obituary" - News - The Coastal Star2024-03-28T19:31:01Zhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/obituary%22Obituary: Gayl Laymon Brownhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/obituary-gayl-laymon-brown2017-03-01T17:44:48.000Z2017-03-01T17:44:48.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p> DELRAY BEACH — Gayl Laymon Brown passed away peacefully on Feb. 5. Gayl was a fixture in the Delray Beach community <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960700471,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960700471,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="97" alt="7960700471?profile=original" /></a>for over 60 years, having moved there with her family at the age of 12. She was born Jan. 21, 1937, in St. Joseph, Ill., to Dr. Gayle and Margaret Laymon, and spent her early childhood in Champaign, Ill. <br /> After attending Seacrest High School, Stephens College and the University of Florida, Gayl met Air Force Lt. Harvey L. Brown on a blind date, and they were married six months later on June 11, 1955, at the First Presbyterian Church in Delray Beach. Harvey and Gayl made a life and raised their family in Delray Beach, where Gayl devoted her time and leadership to many organizations, including Unity Church of Delray Beach, The Delray Beach Historical Society, and as a sustaining member of the Junior League of Boca Raton. <br /> Gayl was an avid and talented bridge player, and cherished the many friendships she developed through her love of the game.<br /> She was predeceased by her loving husband and parents, her siblings Richard Laymon, Sally Hofling, Daniel Laymon and Linda Perkins, and her son-in-law Robert Long. Gayl is survived by her three children, Susan Long, Anne Pugliese (James) and Harvey Brown Jr. (Marilyn), and the true lights of her life, her grandchildren, Caroline, Catherine and Andrew Pugliese, and Robby and Isabel Long. She will also be greatly missed by her beloved dog, Luke.<br /> A celebration of Gayl’s life was held Feb. 12 at Unity Church of Delray Beach. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Unity Church of Delray Beach or the Delray Beach Historical Society. <br /><em>— Obituary submitted by the family</em></p></div>Obituary: Bill Finleyhttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/obituary-bill-finley2017-02-01T17:00:00.000Z2017-02-01T17:00:00.000ZThe Coastal Starhttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/TheCoastalStar<div><p><strong>By Ron Hayes</strong><br /> <br /> OCEAN RIDGE — Bill Finley died while putting the finishing touches on a science fiction novel called <em>Saving the Moon</em>.<br /> He’d already made his mark on Earth.<br /><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960701084,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960701084,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" width="89" alt="7960701084?profile=original" /></a> At his death from congestive heart failure on Jan. 25, Mr. Finley left behind 93 years filled with innovation and adventure. He had been a warrior, a scholar, a planner, a builder, a writer, a husband, a father, a dreamer and a doer.<br /> In Palm Beach County, the Community Partners exists because he did, and so does SunFest.<br /> “Bill was a genius in many ways,” said his wife, Anita Finley. “Creative, but such a kind, loving soul. He thought in big terms, and whatever he did had to be good for the community.”<br /> A resident of Ocean Ridge for 28 years, Mr. Finley was born in Chicago on Oct. 29, 1923.<br /> After graduating from high school, Mr. Finley enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1943 and flew 35 bombing missions over Germany, for which he was awarded five Air Medals, three Battle Stars and two unit commendations.<br /> He earned an A.B. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1949 and, two years later, that school’s first master’s degree in city and regional planning.<br /> In 1958, he arrived in Washington, D.C., to serve as director of the National Capital Planning Commission under Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy.<br /> Leaving government in 1962, he made one of his most lasting contributions by joining the Rouse Co. to develop a new city in Maryland. In June, Columbia, Maryland, pop. 100,000, will celebrate its 50th anniversary.<br /> Mr. Finley came to Miami in 1972 to help create INTERAMA, the Inter-American Trade and Cultural Center, scheduled to open in 1976 to mark the American Bicentennial. However, the bond market collapsed, and the $200 million project was never completed. Today, it is the site of Florida International University.<br /> In Florida, Mr. Finley lost INTERAMA, but found a wife who would share his life for the next 43 years.