Honored by her husband, Richard Ackert

Sue Ackert is a graduate of the University of Tampa and retired from a successful career in banking in 1999. Sue is past President of the Zonta Club of Fort Myers; member of the Advisory Board of Royal Palm Ministries Christian Counseling. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Lee Mental Health, the current Corresponding Secretary for the Green Thumb Garden Club, and a member of Town and Gown for FGCU.

Honored by Rusty Brown

Maureen Bashaw led a prominent role in Fort Myers theatre for three decades. She also prodded the community and the school system to meet the needs of autistic children. For these reasons, she was nominated as a Women’s Legacy Fund Angel.

Honored by Dawn-Marie Driscoll, Norman Marcus and the Southwest Florida Community Foundation

Today we honor a surprise Angel, with a story. Our new foundation offices are large and wonderful, but they also had miles of bare beige walls. Now, thanks to the energy, imagination, passion and professional skill of a treasured Foundation volunteer, Cello “Mary Carlene” Bennett, the walls are not only an art gallery for artists, but we have a new Fund for the Arts in SW Florida.

Honored by Bernese Barfield Davis

On July 6, 1958, my sister Eunice and her husband Alex brought into the family their baby girl, Alexandra Ross Bremner. Sidney and I had no children, so we were looking forward to a baby in our family. Eunice immediately encouraged Sidney and me to enjoy and participate in Alexandra's life and afforded us the status of "add on" parents.
 
As we have gone through life's cycles, Eunice and I have lost our husbands. Our years have continued together. We've traveled together, cried and laughed together, and celebrated most holidays and birthdays together.

Honored by Bernice Barfield Davis 

Eunice Barfield Bremner: my sister, an angel!
 
We spent our very young days growing up in a North Fort Myers community known as Slater. Eunice was my little sister, so I was always assigned to look out after her.
 
We moved across the river to Fort Myers when Eunice was about five. As we became young adults, Eunice became quite a proficient legal secretary. Eunice was office manager for a law firm. She worked hard, and even with her arthritis progressing, she rarely missed a day of work. She retired long after customary retirement age.

Honored by Kathy & Gary Bernardo, Carolyn & Herbert Conant, Honey Costa, Dawn-Marie Driscoll & Norman Marcus, and Gayle & Jim Sheets 

Rusty Brown turned to acting and playwriting after a distinguished career as a prize-winning journalist and nationally syndicated columnist.

A feminist historian, she brings outstanding women to life on stage. When she plays Mina Edison, audiences are transported to Mina’s garden in the early 20th century. As Anne Morrow Lindbergh, audiences are with Rusty on Captiva, writing “Gift From The Sea” and agonizing over life’s challenges. Listeners are rapt when she portrays Katharine Hepburn talking about Spencer Tracy or Clara Barton tending the wounded by candlelight on a Civil War battlefield. Her viewers are moved to tears when, as the President’s beloved companion, she witnesses his sudden death in “The Four Loves of FDR.”

Honored by her daughter, Carolyn Rogers

Today I honor my mother.

The one who has always been there for me--through the joyful times, and the times of sorrow. She’s always been there with encouragement, a listening ear, a shoulder, a hand.

Speaking of role models, our daughter, Sara Darehshori, presently, Legal Counsel for Human Rights Watch in NYC is exactly that.  She plays on the global stage.  She absorbed the lessons of her family and not only recognized injustice, but as early as high school, peacefully organized forces to combat it.  She knew her own mind and made her own rules.  Upon graduating from Columbia Law School, she joined the prestigious NY law firm Cravath, Swaine and Moore, but only on the condition that they would allow her to spend 25% of her time on pro bono work.   While there she was given a two year leave to work with the world court as co-prosecutor for the Rwandan genocide trial wherein  (among other things) sex crimes, were, largely thanks to her lobbying on the subject , finally recognized as war crimes and were summarily fairly  prosecuted.

Honored by Julia East and Tammy Surratt Marino

Berne’s time, and hard work serving on the boards of several charitable organizations over the years, and her generous contributions to so many worthy causes has been an integral part of her long and amazing life. (96 years!)

Nicki Davis, memorialized by Melinda Isley in honor of Stephanie Davis.

Women's Legacy Fund Luncheon - Angel Presentation - May 9, 2013

A very caring individual has made a gift to the Women's Legacy Fund to memorialize an Angel today. This gift was given in honor of her special friend which is the daughter of the Angel.

