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Obituaries


April 9, 2026
Capt. John Spinks, best known as Capt. ‘Tater’ Spinks, died March 8, 2026. Born Jan. 1, 1947, he was a long-time Boca Grande fishing captain.  Tater’s life will be celebrated from 11 a.m. until 3…

April 2, 2026
A memorial mass for Richard Scott Faley (1947-2026) will be held at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church on Thursday, April 9th at 11 a.m. All are invited to attend. A reception will follow at the pari…

April 2, 2026
Paul Lewis Csank (November 14, 1939 – March 28, 2026) was not a man who did things halfway.  A native of Cleveland, he began studying psychology at The Ohio State University before turning to law…

March 26, 2026
Charles Edward McConnell (Ched) of Boca Grande, Florida, passed away on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at the age of 77. Ched was born on September 1, 1948, in Suffern, New York, to Warren and Jeanette McC…

March 26, 2026
The Beacon received word of the recent death of Paul ‘Chico’ Euwer of Boca Grande on Monday, March 23. A memorial service will be held next fall.

March 19, 2026
On New Year’s Day, 1947, Lillian and Roy Spinks welcomed their 5th child, a boy named John William, nicknamed by his older siblings as “Tater,” and that name stuck with him his whole life. Born and…

March 19, 2026
Dr. Hildegard Werner Messenbaugh – beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and pioneering adolescent psychiatrist – passed away peacefully at the age of 85 on January 10, 2026, surrounded by loved ones…

March 19, 2026
Anton “Tony” Wottreng beloved husband of the late Marianne Wottreng (nee Lesch). Loving father of Anton “Tony” Wottreng and Monika (John) Martini. Devoted grandfather of Michelle (David) Brennan, Me…

March 12, 2026
Capt. John Spinks, best known as Capt. ‘Tater’ Spinks, died March 8, 2026. Born Jan. 1, 1947, he was a long-time Boca Grande fishing captain. Details to follow. January 1, 1947 – March 8, 2026

March 5, 2026
Terry G. Hopkins, 81, died at dawn the day before Valentine’s Day, surrounded by family and her dog Pearl. She was a newspaper woman, and she made the world a better place because of it. She w…