BY MARCY SHORTUSE - Walker Bush never questioned what he was going to do when he grew up. As a child growing up in Alexandria, Va. his whole life focused around sports. If it had anything to do with a ball, he played it.

But being a professional athlete is the stuff that pipe dreams are made of, and as Walker progressed through college he realized he might need a “Plan B” to back him up.

As he sat on his parents’ porch in Boca Grande, he looked just like the laid-back kid he had described himself as being his whole life.

Lawrence (Larry) Williams Jr., 85, died on December 21, 2011 due to complications associated with Alzheimer’s disease. He will be laid to rest at his birthplace of Lake Forest, Ill., joining his mother and father, Barbara Kirk Williams and Lawrence Williams.

He leaves behind his wife, Barbara Blossom Williams; their four children, Ann Williams Stocke, Jane Williams Korhonen, Kirk Williams McKie, and Lawrence (Will) Williams IV; and six grandchildren.

BY MARCY SHORTUSE

A  new year is upon us. At the opening of 2012 I would like to wax philosophical about something that is near and dear to my heart. It struck me as I pondered what to write about in this small space that is left over in the editorial section. Should I broach the subject of world peace? Famous visitors to the island? The near-certain, impending doom we face in October of this new year?

These things are all pretty important, but they pale in comparison to the pressing issue I feel I must address.

The Gasparilla Island Water Association’s annual membership meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the Boca Grande Community Center.

As approved by GIWA’s membership at the last annual meeting, we began charging in April of 2011 the $12 monthly assessment to fund relocating our water and sewer mains when the Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority constructs new bridges on the causeway.

We have already accumulated $195,000, with an additional $24,575 added to the fund each month.