Although very few of you, if any, know this Angel, I think everyone of you, as well as all of Lee County, knows the Angel's daughter. The caring individual is Melinda Isley. The Angel is Nicki Davis, who is the mother of Melinda's special friend, Stephanie Davis...known to so many as Lee County's "Diva".

Honored by Brenda Tate, Ann Smoot, Lalai Hamric, Kathy Sturgis, Carl Barraco, Arlene Knox, Julia East, and Johnny Sheppard

Jane de Lisser settled in Fort Myers in 1990, but was born and raised in England. As an active independent appraiser of fine arts and antiques, she has spent much of her career specializing in appraisals of entire homes to valuations of single articles of fine and decorative merit.

Honored by Rusty Brown, Carolyn Conant, Julia East, Amy Gravina, Faith Leavitt, Gail Markham, and Ginny Yates

A number of friends of Dawn Marie Driscoll--Rusty Brown, Gail Markham, Faith Leavitt, Julia East, Amy Gravina, and myself, Carolyn Conant -- decided to honor her as an Angel, because as the refrain in a song by Alabama that goes…

Honored by Dawn-Marie Driscoll

Marcella Joy Driscoll -- wonderful daughter, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, is honored by her sister Dawn-Marie Driscoll and her family. Marcella is generous and kind, always remembering others with exactly the right sentiments. She is a powerful role model for everyone who comes in contact with her, demonstrating by her own life her deep belief and trust in God, prayer and spirituality. Marcella is smart, funny and a joy, and her family loves her very much.

Honored by Michael McNally

Beth Drouin began her quest for “angelhood” very early in her life. At a tender age she began to identify challenges in the world and pointed out angels who flew on their way to handle them… she was viewed as an “eccentric” child!

Honored by Curt and Lalai Hamric

My daughter, Cynthia Fetterhoff is my special Angel. I admire her very much. She is a good daughter, a good mother, a good wife, a good teacher, and a good community volunteer, following the trails blazed by her grandparents.

Honored by Johnny and Ellen Sheppard

Aline was born and raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Aline married Paul B. Flynn on February 11, 1961 and they had four children: Bonnie Flynn Lombardi, Laureen Flynn Smith, Elizabeth Flynn Namm, and Bernadette Flynn McFarland. Paul and Aline made a number of moves over their married life, following Paul's career in newspaper and publishing. Paul was Publisher of the Fort Myers News-Press newspaper, and rose to President of USA TODAY. Aline felt her first calling was that of wife of Paul, mother of her children, and grandmother of her grandchildren, who are 12 in number.

Honored by Susan Bennett, Kay Holloway, Kathy Adams, Donna Caruso, Christin Collins, Kathy Hoffay, Alice Brunner, Kathy Galloway, Pat Geraghty, the Geraghty Family, Anne Rose, Gail Markham, Patricia Bell, Melissa Simontis, Gay Thompson, Margaret Depew, Nancy Humphrey, Eleanore Kleist, Amy Sanford, and Cora Molloy

Barbara “Dena” Geraghty is a loving mother, wife, friend, confidant, and grandmother. “Binky” as she is known to her grandchildren, has dedicated her career to helping others recover from addiction. She was born and raised in Jacksonville, where she married her high school sweetheart, Patrick, in 1961. Dena and Patrick moved to Fort Myers in 1968. While raising her four children, Dena earned her registered nursing degree from Edison Community College in 1985.

Honored by Gholi and Georgia Darehshori

The first Nahid Ghashghai truly earned her wings. Nahid grew up halfway around the world as the very privileged daughter of the head of the Ghashghai tribe. As heads of state, the family was once revered in the country of Iran. She lacked nothing materially. However, Nahid recognized innately that material things were temporal and that only love and human relationships endured. Her life story proved that.

Honored by Charlie Green

Part of sponsoring a candidate for the Angel Award is writing  a short paper saying why you sponsored them…Well, it would be easy if I were writing solely to Kitty, but I am writing to you all and that makes a big difference and makes it so much more difficult.

Honored by cousins Grace Carlson & Family and friend Belle DeKoff 

Beulah Lettie Gustafson was born on June 21, 1928 in New Haven, Kentucky.  Raised in America’s heartland, Beulah followed her stepfather into business, working with him at the country clubs he managed in Indiana and Illinois. It was while working at one of the these clubs that Beulah met the lover of her life, Carl Gustafson. Beulah and Carl married in 1962, and, when Carl retired, the couple moved to Cape Coral, Florida where he could play golf year round.

