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Date of these obituaries: 04-02-2002
Esther Kampsen Bell, political mover, shaker
Esther Kampsen Bell, who died Sunday at age 89, never ran for public office. But she helped many who did.
She left behind photos of herself with Kentucky's governors, including Paul Patton, signed with thanks for her help, said her son, Dan Bell of Taylor Mill.
"It seems like she was always on some committee, " he said. "She just liked being with people and associating with people and working on projects and trying to accomplish things."
The homemaker and mother of four became interested in politics when she joined the PTA at St. Benedict's School and later served as president.
She joined the Kenton County Democratic Women's Club and held several offices, including president from 1975-77.
She went on to the state organization, rising to serve as third vice president in 1979-80 and from 1982 to 1986.
When her husband, Samuel Monroe Bell, died in 1987, she became even more in volved, often with her friend, Mabel Ballin ger of Covington.
"A lot of the politicians used to be in our living room, asking her to support them, " her son said.
After macular degeneration claimed Ms. Bell's eyesight, Ms. Ballinger took her to Democratic functions across the state.
Ms. Bell served as her mentor, teacher, friend and confidante, Ms. Ballinger said.
"We cried many times over things over the phone, but most of the time we laughed about things, " she said.
In 1999, the Democrat Women's Clubs of Kentucky gave Ms. Bell the annual Rose Award for her outstanding service and dedication.
She was especially proud of her work establishing the Senior Citizens of Northern Kentucky, whose board she served on from 1972 to 1993, her son said.
Ms. Bell stood about 5 feet 10 inches tall, Ms. Ballinger said, and carried herself like a queen. She had a keen sense of humor and strong will.
Once, on the way into church, a heckler called Ms. Bell, a Catholic, an abortionist because of her support for one candidate, Ms. Ballinger said.
She said Ms. Bell turned and told the heckler that she had stayed in bed for three months to save one of her unborn children. "Don't you dare say that, " she added.
Ms. Bell died at 10:49 a.m. at the Village Care Center in Erlanger.
Survivors in addition to Daniel Bell include another son, Dennis Michael Bell of Taylor Mill; daughters, Sue Bell Baum of Delhi, Ohio, and Jeannine Bell Smith of Crescent Springs; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Benedict Church, Covington. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Swindler and Currin Funeral Home, Latonia. Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright.
Memorials are suggested to St. Benedict Church, 338 E. 17th St., Covington, Ky. 41014.
Paul C. Baute, 74, of Petersburg, died at 11:29 p.m. Saturday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
He was a retired supervisor and electrician with CSX Railroad and a retired Kentucky Post carrier, a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church and a Navy veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Grace Merkle Baute; sons, Robert Baute of Independence, Melvin Baute of Lakeside Park, Jerome Baute of Burlington, Richard Baute of Villa Hills and Terry Baute of Park Hills; daughters, Regina Merta of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., and Paula Owen of Butler; stepsons, Joseph Merkle of Petersburg, James Merkle of Florence, John Merkle of Walton, Raymond Merkle of Blanchester, Ohio, and Thomas Merkle of Hebron; a stepdaughter, Grace Bay of Petersburg; a brother, Elmer Baute of Union; sisters, Mary Ann Mueller and Kathleen Finley, both of Fort Mitchell; 21 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Burlington. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 5876 Veterans Way, Burlington, Ky. 41005; or St. Henry District High School, 3755 Scheben Drive, Erlanger, Ky. 41018.
Luella Collis, 83, of Erlanger, died Monday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Lawrence Moore, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a daughter, Yvonne Moore of Burlington; and a grandson.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. today at Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Visitation will be from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger.
Richard Dickman, 83, of Fort Thomas, died at 7:05 a.m. Saturday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a former dental ceramist with Lockhead Dental Laboratory.
Survivors include his wife, Irma Greleich Dickman; a son, Michael J. Dickman of Memphis, Tenn.; a daughter, Mary Ellen Dickman of Fort Thomas; a brother, Leonard Dickman of Fairfield, Ohio; and a sister, Julia Ferlisi of Los Angeles.
Services will be at the convenience of the family. Entombment will be in St. Stephen Mausoleum, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to American Lung Association, 1636 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, Ky. 40503. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
George W. Hankins, 85, of Warsaw, Ind., formerly of Florence, died Monday at Gallatin Health Care Center in Warsaw, Ky. He was a former maintenance worker with R. A. Jones Co. and a member of Masonic Lodge No. 483 in Cincinnati.
Survivors include a nephew, Robert Sanders of Park Hills; and a niece, Debbie Isman of Fort Wright.
Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society NCICFUL, P. O. Box 102454, Atlanta, Ga. 30368. Stith Funeral Home, Florence, is handling arrangements.
Arnold Lee Hill, 81, of Fort Wright, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington. He was a retired diesel mechanic for Interstate Trucking Co., Cincinnati.
Survivors include his wife, Nina Harrison Hill; a son, Donald Hill of Fort Wright; daughters, Sharon Kemner of Fairfield, Ohio, and Bonnie Bockelman of Cincinnati; brothers, Paul Hill and Billy Hill, both of Somerset; sisters, Edna Mason and Ruth Hines, both of Somerset, Josephine Roy of Atlanta, and ImageneAllen of Harrison, Ohio; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Thursday. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Marita Foor Lane, 90, of Latonia, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington. She was a retired data processor with First National Bank in downtown Cincinnati and a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Latonia, and the Dixie Porcelain China Painters Guild in Louisville. Her husband, Albert Lane, died in 1956.
