is a “Batt Cave!
If you knew Matt, you understood he was a lifelong learner, endlessly curious with an open mind and heart. He traveled the world.
If you knew Matt, his 3D humor (Dry, droll, deadly) was an ongoing gift of chortles.
If you knew Matt, his constant generosity of time and effort amazed you.
If you knew, Matt you were lucky.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to either Campaign Against Human Trafficking, Southshore, Inc., PO Box 5491, Sun City Center, FL 33571-5491, or Beth-El Farmworker Ministry, Inc., 18240 US 301 S, Wimauma, FL 33598.
After serving in Italy during the war, he found himself coming back to Miami, where he met his future wife, career, music and family. Walter was married to Merle McGehee of Cordele, Ga., for 50 years. They met while he was working briefly at Pan American Airlines in Miami. He had a 35 career with Eastern Airlines at their hub in Miami. During that time he worked for EAL’s original founder, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, and later, astronaut Frank Borman, who became the EAL president.
Simultaneously during this time, Walt established a popular dance band,”Walt Dunn and The Starlighters,” that played South Florida. He went to the University of Miami under the G.I. Bill as a percussion major, and no one loved jazz, swing, big band or Dixieland more than he did. Proud of his band, he always had top-notch side men who played for the big entertainers, i.e., Frank Sinatra, who worked the big hotels on Miami Beach at the time. Among the jazz legends that sat in on some of his gigs were trumpeter Bobby Hackett and trombonist Jack Teagarden.
For 25 years Walt played EAL’s annual 25 year party held in Miami with his big band and a cocktail band as well as Pan-American Airlines Credit Union’s annual Christmas party, held at Bayfront Auditorium in Miami. His Dixieland band played for Eddie DeBartolo’s 49’ers when they played the Super Bowl in Miami in 1989.
As proud as he was of his career and moonlighting successes as a drummer, he was always prouder of his family. His wife pre-deceased him in 1997. Mr. Dunn is survived by his daughter, Shay Gomez (predeceased son-in-law Frank Gomez), of Sun City Center, Fla.; daughter, Roslyn Brunner (husband Michael), of Sun City Center, Fla.; grandchildren, John Hosford (wife Lizza), of Weehawken, New Jersey, Allegra Scheirer (husband Dan), of Mountain View, Calif., Kelsey Brunner (husband Brian Holaday), of Ann Arbor, Mich.; great-grandchildren, Raven Peters, of Sarasota, Fla., and Abigail Hosford, of Weehawken, N.J., and Jeremy and Cameron Scheirer of Mountain View, Calif. In addition to family, Walt had many, many friends who enjoyed his lectures on the roots of jazz, whether he was teaching at Sun City Center Community College or Aston Gardens Courtyards independent living. His trio accompanied him on these lectures, and he played records, CDs, tapes and VCRs of concerts and movies relevant to the week’s topic from his private collection. When not conducting his classes, he enjoyed singing at Happy Hour on Fridays at Courtyards. All of these wonderful, musical times were most dear to him, and the friends who helped and encouraged his efforts were a great treasure to him.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Sun City Center Emergency Squad, 1009 N Pebble Beach Boulevard, FL 33573. Plans for a Celebration of Life are not finalized at this time.
<h2>Delores Jean Sleziak, April 6, 1925 - July 21, 1921</h2>
<img class="wp-image-34003 size-full alignleft" src="/assets/images/uploads/wp/2021/10/Delores-Jean-Sleziak-e1633553325199.jpg" alt="" width="125" height="153" />We pray in thanksgiving for the life of Dee Sleziak who passed away in Shelby Twp., Mich,. on July 21, 2021, at the age of 96, following a brief illness. She was born on April 6, 1925, in Washington, Ind. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 62 years,Ray, and her granddaughter, Tiffana Hoebeke. She is survived by her two daughters Beverly Haverkamp of Grand Rapids, Mich., Pamela Willis, and her husband Jim of Shelby Twp. Mich.; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and countless nieces, nephews, and other family members.