Beulah was a friendly, vital, active woman. She loved entertaining, music, and shopping, and she loved spending time with friends and family. Although she never had children of her own, Beulah enjoyed being around young people. In her final home, Beulah adopted the four young children of her caregivers, serving as their surrogate grandmother. Beulah died in 2010, but, as a WLF Angel, Beulah will live on, giving to others through the Women’s Legacy Fund.  

Honored by Family Health Centers

Lalai S. Hamric’s service to Lee County and Southwest Florida spans over 42 years. From 1970 - 2009, she served as Executive Director and President/CEO of Family Health Centers of Southwest Florida. Upon her retirement on September 30, 2009, she was named President CEO Emeritus. Family Health Centers provides primary and preventive medical and dental care to Southwest Florida’s most vulnerable and needy residents.

Honored by Sharon Thompson and Danah Harper Cooper

Anne Harper was born in Mansfield, Arkansas in December of 1926 to Lloyd and Ora Presson. She graduated from Baylor University in 1947. She married Daniel Harper in 1948 and they moved to Fort Myers in 1951 where they lived together for 59 years.

Honored by Marty Howard

My mother would be shocked to be called an angel because she often commented that she was “just an ordinary person.” However, her friends and family knew that she was anything but ordinary. Instead of being misguided by a difficult childhood, she purposefully chose a positive path. She went to school, had a happy marriage, three children, and surprisingly began a great career in her fifties.

Honored by Dewey and Brenda Tate, Brandi Hammond, and Jennifer MacLean

Go Granny Go--“She’s the little old lady from Acworth, Georgia. She drives real fast and she drives real hard. She’s the terror of Interstate 75”. That’s the song my sister and I used to sing about our grandmother, Myrtle Hearn. She turned 80 this year and is by far the youngest 80-year-old I have ever known.

Honored by Norman Marcus and Dawn-Marie Driscoll

Sister Thérèse Higgins, CSJ, Ph.D, President of Regis College in Weston MA for 18 years, was an inspiration, a leader, and a persuader. Committed to social justice, she devoted her life to making the accomplishments of women possible by educating and encouraging thousands of students and friends.

Honored by Gholi and Georgia Darehshori

Margaret Hoorneman, mother-in-law of Gholi Darehshori, was a member of the greatest generation (strong, proud, and wonderfully witty) and in many ways well ahead of her time. Her light was her intellect, her grace, and her humor.

Honored by Rusty Brown
 
Eighteen years of opening nights, sold-out shows and standing ovations have filled the life of Susan Johnson.
 
She was not in the spotlight or on stage, but she was there in the theater seeing to it nobody missed a cute in the box office, kitchen or dining room.

Honored by Samira Beckwith

Khanom “Kay” Kanaan was proud to be a United States citizen for 49 years before passing on to heaven on April 13, 2004. As an immigrant, she understood the value of hard work and education, which she instilled in all of her children. She also remembered her beautiful town of birth, B’int Ishbail, Lebanon, whose town’s name translates as “daughter of the mountains” and shared her proud legacy with her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many friends. Kay was a beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. We thank her for her unconditional love, comforting ways, spirit, and total devotion to all.

Honored by Kathryn Kleist-Derheimer

Eleanore Ann Pottman Kleist was born of German immigrants who arrived in America at the end of the first World War. She witnessed ethnic intolerance, which taught her respect for all people. She opened her home to exchange students and adults, offering to sponsor any race or religion.

Honored by her husband, Max Furbringer 

Pat came to Fort Myers August of 1979 and made an immediate impact on our community. The Burdines Department Store had appointed her not only the youngest, but also the first female store manager. She was tasked with getting the store up and running by early September.
 
For the store opening, she was “requested” to make it a big bang event. She and the event coordinator from the store made the mistake of running into Barbara Mann. There was no stopping the three of them. The opening was a great success.

Honored by Gail Markham

Peggy MacDonald is a role model for her four children, raising them as a single parent with courage, strength and dedication despite desperate circumstances. She worked at many jobs in order to make ends meet, yet always encouraged her children to reach for their dreams and to be true to themselves. She nurtured her son after he suffered a severe head injury at seventeen and, thanks to her, he now lives independently.

