2012-13 Year in Review - Gator Boosters, Inc.

YEAR IN REVIEW 2012–2013 BULL GATORS82Timothy M. IngramClearwaterJim IslamGainesvilleLois Rush JaegerJacksonvilleGATOR TALESBeing a Gator fan is more than winning andlosing. It is all about family and friends.My Gator journey started in high school.I began following the Gators and soonapplied and was accepted at University ofFlorida. In my junior year, I met my wife,Terry, and took her on our first date—to aGator basketball game! We married andbegan saving money to buy season footballtickets, which we did in the early 70’s. Wheneach of our two daughters turned four, theybegan going to home football games with us.Our youngest daughter, Kerry, went out ofstate for her freshman year of collegeand then wanted to transfer to UF. WhenI questioned her about it, she said “Wheredid you expect me to want to go to college?You’ve been driving me to UF every yearsince I was four.” During the girls’ highschool years, I took each girl individuallyon an annual “father/daughter” trip toNew Orleans for the UF/LSU game.Now, with children of their own, bothdaughters still attend home games withtheir husbands and children to watchthe cheerleaders—or Albert, or even attimes, the actual game! All five (5)grandchildren, ages 2–10 have beenspectators in the Swamp.Steve & Sandy JohnsGainesvilleThe Johns FamilyEagle LakeWhen Billy Donovan came to Gainesville,we bought family basketball season tickets.As our two older granddaughters becameold enough to start taking gymnastics, webegan supporting UF gymnastics and takingthem to gymnastic meets. When the twograndsons became little league baseballplayers, we included them in our seasonUF baseball tickets.Our love of the Gators has brought usmoments of triumph, and a few tearsalong our way. We’ve seen nationalchampionships in football and basketball,seen the Gators in the College World Series,and cheered from home as UF won the 2013Gymnastic National Championship.These dramatic moments made us proudof our Gators, but perhaps the best GatorBooster benefit of all is the friendships wehave made. Our first season football ticketsas a family of four were right in front ofpeople who have become like family. Anneand Bob Clayton have always been warm,wise and interested in us, they share ourenthusiasm for the Gators. Our daughtersstill hug them every time they see them andlovingly call Bob by his own grandchildren’snickname for him, “Daddy Bob.”Brock JohnsonDade CityHjalma E. JohnsonDade CityLeonard H. JohnsonDade CityThe Claytons attended both of our daughters’weddings, and we have been blessed tobe part of their family gatherings for overthirty years.Similarly, getting to know and appreciate theGator Boosters Office and build friendshipsthere have made us doubly blessed. Ourpersonal connections with John James,Phil and Taryn Pharr and Doug and ThuBrown have enriched our family’s lives.We look forward to many more years ofexciting Gator moments and to making morenew friends who share our love affair withthe Gators!–John W. Frost IITom JohnsonDade CityAlan M. JonesJesup, GAJones Edmunds& Associates, Inc.GainesvilleDr. and Mrs. RichKaneBrandonJack KatzOrlandoShannon & AlexJohnstonBirminghamCarey JonesJesup, GARichard “Dickey”Jones, MDDallas, TXChris & JenniferKanistrasOviedoClark L. KeatorWindermereShaun A. KeckTampaJoe LeCompteDaytona BeachSammie Long &Jason TurnerWauchulaJoseph M. Mason, Jr.BrooksvilleSteve MelnykJacksonvilleThe Kincart GroupLakelandL. Gale LemerandOrmond BeachLeven LordFt. Walton BeachGreg MastersLakelandRobert G. MerkelWest Palm BeachMichael S. “Max”KlimasLake MaryFranklin K. Lentz, Jr.GainesvilleCharles LoreGainesvilleKeith & HenriettaMcBeeJupiterMerlin & TateEnterprisesTampaGary KochTampaBrian LeslieCharles PerryPartners, Inc.GainesvilleAlbert & MichelleLucasMiamiWayne & ColleenMcCallJacksonvilleStephen and ChadMervisWinter HavenKenneth and JeanieKoreyRockledgeLinder IndustrialMachinery CompanyPlant CityJohn LuppinoWarner Robbins, GABruce and M. L.McEwanOrlandoDavid F. MillerFernandina BeachBryan E. KornblauRichmond, VAAnthony LiuzzoGainesvilleDavid LyonsWinter HavenPerry & Noel McGriffGainesvilleEdmund MillerCoconut GroveThomas (Tom) G.KuntzSunTrust Bank ofFloridaSandy LloverasPalm HarborHarold LyonsGainesvilleL. Warren McKnight, Jr.DavenportChristi H. & WilliamH. Mills, IIISt. PetersburgChris LaFaceTampaThomas Lobrano, IIIJacksonvilleDennis MacInnesCoral SpringsW. B. “Benny”McLean, Jr.ClermontTom MimsLakelandRon LaFace Jr.TallahasseeJoe LondonOcalaWilliam MaroonAltamonte SpringsWalter A. McRae, Jr.Scott McRae GroupJacksonvilleVictor R. MirandaBoca RatonHerb A. Langston, Jr.MaitlandJohn LongGator DermsOrmond BeachChallis MarshallWinter HavenRoddy MelendezMiamiMonterey BoatsWillistonYEAR IN REVIEW 2012–2013 BULL GATORS83