Survivors include a son, Dr. Emery E. lane of Louisville; and a sister, Virginia Oberley of Covington.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Elizaville Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Walter Carl Lanter, 95, of Florence, died Sunday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. He was a retired supervisor with the Kentucky State Corrections Cabinet and owner of Bluegrass Barbecue in Dry Ridge, a former employee of Procter & Gamble and a former store manager for Krogers. He was a member of Dry Ridge Christian Church, Dry Ridge Masonic Lodge No. 849, Covington Scottish Rite Consistory and Syrian Temple AAONMS, Cincinnati.
Survivors include his wife, Florence Ruth Lanter; a daughter, Carla Ruth Cooper of Battle Creek, Mich., and Chicago; brothers, Lee Lanter and Ottis Lanter, both of Williamstown, and Dr. K. E. Lanter of Union; and sisters, Opal Norton Gruen of Dry Ridge and Emma Gene Biggs of Florence.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Eckler-Hudson Funeral Home, Dry Ridge. Visitation will be from 4:30 to 8:30 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to Dry Ridge Christian Church Building Fund, 13 School St., Dry Ridge, Ky. 41035.
Elsie Hilda Leistner, 75, of Elsmere, died Friday at Villa Springs Care Center, Erlanger. She was a retired waitress at the Commonwealth Hilton, Florence.
Survivors include sons, Mike Leistner of Erlanger and Joe Leistner of Crittenden; a daughter, Anna Skeene of Elsmere; sisters, Katie Tierney and Marie Goldsberry, both of Bellevue, and Aggie McNay of Fort Thomas; a brother, Clarence Strickley, of Bellevue; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. Henry Church, Elsmere. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger. Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright. Memorials are suggested to St. Henry Church, 3813 Dixie Highway, Elsmere, Ky. 41018.
Harold C. Love, 86, of Union, died Sunday at his home.
He was a former maintenance worker with the City of Florence and a member of Big Bone Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Alberta Love; daughters, Lana Cuzick of Dry Ridge and Sharon Steelman of Florence; brothers, Alan "Buddy" Love and Shelton Love, both of Union; a sister, Jean Schmidt of Sarasota, Fla.; three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at noon Wednesday. Burial will be in Big Bone Baptist Cemetery, Union.
Joseph H. Mayer, 83, of Southgate, died Friday at his home.
He was a self-employed upholsterer and a member of St. Therese Church, Southgate. He served at the 7 a.m. Mass for many years at the church, was a Eucharistic minister and a member of the church Holy Name Society. His wife, Theresa Mayer, died in 1994.
Survivors include daughters, Ann Doyle of Cold Spring, Margie Neiser of Alexandria, and Mary Smith of Wilder; a son, Joe Mayer of Wilder; a sister, Anna M. Meyer of Fort Mitchell; 17 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 7:30 p.m. today at St. Therese Church. Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright. Memorials are suggested to St. Therese Church Building Fund, 11 Temple Place, Southgate, Ky. 41071. Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
Elizabeth Moore, 92, of Covington, died at 10:35 p.m. Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
She was a homemakers and a member of Kissmee Grotto.
Survivors include a daughter, LaVerne Bechtold of Erlanger; a brother, Mack McQuinley of Portsmouth, Ohio; three grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill.
Arthur J. Moorman, 89, of Fort Mitchell, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
Arrangements are pending at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington.
Gladys Mae McKinley Moscoe, 83, of Latonia, died at 5:10 p.m. Sunday at her home. She was a retired bookkeeper with Marx Furniture Co., Covington, and a member of First Christian Church in Covington and Loyal Women's Class and National Honor Society.
Survivors include her son, Dr. Jay Moscoe of Banco., Va.; daughters, Joe Ellen Moscoe of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Janis Jaynes of Alexandria; brothers, Eugene McKinley of Covington and Harold McKinley of Park Hills; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. Wednesday at First Christian Church, Covington. Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, is handling arrangements.
Lizzie Owens, 84, of Florence, died Sunday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. She was a homemaker. Her husband, John V. Owens, died in 1986.
Survivors include daughters, Edna Gregory of Glencoe, Geneva Hager of Richmond, Charlene Hicks of Fairborn, Brenda Miller and Darlene Yeary, both of Florence; sons, Dean Owens of Kentucky, Dennis Owens of Independence and Johnny Owens of Indianapolis; 23 grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Snuffer Cemetery, London. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Morris C. Rexroat, 53, of Independence, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was an independent driver with Red Express, Covington. A daughter, Dawn Wolfe, died in 1998.
Survivors include his wife, Sharon Rexroat; a daughter, Tammie Konicki of Mason, Ohio; a brother, Ralph Rexroat of San Diego; and one granddaughter.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Michael Ray Stines, 50, of Newport, died at 12:50 a.m. Monday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a truck driver with J. B. Hunt Trucking Co. in Springfield, Ohio, and a member of Newport Eagles.
Survivors include his wife, Amie Sue Stines; a son, Gary Bryant of Newport; daughters, Toby Stines and MichaelDawn Clark, both of Newport, and Christine Stines of Wilder; brothers, Howard Stines of North Carolina, John Stines and Robert Weber, both of Cincinnati, Steve Weber of Alexandria and Greg Scherer of Newport; sisters, Marylou Crawford of Newport, Melissa Keeton of Falmouth and Loretta McAffe of Tennessee; eight grandchildren and one great-grandson.
Services will be at noon Thursday at Muehlenkamp- Erschell Funeral Home, Newport.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas.
Memorials are suggested to Heart Failure Clinic, Chandler Medical Center, University of Kentucky, 820 S. Limestone, Lexington, Ky. 40536.
Ava Winkler, 94, of Alexandria, died Monday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas.
Arrangements are pending at Peoples Funeral Home, Grants Lick.
Constance M. Works, 69, of Frenchburg, formerly of Falmouth, died Monday in Frenchburg.
Arrangements are pending at Peoples Funeral Home, Falmouth.
