In Memoriam | July 2022
Charles Kerekes | BSBA ’50 | 1925-2022 | Kerekes, of Clearwater, Florida, passed on May 30. Born in Ft. Pierce, Florida, he served in the Navy during WWII as an EOD technician and later graduated from the University of Florida with a degree in marketing. He married Betty Wehinger and was blessed with three sons, Steven, Joseph, and James. He worked as a sales representative throughout his career, culminating with 18 years with Castrol Motor Oil until his retirement.
Charles Joseph “Joe” Winterle | BSBA ’50 | 1928-2022 | Winterle, of Tallahassee, Florida, passed on June 10. After graduating from UF, he went on to work for his father and eventually became President and CEO of FS Winterle & Son. He was a Member of the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association (board of directors 1958-1970) and Gulf Oil Wholesale Marketers Association. Growing up, Winterle was fascinated with airplanes. By the age of 16 he was a licensed pilot even before having a car license! Winterle was a fan of college football, automobile racing of any kind, playing card games on his computer but later in life you never saw him without a Sudoku puzzle and pencil in his hand. He enjoyed this challenge every day.
Sidney Morris | BSBA ’51 | 1930-2022 | Morris, of Miami, Florida, passed on June 14. Born in Boston, Morris served in the U.S. Coast Guard on the USCGC Acushnet on which he participated in the twin T2 tanker rescue immortalized in the book and movie, ‘The Finest Hours.’ Sid returned to Miami Beach and became a firefighter, sliding perilously down the country’s tallest fire pole at Fire Station No. 1. Even more perilously, he regularly chauffeured the fire chief and mayor to the track, men who relied on his pari-mutuel guidance. Morris was an account executive, selling office products and furniture where he was the inimitable headliner at office parties and endearingly known by his clients as ‘El Sid.’ He was also a realtor, part of the ‘Sidiane’ sales duo at firms where his wife Diane had her license. Morris was drawn to people, an intelligent conversationalist and witty iconoclast who just delighted in being himself. A connoisseur of great authors, he was a freelance writer of 72 articles and short stories.
Russell S. Bogue, Jr. | BSAc ’53 | 1931-2022 | Bogue, of Tampa, Florida, passed on July 3. After graduating from the University of Florida, he served in the U.S. Air Force in Japan at the end of the Korean War. He then joined his father, Russell S. Bogue Sr., in the accounting firm Russell S. Bogue and Company, beginning his long and distinguished career in accounting. The accounting firm grew and eventually merged with Coopers & Lybrand (now Price, Waterhouse, Coopers), one of the then “Big 8” accounting firms. Russell Jr. became the managing partner of the Tampa office of Coopers & Lybrand, retiring in 1990. During his accounting career, Bogue served on numerous committees and on the Council of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, President of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (1976-77), and as a member of the Advisory Board of the Fisher School of Accounting at UF. Bogue was a President of the University Club, President of Palma Ceia Golf & Country Club and a member of Ye Mystic Krewe of Gasparilla, serving as King Gasparilla LXXV.
Weston “Wes” Charlow, Jr. | BSBA ’56 | 1931-2022 | Charlow, of Tampa, Florida, passed on June 7. Charlow was an Eagle Scout, a graduate of Clearwater High School, a proud graduate of the University of Florida, a U.S. Army Veteran of the Korean conflict, a 50-plus year member of the Free Masons, and a member of the Keystone United Methodist Church. Charlow retired from GTE in 1985 after progressive leadership roles.
James A. Smith | BSBA ’71 | 1947-2022 | Smith, of Lakeport, Florida, passed on June 14. Smith was extremely proud of being a “5th” generation Floridian and traced those family roots through both his parents’ hometowns of Micanopy and Bradenton, Florida. Upon graduation from college, he worked for the national CPA firm of Deliotte Haskins & Sells in Miami, Florida. Smith then joined Rooney Enterprises, Inc. in 1973 where he worked for over 20 years as Assistant Controller, Treasurer, and finally as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer along with being a member of the Board of Directors. In 1996, he moved to Lakeport, Florida where he served the community as Executive Director of the Economic Council of Okeechobee and later as Glades County Manager. He served as a past member of the Lakeport Volunteer Fire Department in addition to Lake Search and Rescue. Smith was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing, hunting, air boating and running swamp buggies especially in the Everglades as well as on Lake Okeechobee and surrounding areas. He loved working outside, landscaping, lawn work and puttering with 2 cycle engines along with other equipment. Jim was an advocate for Florida wildlife in addition to having a special place in his heart for numerous dogs and cats he rescued.
