Sanoma Jean Melham Robertson 79 a resident of Ormond Beach since 1967 and a long-time volunteer with Ormond Beach and Daytona Beach Communities died peacefully at her home on Tuesday July 10 2007 after a courageous battle with cancer. Funeral services will be Saturday at 10 AM at St. Demitrios Greek Orthodox Church with Father John Ealy officiating. The Trisagion service will be held at The Lohman Funeral Home Ormond Friday evening at 7:00 PM. Her family will be receiving friends Friday evening from 5 PM until 7PM at The Lohman Funeral Home Chapel 733 W. Granada Blvd. Ormond Beach. Her advertising and public relations career began as the assistant to the national sales manager of the CBS affiliate TV station in Sioux City Iowa. After moving to North Carolina she became a copywriter for radio. In time she worked at the News-Courier in Charles ton SC creating newspaper ads then moved into newspaper public relations and television production in the various cities in which she and her family lived while following her husband's baseball management career. Since moving to Daytona Beach in 1966 became a sales representative for Classified Advertising at the News-Journal. In 1972 joined the staff of WNDB Radio. In subsequent years worked in television production advertising public relations and consulting. During her years at Roberson Productions Sanoma created a Sunday supplement for this District's (X111) Nursing Home Assn. which garnered a National First Place Award in the American Advertising Federation an honor which has not been matched locally since that time. She also was General Manager of WSBB Radio in New Smyrna Beach. Eventually joined the staff of WCEU-TV when it went on the air in 1988 as producer of the local public affairs programs then promoted to Director of D4evelopment and Public Relations. Sanoma retired from WCEU in June of 2001. She was a proud founding member of Holy Cross Eastern Orthodox Church in 1992 serving on the parish council as a member and parish council chairman. Served as President of the Daytona Beach Advertising Federation and served on many committees for that organization. She was honored with their prestigious Silver Medal Award in 1980. During the years her children were attending area schools she was active in PTA and various parent's advisory groups. In the 70's and 80's she worked on many committees for the Halifax Chamber assisting with promotional events and as an Ambassador recruiting new members. Served on the founding committee which created the popular fund-raising event "Puttin on the Ritz' for the Children's Home Society and was a member of their board of directors. Served on the American Cancer Society Board of Directors and was a member of the Founding Committee for the ACS125 Annual fund-raising event. Palmetto Place Advocates Board of Directors. Daytona Playhouse Board of Directors and was a cast member of almost all the musicals performed in the late 60's and the 70's. While living in Hawaii in 1952 and 1953 she performed at the Honolulu Community Theatre. Sanoma was a founding member of the Sioux City Community Theatre in her home town of Sioux City Iowa. Above all Sanoma loved all the lively arts and was most passionate about music from jazz swing and show tunes to the classics. She loved performing on stage in her earlier years. It can be said that she never turned her back on a good joke and loved to play practical jokes on her friends. She was an avid reader enjoyed playing bridge traveling crocheting keeping in close touch with her many cousins and old high school friends around the country and studying the genealogy of each of her parents' families. She rally liked to work with plants and flowers but claims she "killed more than she grew". It is requested that memorial donations be sent to Holly Cross Orthodox Church 375 Flemming Ave. Ormond Beach FL 32174.

Surviving her are a son Thomas Robertson Bunnell FL 4 Daughters Carol Davis Charleston SC Denise Rossi Ormond Beach Vicki Foley Ormond Beach Jaimie Winkelman Winter Garden FL a Brother Thomas Melham 2 sisters Barbara Fangman Beverly Swanson grandchildren Adam Bachman Paul Bachman Brandon Robertson Michelle Rossi Meagan Foley Jaimie Foley Summer Foley Bradley Robertson Ethan Winkelman and Benjamin Winkelman and her many first cousins whom she dearly loved as brothers and sisters and kept in touch with on a regular basis by phone and email. Plus her spiritual family at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Ormond Beach.