Clarke K. Olson

– February 4, 2014

Clarke K. Olson, of Sun City Center, Florida (formerly of Lake Linden, Mich.), passed away Monday, February 4, 2014 ,after a short illness. He was born in Owattona, Minn. on April 27, 1917, the son of Lynn Stevens Olson, a banker in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and parts of Wisconsin and Minnesota, and Lillian King Olson. He is predeceased by brother Cort Olson and sister Lynor Olson Currier. 
Clarke attended public schools in Owattona and Duluth, Minn., and attended and graduated from Michigan Tech University, where he helped put himself through school playing saxophone and singing baritone for Warnie Ruhl’s big band at dances in Houghton, Mich. He continued his music, entertaining family and friends his entire life.  He later attended Ann Arbor School of Law before joining the Army just before Pearl Harbor. He left the army as a major, staying in the reserves a few more years. While in the service, he married Celia Pearce of Lake Linden, Mich. (deceased in 2001) and lived in several locations, including Arlington, Va., and Bend, Ore., before returning to Houghton County, Mich., where he headed the Superior Bottled Gas Co., serving the Upper Peninsula and parts of Wisconsin.
He later earned his master’s degree and taught mining math at Michigan Tech University in Houghton, Mich. 
Clarke and Celia raised five children in Lake Linden and Bootjack, Mich.: Lynn Gareau, deceased in 2013; Jim, deceased in 2012; Chester Pearce, currently of Silver Springs, Fla.; Kathryn Umbarger (John) of Burbank, Wash.; Betsy West of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and Deborah Frontiera (Jasper) of Houston, Texas. 
Over the years, Clarke, his family and Celia traveled by sailboat, and later motor trawler, exploring most of Lake Superior’s islands and lakeshore. At one point he took his trawler up the St. Lawrence River, down through New York State canals, down the East Coast to Ruskin, Fla., where they spent winters, returning four years later by the same route.
He and Celia also traveled extensively in Europe and the Middle East, spending winters in Sun City Center, where Clarke finally settled for the last 13 years. 
Besides his children and niece Cortney Webb (Gary), he is survived by 12 grandchildren and several great- grandchildren. 
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. in the Auditorium at Freedom Plaza, 1010 American Eagle Blvd., Sun City Center, on March 3, 2014.  For more details, call (727) 600-7751.
In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to do so may make donations in Clarke’s name at Wounded Warrior Project, PO Box 758517, Topeka, KA 66675;  www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate.

William (Bill) Richmond Sr.
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William (Bill) J. Richmond Sr., 79, who was born in Latham, N.Y., and resided in Riverview, Fla., passed away on Feb. 14, 2014, after a courageous fight against cancer.
He was Catholic by faith and a career Navy Corpsman whose service spanned through Korea and Vietnam. He retired again from the VA Hospital, Albany, N.Y., where he served as a Physician’s Assistant, caring for fellow servicemen. He was a mentor of youth in the US Naval Sea Cadet Corps, serving as NE Regional Commander at the rank of Lt. Commander. 
He is preceded in death by parents Alfred E. and Ada, brothers John and Alfred G., and beloved first wife Marie Lucille. He is survived by loving wife Joyce; sister Adelaide; sons Marc, Michael, James, Edward and William  Jr.; daughter Michele; step-children Patrick, Cheryl, Mark and Paul; 21 grandchildren; and two great- grandchildren.
He was appreciated by many and loved by all for leaving this world a better place. He will be missed by a mass of friends associated with Summerfield Crossings and all those he met through life’s journey … as he never met a stranger.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. at Summerfield Crossing Golf Club on Thursday, Feb. 20, with the final resting ceremony to be held in St. Joseph, Minn., at a date to be determined.
Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Disabled American Veterans or Wounded Warriors.