Frank Wilhoit Warber

Frank Wilhoit Warber of 1226 Holly Fern Lane, Sarasota, FL was born September 9, 1924 to Naomi Kathleen Wilhoit and Frank Helmer Warber of DeKalb, IL. Frank passed peacefully on July 25, 2020 in Sarasota after 95 years of a wonderful life. Sarasotons may remember a short smiling white haired man in his 90s on a motorized trike traversing midtown and downtown Sarasota streets. Frank loved family (both original and acquired via late marriage), friends, humor, water, international travel, Sarasota restaurants, theater, opera, symphony, and art exhibits, attending all with wife, Joanne. Joining the Navy on his eighteenth birthday during the second world war, Frank was selected for officer training at Dartmouth College and Holy Cross College. Ensign Frank was sent to Japan after the surrender. Returning stateside, Frank was recruited to the State Farm Life Insurance home office in Bloomington, IL and stayed for 42 years with time out to acquire a Master of Mathematics at University of Wisconsin. Frank conceived of the use of computers in insurance, leading the Life Company from the punch card environment of the ‘50s into the electronic processing era of modern times. When he retired as Vice President – Electronics Research in 1989, he was honored for his contributions and influence. Having survived three marriages and 31 happy years of retirement, Frank is survived by two families, including two daughters by his first marriage to Emily Eileen Stock of Arthur, IL: Dr. Sara Lesley Warber (husband Daniel Nehring) of Montague, MI and Sarasota, FL and Emily Warber Cremeens (husband James) of Fort Collins, CO; and four grandchildren: Christopher Emil Matich and Erik Nehring of Ann Arbor MI, Kathryn Elizabeth Cremeens of Langley, WA, Marshall Dempsey Cremeens of Fort Collins, CO; and one great grandson, Knox Retherford of Langley, WA. Via his wife of 25 short years, Joanne Myers Warber, Frank acquired a second family including three adult daughters: Jana Raye Schreuder (husband Eric) of St Thomas, US Virgin Islands, Jill Allison Long (husband Ray) of Garland, TX and Jolie Michelle Buie (husband Scott) of Richardson, TX; plus four grandchildren: Allison Michelle Schreuder of New York, NY, Rayborn Anthony Long of Wylie, TX, Elizabeth Anne Long Nolly (husband Ranlon) of Garland, TX and Reed Everett Buie of Richardson, TX; and one great granddaughter: Emily Michelle Nolly of Garland, TX. Frank’s ashes will be held until COVID safety allows friends and family to congregate. He will then be interred in the National Cemetery in Sarasota with military honors followed by a celebration of his life. Donations honoring Frank W. Warber may be made to Florida Watercolor Society aka FSWS, 5317 Fruitville Rd, #54, Sarasota, FL, 34232 or the charity of your choice.

Tributes

Frank Wilhoit Warber

September 9, 1924 - July 25, 2020