All 5 Fort Lauderdale Airport Victims Had Planned Cruises

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — None of the five victims whose lives were snuffed out in a chaotic Friday at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport were from the greater Miami area, but their deaths will forever become embedded in the collective memory of one the worst local tragedies.

Their names were released for the first time by Broward County officials on Wednesday night following what appeared to be confusion among county officials as to whether it was appropriate to do so and which agency, if any, should release the information.

All of the victims had traveled to Fort Lauderdale to take cruises or were returning from one. They came from Ohio, Delaware, Iowa, Georgia and Virginia. All of the victims were also over the age of 50.

They were identified as 69-year-old Mary Louise Amzibel of Dover, Delaware; 70-year-old Shirley Wells Timmons of Ohio; 57-year-old Michael John Oehme of Council Bluffs, Iowa; 84-year-old Olga M. Woltering of Marietta, Georgia and 62-year-old Terry Michael Andres of Virginia Beach, Virginia, according to a spokeswoman for the county who released the names five days after the incident took place.

"It was Broward County's intent to officially release the names of all the victims at the appropriate time, with respect for the family's wishes and in accordance with state and federal laws," said Broward County Mayor Barbara Sharief. "However, the media's persistence in demanding the names has hastened the release of this limited information as required by law."

Officials also took swift action on Wednesday to suspend Broward Sheriff's Deputy Michael Dingman, who is suspected to have leaked the cellphone recording of the airport surveillance video to the website TMZ, according to county officials. The video showed the initial seconds of the attack in the Terminal 2 baggage claim.

Dingman was suspended with pay as of Wednesday. As a condition of his suspension, he must contact the internal affairs division twice each work day to inquire if there are specific instructions from the investigator, according to a copy of the suspension notice.

Here is more about the victims:

Shirley Timmons

"Shirley Timmons was an amazing daughter, wife, mother and grandmother," according to the Timmons family. "For Shirley, it was all about family. She and her husband of 51 years met when they were in the eighth grade. They were high school sweethearts with the perfect love story.

"She was a cheerleader and homecoming queen with the man of her dreams. Together they built a close, loving family with their three daughters, three son-in-laws and eight grandchildren. For Shirley, family meant vacations, football games and holiday traditions.

"She was the most loving, passionate mother who had a love for life and truly sparkled. She will continue to sparkle through her husband, mother, three daughters and eight grandchildren. She touched many and was loved by all. She will live in our hearts forever and will be truly missed. We love you mom and grandma.”

Olga M. Woltering
Olga M. Woltering had reportedly traveled to Fort Lauderdale for a cruise celebrating her husband's 90th birthday. Ralph Woltering reportedly survived the attack, as Patch reported.

A statement from the Transfiguration Catholic Church noted Olga Woltering's life revolved around her family and hundreds who attend the church. "Olga was so charming, calling everybody 'Lovey' or 'Love' in her unmistakable British accent," the statement noted, with a picture attached of the Wolterings holding two small children in their laps. "The picture above shows her normal face, complete with her beaming smile!"

In a statement, the family asked for prayers and privacy:

"Olga Woltering was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and a good friend to many. She, along with our father Ralph, is the cornerstone of our family, and while she's absent in our lives now, she remains in our hearts, thoughts and memories forever. Her bright smile and loving manner will be missed by all who had the fortune to know her. She rarely seemed to meet a stranger, rather she had a smile or a hug for all. She was a blessing in the lives of family and friends. She was always guided by her strong faith in God and remained very active in her church, Transfiguration Catholic Church. She worked at and led cusillos in the church to bring God's message to others, and she spoke to groups about her personal faith as a testament to the power of God's love for us. She will be terribly missed by her faith community. Her family asks for privacy at this time as we mourn her loss and support our father and each other in the coming days."

Michael John Oehme
A neighbor remembered Oehme for his neighborly chats.

"May you find some kind [of] peace with the grace of God through your new journey," wrote Sheri Blackman to the victim and his family. "We will miss our neighborly chats with Mike. No words can express the sorrow of this tragedy and please know we are here for you if there is anything we can help with. Your neighbor, Sheri."

Terry Michael Andres
Terry Michael Andres was remembered as a devoted father, husband and grandfather, according to The Virginia Pilot, which reported that the New Jersey native had lived in Virginia Beach since he was 19. He and his wife Ann went on their first date on Christmas Eve during America's bicentennial year.

The paper also said that his wife knew instantly she had found the man she was going to marry with his infectious smile and caring personality. They had been married since September of 1977.

Photo of Olga Woltering courtesy of Transfiguration Catholic Church.

Photos of Shirley Wells Timmons above article and in text courtesy of the Timmons family.

Patch writer Greg Hambrick also contributed to this article.