<br /> “I saw her from a distance,” he told <em>The Coastal Star</em> last year. “She was tall and gorgeous with a big smile and waving to everyone.”<br /> The couple were married in 1974, and for the next four decades, Florida would benefit from Bill Finley’s presence.<br /> In 1980, he went to work for the Banker’s Land Co., a subsidiary of the John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, to develop the city of Palm Beach Gardens.<br /> He helped turn the Royal Palm Festival into SunFest and a 1939 armory building into the Armory Art Center. With his wife, he co-founded Boomer Times and Senior Life, a multimedia company.<br /> Mr. Finley’s greatest service to the area came in 1986 when, as chairman of the county’s Affordable Housing Task Force, he led the effort to create and fund the Housing Partnership. In 2001, the partnership took over management of the struggling Parent-Child Center, providing mental health services to families. Today, both agencies operate as Community Partners.<br /> In 2012, he received the agency’s first William E. Finley Founder’s Award for his “courageous and visionary leadership.”<br /> In his later years, Mr. Finley turned to writing, publishing both light fiction, <em>Killing in BocaLand</em> (2012), and serious studies, <em>A Bold Proposal for American Cities</em> (2015).<br /> And then, as his own time on Earth drew to a close, he turned his attention to <em>Saving the Moon</em>.<br /> “I’m so privileged to have had him in my life,” Anita Finley said. “He was just a brilliant guy who was also kind and loving. And now he’s on a new adventure.”<br /> In addition to his wife, Mr. Finley is survived by his sons, Kelly Cuthbertson, of California, and Chandler Finley (Stefania) and Joey Richards, both of Miami; a daughter, Kim Finley, of Oregon; and three grandchildren, Colette, Lawrence and Jasmine Finley, of Miami.<br /> A memorial service will be held at a later date.</p></div>Obituary — Gene M. Ehlershttps://thecoastalstar.com/profiles/blogs/obituary-gene-m-ehlers2012-08-01T19:30:51.000Z2012-08-01T19:30:51.000ZMary Kate Leminghttps://thecoastalstar.com/members/MaryKateLeming769<div><p><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}7960393258,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}7960393258,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="253" alt="7960393258?profile=original" /></a>By Liz Best</strong><br /> <br />BOCA RATON — Gene Ehlers will be remembered not only for his professional accomplishments, but also for the way he lived day-to-day: with elegance, dignity, generosity and an ever-present twinkle in his eye.<br /> “I hope everyone will live the way he did,” his stepdaughter, Jackie Westerfield, said. “The world would be a better place. And that twinkle in his eye — it seemed like he knew something the rest of us don’t know.”<br />Mr. Ehlers, 83, died at his Boca Raton home on July 18.<br />A native of Reinbeck, Iowa, Mr. Ehlers served in the United States Army before launching a successful business career. He worked in both sales and management positions before purchasing General Leaseways Inc. in 1971. Mr. Ehlers grew General Leaseways from a small local car and truck-leasing company to the second largest family owned truck rental and leasing firm in the nation. Renamed General Car and Truck Leasing System Inc., the operation owned more than 5,000 trucks in 13 states. He also began General Logistics, a specialized trucking company, in 1987. <br /> After moving to Florida in 1988, he and his wife, Carolyn, founded Grandview Preparatory School of Boca Raton in 1997. Mr. Ehlers also served on the board of trustees for Lynn University and was a longtime member of the Congregational Church of Boca Raton.<br /> “It was always a pleasure to see Gene and his family entering our church for worship nearly every Sunday morning, all with smiling hellos,” said the church’s lay leader, Sarah Hugus.<br /> In the eulogy she delivered at his memorial service, his stepdaughter credited the man she called “Dad” for shaping her world.<br /> “The world I know was made possible by this hardworking, brilliant, witty, often stubborn, always generous, man from Iowa,” she wrote. “In my entire life I never (witnessed him) curse, keep his hat on indoors, or do anything the easy way. From the smallest to the largest of things, he stood taller and walked further than what was expected.”<br /> In addition to his wife and stepdaughter, Mr. Ehlers is survived by two sons, Michael Ehlers and David Ehlers; a daughter, Jamie Ehlers; and eight grandchildren. <br /> A memorial service was held July 25 at the Congregational Church of Boca Raton. The family asks that memorial donations be made to the church, the Grandview Foundation, or Hospice By The Sea.</p></div>