Mel Toadvine

Mel Toadvine, 80, of Lehigh Acres/Fort Myers/Cape Coral, FL, and Salisbury, MD died at his home on November 18, 2021, after a brief illness. Toadvine moved to SW Florida in 1996, retiring as the managing editor of The Daily Times. After college, he was hired as a photographer/ reporter in 1961. He continued with his photography, feature writing and working as desk editor until Nov. 18, 1977, when he was appointed as managing editor of The Daily Times at age of 37.

He was a community newspaperman serving the Maryland, Delaware, VA areas for 35 years. He served for several years in Maryland as the public relations officer for the Salisbury, MD National Guard, 115th military company. He won several awards for his feature writing and his photography. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for his photography of the March 1962 storm. A visionary, he was the first person in MD to put portions of the Times paper online in the early days of the internet.

He belonged to many organizations and served on several boards of Directors during his long career including a long-time membership with the Salisbury Rotary Club of Maryland and Chamber of Commerce in both Salisbury, MD and Lehigh Acres, FL.

Toadvine was the managing editor for the Lehigh Acres Citizen from 1997 until his full retirement at the age of 77 in 2017. Through his 55-year newspaper career, he was dedicated to the communities that he served. He loved connecting with people. He found the newspaper business exciting as he met many famous people as well as new people every day.

Toadvine lived a full and productive life. He loved music especially country and classical. He enjoyed attending theatre productions going often to the Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers with his family and close friends. He was an avid reader, politically astute, family man, humorous, and a great conversationalist.

Mel is survived by his wife of 56 years, Barbara Wharton Toadvine, and two children, David W. Toadvine (Laura) of Fort Myers, FL, and Kristina Toadvine VanMeter of Salisbury, MD. He is also survived by five wonderful grandchildren Briana, Joshua, and Noah Toadvine of Fort Myers, FL, and Benjamin and Julia VanMeter of Salisbury, MD. He is survived by two brothers Norman F. Toadvine (Bonnie) of Parsonsburg, MD and Edward M. Toadvine (Diane) of Cape Coral, FL. and several nieces and nephews. Preceded in death was a sister, Charlotte Toadvine Scott, and a son-in-law, Dan VanMeter.

Toadvine was born on Dec. 12, 1940, in Salisbury, MD. The oldest son of Norman F. and Ethel Matthews Toadvine who are also deceased. He asked that any memorial contributions be made to a charity of your choice in his memory.

A private celebration of life will be held later at the family’s convenience.