Edward Ellsworth Phero, III

Edward Ellsworth Phero III passed away peacefully on Friday, August 30th, surrounded by his family. Ed was born on December 9, 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland to parents, Edward Ellsworth Phero II and Gladys Marie (Gingher) Phero. Ed is survived by his son, Edward Ellsworth Phero IV of Venice, FL, his daughter, Kimberly Anne Gambo and son-in-law, Pino Gambo of Venice, FL, and two wonderful grandsons, Grant Gauvreau of Fort Myers, FL and Spencer Phero of Asheville, NC. He is also survived by his sister, Cheryl (Phero) Serig and brother-in-law, James Serig of Tarpon Springs, FL, and ex-wife/friend Nancy (Sherman) Phero of Venice, FL. Ed was a loving father, grandfather, and friend to everyone. Ed was an avid outdoorsman, and enjoyed golfing, fishing, hunting and boating. He especially enjoyed kayaking and fishing from his house on Lemon Bay in Englewood. He was also a brilliant marksman, and enjoyed spending many, many hours at the range with his grandsons and friend, Doug Bailey. He worked as a lineman for the telephone company, retiring in 2010 after 40+ years of service. Prior to that, Ed was a proud member of the United States Air Force. While stationed with the USAF in Montana, he was a Team Chief, coordinating our country's missile security program and had the highest level of security clearance offered at the time. After moving to Venice in 1981, he and Nancy developed and implemented strategies for increasing loggerhead turtle survival rates through the volunteer program at Mote Marine Laboratories, many of which are still being used today. Ed was a great neighbor and always there to help friends and relatives with household projects, cooking meals, or whatever else was needed. His deviled eggs and key lime pies will be sorely missed by his friends and neighbors. Ed was a dedicated member of Englewood United Methodist Church, the Englewood Masonic Lodge No. 360, the Eagles Club, the VFW, and the NRA. A special thank you to the people at Tidewell Hospice House in Venice for their loving care and support during his final days and to Toale Brothers-Ewing Chapel for their assistance with final arrangements. A Celebration of Ed's Life will be held on Sunday, September 22nd at his home in Englewood. The family will greet friends from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Mote Marine Laboratory's Sea Turtle Program, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236 or Tidewell Hospice, Philanthropist Department, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, FL 34238.

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Edward Ellsworth Phero, III

December 9, 1944 - August 30, 2019