Honored by Deirdre Mann, Mary Lee, Jena, Michelle, Christina, Janene, Shelby, Haley, Melanie, Jessica, Savanna, Hailey, Kennedy, Natalie, Karlie, and Marylee Grace

Barbara B. Mann, born Barbara Kingsbury Balch, spent her early years in Topsfield, MA and moved to Fort Myers, FL as a young child. Something fun to note is that she received her 1929 Fort Myers High School diploma from Thomas Edison. She has remained here in paradise ever since.

Honored by the partners of Markham Norton Mosteller Wright, Dena Geraghty, Dawn-Marie Driscoll, Wendy Newman and Amy Gravina
 
We honor a very special community and business leader, one who has perhaps done more for women and girls in Southwest Florida than anyone, Gail Markham.

Honored by Louise and Stu Senneff

Lorraine Miller is a native Southwest Floridian who has lived in this area the majority of her ninety years. During that time, she has shown what a truly generous and caring person she is through her constant caring for others. While she also gives to many charities, it is through her actions that people fondly think of her. Not a birthday, a new baby, an illness, a hospital stay, or life in a nursing home passes without Lorraine reaching out to celebrate or comfort. She drives her many friends to church, to birthday parties, and to doctor appointments and shares her love of life with them. She keeps up with all the family news.

Honored by T. Wayne Miller

Mavis Miller, a native of Lakeland, FL, moved to Fort Myers in 1956 with her husband, Wayne Miller, when he accepted a job with an embryo mosquito control program for Lee County. Her first local affiliation, the first Sunday she was in Fort Myers, was to join the First Baptist Church of Fort Myers. She has been a worker and dedicated supporter of First Baptist for fifty-four years.

Honored by: John W. Sheppard, J. Tom Smoot, Jr. and Judge Archie Hayward

Though she has retired as an educator in the Lee County School District, Melvin continues to give of her time and talents to help others and spends time involved with her church, Mt. Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church, and as a Trustee on the Board of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation. Melvin joined the Board in 1992 and has held positions as Secretary-Treasurer and Vice Chair while serving on various committees. As a teacher, she has been most involved with the Scholarship Committee in awarding scholarships to deserving students.

Honored by Steve Pontius

A Texan born and raised, Lou attended TCU where she studied mathematics and where we met and were married in 1973. After graduating, she went on to teach high school math in Texas and St. Louis for 13 years as she and I moved in the broadcast business, ending up in Fort Myers in 1985. That’s when Lou decided to take some time off to do some volunteer work in the community.

Honored by Ginny Yates, Susan Johnson, and Rick Reynolds

We, the children and family of Eva M. Reynolds, celebrate her life and her legacy of love she so openly shared. Born and raised in the small town of Edgemoor, South Carolina, a cherished family home, Eva  spent the next 60 years in Miami Springs, Florida as a devoted wife, mother, and family caregiver. She married the love of her life, “Dick,” and they happily shared over 56 years together.

Honored by Patricia Bell

My mother is the heart and soul of our family!  Mother of 16 children; grandmother of 52 and great grandmother for 51 children!  Mom’s giving spirit and Christian beliefs are role model for everyone she touches.  She has taught the family and so many extended family members that giving is greater than receiving.  At 86 her earthly body is fighting many maladies but her spirit is stronger than ever!  Our family is so blessed by her love and prayers; she is our angel.

Honored by her husband, Bill Rogers, and by John W. and Ellen Sheppard

Carolyn is a devoted and loving daughter, wife, and mother and is a trusted friend to many. She is a senior advisory trustee of the Southwest Florida Community Foundation and a founder of the Women's Legacy Fund, having committed hundreds of hours of her professional time and advice to the work of the Foundation.

Honored by her husband, Johnny Sheppard

Ellen Sheppard--committed wife, loving mother, wise grandma, teacher of young children, art teacher of ill children and elderly, award winning artist, counselor to those in grief and trials, church and charity involved, community leader... Living Angel!

Honored by Radford and Kathy Sturgis

Community service is a learned behavior. For our Mom, the idea of helping others was learned at the knees of her mother and grandmother whose dedication to assisting those in need was as much a part of their make up as breathing. Her civic involvement likely started before we were born, but we saw it in action. We remember our mother with three toddlers and a seven-year-old in tow, walking the neighborhood to raise money and awareness for mental health.

Honored by her children, Tom Smoot, III and Susy Mertz 

We adore our Mother, Ann Kinsey Smoot. She is hard-working, perceptive, encouraging, humorous, and compassionate. Mom is a fourth or fifth generation Floridian, depending on how you count. Born in Fort Myers, she graduated from Fort Myers High School and Florida Southern College. She taught reading to elementary students in Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, and Fort Myers prior to marrying Tom Smoot, Jr.

