Suzanne Ciani Funeral Services Set

The Idlewild Church at Odessa will host Ciani's memorial service.

A special memorial service will be held for Suzanne Ciani at noon Saturday, April 13. The service will be held at Idlewild Church at Odessa, 1234 Gunn Highway. Ciani died due to complications from brain cancer on Saturday, April 6. She was 52 years old. She and husband, John, were instrumental in starting the Odessa Organic Farmer's Market and related events like Green After Dark and the Odessa Food Truck Festival. Last year, Ciani's son started a foundation in her honor. The Suzanne Ciani Brain Cancer Foundation was launched to raise awareness and raise money for brain cancer research. Ciani, a Lake Magdalene resident, graduated from Chamberlain High School in 1978 and went on to work Salvation Army Department of Corrections. She is …

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Suzanne Ciani Loses Battle with Brain Cancer

Patch editor Nicole Hutcheson recalls the Suzanne Ciani Brain Cancer Foundation's namesake and one of the driving forces behind the Odessa Organic Farmers Market.

I can't remember exactly when I became acquainted with the Ciani family of Lake Magdalene or the the Odessa Organic Farmer's Market that John Ciani runs. What I do know is that this close-knit clan quickly became a fixture when it came to the stories and events I featured on Carrollwood Patch. Eventually they went from "sources" I called for a quote to friends I happily greet with a hug. It's no secret that the Ciani family are a friendly, salt-of-the-earth bunch. But, for me, the bond comes from empathizing with the struggle in their eyes behind the smiles. My mother died of cancer 15 years ago. And, to live with the knowledge on a daily basis that someone you love is dying can't be explained - it can only be experienced and understood. I…

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Fred Karl, Local Leader Dead at 88

One of Karl’s biggest undertakings involved the county’s consolidation of numerous operations into a single building in downtown, which is known today as the Frederick B. Karl County Center at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.

What's Hillsborough Saying?

Longtime Local Leader Mourned

Former Hillsborough County Administrator Fred Karl died March 7.

Hillsborough County is mourning the loss of one its longstanding leaders today, March 7. Fred Karl, a former county administrator, county attorney, state legislator and Florida Supreme Court justice, was 88. A Daytona native, Karl served as an Army tank commander in World War II and was present at the Battle of the Bulge, according to The Tampa Tribune. His public service career continued long after the war was over. The Stetson Law graduate served in the Florida House from 1956-64 when he attempted a bid for the governor’s office. After that, he ran for the Florida Senate in 1968 and served until 1971, according to web sources. Karl then sat on the Florida Supreme Court from 1977 until 1978 when he opted to go back into private practice. …

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D'Ann White

1:45 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013

I was a county commission reporter at the time Fred Karl, who had already retired as a Supreme Court justice, agreed to come out of retirement and help out Hillsborough County at a time when growth and, unfortunately, graft were rampant. I was, frankly, in awe of this guy who'd been an Army tank commander at the Battle of the Bulge, a state legislator and Supreme Court justice. But during his …   more ›

Matt Jetton, 'Father of Carrollwood,' Dead At 88

In 1959, the first homes were built on the land he purchased near Lake Carroll, in what is now known as Original Carrollwood.

Matt Jetton, who many refer to as the "Father of Carrollwood" died Friday, Feb. 22. He had fallen on Wednesday, Feb. 20 and was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital-North on VanDyke Road where he later died, according to an article on TBO.com. In 1959, the first homes were built on the land he purchased near Lake Carroll, in what is now known as Original Carrollwood. "The community would go on to earn honors such as U.S. Subdivision of the Year by the National Association of Home Builders in 1961 and Best Homes for Families with Children Award from Parents magazine in 1962," according to an article on Tampabay.com. More Coverage:

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Gen. Schwarzkopf, 78, Has Died in Tampa

Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf had retired to Tampa, Fla., after a final military assignment leading U.S. Central Command.

Retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, 78, passed away today in Tampa, according to media reports. Schwarzkopf was best known to the American people for his leadership in removing Saddam Hussein and his forces from Kuwait in 1991. Schwarzkopf had successfully led an international coalition of U.S. allies to drive out Iraqi troops. "Barbara and I mourn the loss of a true American patriot and one of the great military leaders of his generation," former President George H.W.  Bush said in a written statement, according to ABC News. Schwarzkopf led what came to be known as Operation Desert Storm under President Bush. Most recently, Schwarzkopf had served as commander-in-chief of U.S. Central Command, headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in …

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Sam Gibbons Memorial Set for Oct. 20 in South Tampa

The World War II veteran, who spent more than 50 years as a lawmaker, was pronounced dead at Tampa General Hospital.

A memorial service for former congressman Sam Gibbons will be held at Tampa's Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m. Oct. 20, according to Tampabay.com. Gibbons, an iconic Bay Area figure and politician who was instrumental in the creation of the University of South Florida died on Oct. 10, 2012. The World War II veteran, who spent more than 50 years as a lawmaker, was pronounced dead at Tampa General Hospital. Gibbons, 92, lived through some of the most significant events in Bay Area and U.S. history. He served decades in the Legislature and Congress, developing a reputation as an outspoken lawmaker.

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Carrollwood Pioneer Elizabeth O'Neal Dies

O'Neal helped with early successes of Carrollwood Village and Original Carrollwood

Lee Roy Selmon Memorial Service: Honoring a Local Legend

Hundreds turn out on Friday morning to talk about what the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer meant to them.

Although his body will be laid to rest in the state where he was born, hundreds of people in Tampa Bay gathered on Friday morning to honor the life of Lee Roy Selmon and his impact on the community during a memorial service at Idlewild Baptist Church. Selmon, 56, died on Sunday after suffering a stroke. During the service at the Lutz church, friends, family members and public officials spoke of the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star and USF athletic director's impact on their lives. They remembered him as a man of integrity and a philanthropist who was devoted to his wife and three children. "You grew to love him," his brother, Dewey Selmon, told the crowd, "and he loved you just as much." Dewey Selmon spoke of their upbringing in Oklahoma, …

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CABA Founder and Past President Dies

John Baumann leaves legacy of intellect, wisdom and integrity, friends say

It was a phone call that Maria Patterson, executive director of the Carrollwood Area Business Association (CABA), did not expect to get. John Baumann, beloved founder and past president of CABA, died on Tuesday due to complications related to surgery. He was 67. In 1986, John formed CABA to give Carrollwood businesses a networking opportunity and a voice in local affairs. He began CABA in his Carrollwood office with just a few businesses. Now, 25 years later, 330 Carrollwood member businesses have benefited from his vision.  “John was an amazing man – a true entrepreneur,” said Maria, “He was generous and kind, and our members would flock to him for advice. He was always willing to help. He was the first to donate or sponsor our events and…

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