Kevin L. Ford | BSBA ’80 | 1958-2022 | Ford, of Bradenton, Florida, passed on June 21. Ford was an exceptionally smart and steady man who also possessed great empathy and kindness. He could solve any problem and could be relied upon for help in every situation. He was intuitive and accepting of all people, saying that everyone had an “A” in his book until they proved otherwise. After graduating from the University of Florida, he went on to manage computer systems for a variety of corporations. He was a joyful, active man who enjoyed scuba diving, running, boating, traveling, swimming, reading, singing, watching comedies and motorcycling near and far. Kevin had great success in all areas of life and was the anchor of his family.
Michael B. Farris | BSAc ’86 | -2022 | Farris, of Gainesville, Florida, passed on May 24. Farris was a graduate of Crystal River High School and the University of Florida with a Bachelors in Accounting, and most recently was a Comptroller at PermaFix in Gainesville, FL. Farris enjoyed gambling and was luckier than most. He was an avid Florida Gator fan, loved his cats and most importantly his family.
Mark C. DeBoben | BSBA ’87 | 1965-2022 | DeBoben, of Marietta, Georgia, passed on May 20. DeBoben attended local schools in Brevard County, graduating from Melbourne High in 1983. Then it was on to the University of Florida where, despite boisterous opposition from his Seminole relatives, he became a life-long Gator and ardent fan of Steve Spurrier! Mark treasured the friends he made during these years. Graduating in 1987, he embarked on a long career in finance, working in the retail, banking, and legal fields. His first “real” job was for Sears, Roebuck in Jacksonville, FL, then on to Chicago, the first of many moves pursuing a career he enjoyed. Nothing was more exciting to him than a meticulously executed spreadsheet…unless it was also color-coded! While DeBoben’s early years were spent in New Jersey, the family moved to Florida in the 1970’s where his love of the ocean began. As a teenager, he was a lifeguard in Melbourne Beach and recently called it the best job he ever had! In land-locked Orlando, he lugged two large potted palm trees up three flights of stairs to his apartment balcony, enjoying the sunsets as the palms rustled in the breeze. In March, he texted his family, “I am a Florida boy. One of these days I’m back.”
Brian J. Cosola | BSBA ’90 | 1968-2022 | Cosola, of Stuart, Florida, passed on July 6. Originally born in São Paulo, Brazil, he was a long-time resident of the Stuart and Port St. Lucie areas. He graduated from St. Joseph’s Catholic School and South Fork High School, and he received his BSBA in Finance from the University of Florida. Brian worked for many years as an area manager for Enterprise Car Rental and as an operations executive for Gulfstream Goodwill Industries. He also worked as a consultant for a number of other Goodwill locations.
Lt. Col. Randolph L. Winge | BSBA ’92 | 1969-2022 | Winge, of Warner Robins, Georgia, passed on April 24. After graduating from the University of Florida, he was commissioned as an Air Force 2nd Lieutenant. Highlights of his career include ejecting from an F-111 on his second flight. Over 20 years of his Air Force career were assignments outside the Air Force including the Navy, Canadian Armed Forces, AFRICOM, CENTCOM and NATO. His family knew him as “Randy,” but many knew Randy better by his call sign “Troll,” which he earned during his time flying with the Navy. He retired from the United States Air Force after serving twenty-seven and a half years.
Matthew L. Armas | BSBA ’16 | 1995-2022 | Armas, of Atlanta, Georgia, passed on June 12. Armas was born in Quito, Ecuador and lived there until he was 7 years old. His family later moved to Gainesville, Florida. He exceeded academically, was very involved in many organizations in all of his schools, and received multiple accolades and awards: Citizen of The Year in Elementary School, President of his class and student body during middle and high schools. His passion was volleyball to which he dedicated all his free time, either playing, coaching, refereeing, assisting with every possible team and match in Gainesville! Armas was an active member the March of Dimes and Chain Reaction while attending GHS. He had an extensive circle of friends with whom he enjoyed life, dancing, and having lot of fun, without ever losing focus on his studies. After high school, he attended UF where he earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and was also involved. While attending UF, he obtained his real state license and worked for Bosshardt for a few years. Armas moved to Atlanta after graduating from UF in 2016 and started an exciting new chapter of his personal and professional life, working for The Home Depot in the finance field. He had a rewarding and blooming career at Home Depot, and his family is very thankful for the professional opportunities provided to him.