In retirement, Dee and Ray spent their winters in Florida, yet loved coming back to Michigan for an annual week-long family reunion in a beach cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan. She was an active member of the Prince of Peace Church and a professed Secular Franciscan. Dee was awarded the Diocese of St. Petersburg St. Jude Award for her dedication and service to Prince of Peace Parish. Dee started painting oil and palette knife painting in her 60s. When they moved to Grand Haven, Mich., she joined the art group “The Lakeland Painters.” After the move to Florida, she joined the local art group and continued her study of watercolors.
In 1994 they moved to Sun City Center, Fla.; she joined the Sun City Art Club, won several awards for her paintings and was invited to join the Phoenix Art Group. When she was not painting or cooking, Dee enjoyed playing bridge and gardening as a member of the Tillers and Toilers for many years. She was a member of the Polish Club and proud of Ray’s Polish heritage and customs. While living in Grand Haven, Dee and Ray were avid wine makers and enjoyed hosting wine-tasting sunset parties on their deck overlooking Lake Michigan.
Interment has taken place privately at Holy Cross Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Friends and family are invited to attend a celebration of Dee’s life on Oct. 22, 2021, at a 10:30 a.m. mass at Prince of Peace Church, 702 Valley Forge Blvd., Sun City Center, FL 33573.
A Franciscan Wake Service will follow the mass.
<h2>William J. Yannotti, Jr.</h2>
<img class="wp-image-34009 alignleft" src="/assets/images/uploads/wp/2021/10/William-J.-Yannotti-Jr.-e1633553393179.jpg" alt="" width="108" height="119" />William J. Yannotti, Jr., 88, formerly of Sun City Center, Fla., passed away on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021. He was born in Oyster Bay, N.Y., in 1933 and is preceded in death by his wife, Pauline, his parents and two sisters.
Bill, as he was fondly known, is survived by his four stepdaughters, six grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. Bill will be missed by his family and friends. No services are scheduled at this time.
<h2>Martin “Matt” Batt</h2>
<img class="wp-image-34006 alignleft" src="/assets/images/uploads/wp/2021/10/Martin-Batt-e1633553452807.png" alt="" width="120" height="146" />Martin “Matt” Batt died unexpectedly on Sept. 19, 2021, at 79 years of age. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sue; his son. Jeff (MaryJo); his daughter. Kirsten (Clay) Schnelker; and his five grandchildren, Nick, Ty, Amanda, Ryan and Colin. Matt is also survived by his younger brother, Fred (Dianna) Batt. There will be a memorial service at 10 a.m. on Oct. 14 at the United Methodist Church in Sun City Center.
If you knew Matt, he may have told you that in 1960 he attended Carnegie Tech, heard the siren song of computers and soon was on the vanguard of mid-20th century computer development. He had an extraordinary and innate affinity for the science of computers; creating software proved to be Matt’s particular interest, and he quickly earned a reputation as an exceptional talent. For two decades Matt worked for U.S. Steel, where he was involved in significant software development. Subsequently, he did consulting work and when he finally retired…well, Matt never really retired. With his generous spirit he mentored hundreds of people through the Sun City Computer Club. More friends were rescued by Matt than we will ever know.
If you knew Matt, you realized he was a Renaissance Man. And when you told him that, he would deflect the compliment; “I am not that old.” True: Matt was about 400 years late to the Renaissance, but that did not stop him from signing up. Matt enjoyed the challenges of photography, but mostly Matt was an artist. He had enormous vision and the stunning talent to make it real. The most gifted people tend to be modest and, in that, Matt was no exception. His work is wildly evocative; it compels you to think and feel.
If you knew Matt, eventually, you would hear him say, “On May 17, 1969, I married Sue and thus became the luckiest man on earth.”
If you knew Matt, he might have told you he discovered a cave in West Virginia that was later named after him. So, there truly is a “Batt Cave!
If you knew Matt, you understood he was a lifelong learner, endlessly curious with an open mind and heart. He traveled the world.
If you knew Matt, his 3D humor (Dry, droll, deadly) was an ongoing gift of chortles.
If you knew Matt, his constant generosity of time and effort amazed you.
If you knew, Matt you were lucky.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to either Campaign Against Human Trafficking, Southshore, Inc., PO Box 5491, Sun City Center, FL 33571-5491, or Beth-El Farmworker Ministry, Inc., 18240 US 301 S, Wimauma, FL 33598.