Jo's Journey out of Obesity
Orville Howard Davidsmeyer, Jr., 90, of Sarasota, FL, died on July 9, 2013. Services will be held at 10:30 am on Fri., at Sunnyside Village Chapel, 5201 Bahia Vista in Sarasota, FL.
A highly respected Florida businessman, church leader, athlete, and philanthropist, Howard Davidsmeyer was above all, a devoted husband and father. Born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, Howard attended the University of Iowa, playing on their football team under Dr. Eddie Anderson. He left college to fight in WWII. While training to be a pilot, he played football for University of Georgia, among others. As an Ensign in the US Naval Air Corp, he flew Hellcats and Corsairs off carriers in the Pacific. In a 1944 wartime wedding, he married his childhood sweetheart, Dorothy Jean Yost.
After WWII, Howard served as a plant manager for AT&T. He later developed several businesses in New York, Virginia, and Florida in the telephone, hardware and marine industries. He was cofounder of ComDev, Inc. which was bought by General Dynamics. Later, he was a telecommunications consultant and served on several Boards of Directors of emerging companies, most recently Phantasmic Home Entertainment.
Always active in church, he served the Church of the Cross and Pine Shores Presbyterian Church in Sarasota. In New York, he headed the building committee for the Massapequa Reformed Church building dedicated in 1969 by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. Howard volunteered on local foundation boards, including Players of Sarasota, as treasurer of the Pines of Sarasota, Chairman of the Board for University Club, and most recently President of Sunnyside Resident Association.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Dorothy Jean Davidsmeyer, his son O. H. Davidsmeyer III of San Antonio, Texas and daughter Jo Ann Davidsmeyer of Sarasota, Florida. He was also the father of the late Dona Davidsmeyer Beale. He is also survived by a sister Margaret Sprenger of East Islip, New York and in-laws Darlene and Norman Yost of Sarasota. He has three grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
He loved entertaining and sharing laughter with friends and those soon to be friends. Please, no flowers. Those attending the memorial, please wear happy colors in celebration of life eternal.