Honored by Lalai and Curt Hamric and Cynthia Fetterhoff 

An angel she is! Halo Shining and always on straight!
 
Vera and I have known of one another since we were little girls. Her mom worked as housekeeper for Dr. Whisnett, who was the first Lee County Health Officer. Sometimes Vera would come to work with her Mom. That was in his big house on Linwood Avenue and I lived in a little house on Cordova Avenue. The streets were a block apart. She was about 13 and I was about 3.
 
We met again when I was 27. I worked in a special program in the Lee County Health Department and she was a school nurse. Having that experience with Dr. Whisnett influenced her life's educational choice. There were not many African American RNs around the state in those days. She might have been one of two in Lee County. About two years later, she and I worked in the same program and from then on we were together most of our work lives.

Honored by Radford Sturgis, Sandra Weintraub, Julie Corbett, Karen Benson, and Andy Sturgis

If you ever wondered why a light shines out from Kathy, it is because she has the heart of Christ: Loving, Patient, Kind, Humble and Forgiving. For 21 years we have walked, talked, dined, designed, danced, played and prayed together. She is diligent and thorough in her duties as a Judge, is patient and loving as a daughter, as a mother and as a wife. As a friend, she is trustworthy, thoughtful, forgiving and generous. Her faith has molded her to be this Angel that she is and has given her a servants heart; Christ's heart. That's why Kathy shines! -- Karen Benson

 

Honored by Pamela Templeton

Madeleine Taeni is an "angel" for her friendship and generosity. I met Madeleine along with Berne & Barbara B. when I began sponsoring the S.W. Florida Symphony Children’s Chorus almost ten years ago. I have been delighted and blessed to enjoy this friendship.

Honored by her husband, Dewey Tate

Brenda grew up in the Atlanta area, attended local schools there, and excelled in a number of areas. Such as, she entered a local sewing contest, won that, then a statewide contest, then the national contest. She received a trip to Rome (Italy that is, not Georgia) where she won again. This is typical of this remarkable woman--an over-achiever all her life.

Honored by Dewey and Brenda Tate

Mozelle Tate is an extraordinary woman. After marrying at 14, she raised four children and several grandchildren. Though not formally educated, she was one of the smartest and most ambitious people we’ve ever known. An avid reader and a quick study, she did whatever was necessary to support her family. “Never say can’t,” wasn’t just something she said, it was something she lived.

Honored by Bruce Bauman

An Angel for our family, friends, and community, Pamela’s energy and passion for life are captivating. My wife’s deep love for the visual and performing arts as well as her heart for those who are disadvantaged, particularly the youth in our community, is an inspiration. In the 20+ years I have known Pamela, she has taken on many challenges, meeting them with determination, intelligence, and more often than not an amazing sense of humor. Her approach, while businesslike, is also combined with her sense of fun and joy.

Honored by Bob Beville

Gay Rebel Thompson was born in the fifties in Tampa when the west coast of Florida was just beginning to take off. In 1953, Gay’s father, William Brown Thompson, recognized this and moved the family to Fort Myers and along with his partner Harvey Woodruff Bamman started Cement Industries.

Honored by Webb's Fort Myers Prescription Shop, Inc. (Ross Webb, Richard and Lisa Lawrence)

Words that come to mind when describing Stephanie are: advocate, relentless volunteer, leader, learner, mentor, friend. Growing up in Indiana, she was surrounded by a family involved in their community – politics and music played major roles in her youth. She received her undergraduate and post-graduate degrees from the University of Miami. An honor graduate in the field of education, she would further her studies with two post-graduate degrees in curriculum and leadership while teaching with the Lee County School system. Early in her career, Stephanie collaborated with local children’s theater, youth orchestra, and children’s choirs.

Honored by Carolyn & Herb Conant, Jim West & family, and Nancy West & family

Margaret E. West looked at life as the glass half-full, never half-empty! She was raised in Germany by her grandmother with the help of aunts and uncles. She arrived in America at age eighteen, speaking little English.

Honored by Dawn-Marie Driscoll, Catherine Farrell,

Isabelle died on April 5, 2008 after a courageous battle with heart disease. "Aunt Isy," as she is known by her numerous nieces and nephews, leaves behind a rich legacy of instilling love and practicality throughout her large family and the thousands of students she empowered as a professional educator.

Picture and Bio coming soon.