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Date of these obituaries: 06-02-2001
Joseph "Sonny' Beazley, printer, artist
For Joseph Ray "Sonny" Beazley, art was not just a hobby. It was his lifelong passion.
One of Mr. Beazley's favorite subjects was religion, even though he himself wasn't a religious pundit. Jesus and angels inspired the bulk of his work, but for Mr. Beazley anything that had an interesting shape was fair game.
"He must have made everything imaginable, either on wood or in paintings, " said his mother, Mildred Beazley of Fort Thomas. "When he was young, he was very quiet. So I guess art was a way for him to be by himself, but in a constructive way."
Mr. Beazley, 60, of Dayton, died Monday at University Hospital, Cincinnati.
He was a member of Christian Tabernacle in Newport and a past master of Newport Masonic Lodge No. 356.
His love of art led Mr. Beazley to work as a printer for most of his adult life. At work, he found much support and encouragement for his art, something his mother said was very important to him.
Mr. Beazley created so much art in his life that he was forced to give much of it away. At Christmas time, he often would carve statues of reindeer and Santa Claus as gifts for family and friends.
Once, when a representative from the water company came to check the meters in Mr. Beazley's basement, the man quickly announced that he would move the meter outside so in the future he wouldn't have to navigate through all of Mr. Beazley's woodwork and paintings stored there.
Other survivors include his wife, Joyce Beazley; a stepson, Chris Roberts of Dayton; sons, Darren Beazley of Joliet, Ill., and Joseph Paul Beazley of Marseilles, Ill.; a daughter, Martha Hofmann of Morris, Ill.; sisters, Betty Jo Kruger of Fort Thomas and Jacqueline Pelgen of Cold Spring; and five grandchildren.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Love and Faith Fellowship Church, Newport.
Elaine Grassmuck was patient
Elaine Grassmuck Moffitt loved to serve up ice cream treats and the Dairy Queen she and her husband owned and operated in Dayton.
Mrs. Moffitt and her husband, the late band leader Deke Moffitt, bought the Dairy Queen at Sixth and Berry streets in 1953.
The brightly lit windows and cold, sweet confections drew the young and old on summer nights for more than two decades.
"She had the best ice cream of anybody, and the best sherbet, " said her daughter, Marilyn Sheldon of Fort Thomas.
Mrs. Moffitt, 88, died Friday at Lakeside Place Nursing Home in Highland Heights.
Deke Moffitt led the house band at the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Southgate and the stage band at the Albee Theater in Cincinnati.
He played at Moonlight Gardens.
The couple bought the Dairy Queen during a lull in the music business. Deke Moffitt worked there during the day, and Mrs. Moffitt worked the counter at night.
"She was a very giving person, and a very sensible person, " her daughter said. "I learned patience from her, and sharing.
"And I learned how to be a good mother. Her family was everything."
Deke Moffitt died in 1976. Mrs. Moffitt kept the business operating until 1978, when she sold it.
Mrs. Moffitt was a member of First Baptist Church, Highland Heights.
Other survivors include a son, Deke C. Moffitt of Erlanger; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Walnut Hills Cemetery, Cincinnati.
Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society, 11117 Kenwood Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio 45242.
Fred W. Brocker, 85, of Moorehaven, Fla., formerly of Crestview, died at 9:36 a.m. Thursday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas.
He was a mechanic and former owner of an Exxon service station in Fort Thomas.
He was a member of Elks Newport Lodge No. 273 BPOE, Cold Spring. His wife, Leonella Bernice Brocker, died in 1992.
Survivors include sons, Gary Brocker of California and Fred Brocker Jr. of Wilder; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Evergreen cemetery Chapel, Southgate. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Monday. Entombment will be in Evergreen Mausoleum, Southgate.
Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
Elwood Cole, 50, of Berry, died Wednesday at his home.
He was a retired employee of Overhead Door Co., Covington, and a member of Berry United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Linda Fay Cole; sons, Gary Wayne Cole and David Cole, both of Berry; daughters, Christina Corbitt of Harrodsburg, Tammy Landhamer of Anchorage, Alaska, and Rosie Carson of Cynthiana; mother, Virgie Dickerson Cole of Lexington; sisters, Linda Fraley of Hendersonville, Tenn., Debbie Gill of Berry, Betty Hannah of Cynthiana, Fannie Ashbrook of Covington and Karen King and Verna Lewis, both of Lexington; brothers, Raymond Cole of Hammond, Ind., Ricky Cole of Falmouth, Lonnie Ray Cole of Berry, Greg Cole of Lexington, Virgil Cole and Ronnie Cole, both of Covington, and Jeff Cole, Alson Cole Jr. and Darryl Cole, all of Cynthiana; and four grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Woodhead Funeral Home, Berry. Visitation will be from noon until the time of services Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Pythian Grove Cemetery, Berry.
Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 508 E. Pike St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031.
Mildred Knox "Mickey" Dawson, 81, of Taylor Mill and formerly of Harrison County, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
She was retired from Pogue's Department Store, Cincinnati, and was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, Latonia. Her husband, Philip Edwin Dawson, died in 1998.
Survivors include a daughter, Marcia M. Osborne of Taylor Mill; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Calvary Baptist Church, Latonia. Visitation will be from noon until the time of services Monday at the church. Burial will be in Pythian Grove Cemetery, Berry.
Memorials are suggested to Calvary Christian School, 5955 Taylor Mill Rd., Latonia, Ky. 41015 or to Juvenile Diabetes Association, 10901 Reed Hartman Highway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242.
Woodhead Funeral Home, Berry, is handling arrangements.
William Green, 76, of Erlanger, died at 3 p.m. Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North Hospice Unit, Covington.
He was a retired mechanic for American Airlines.
Survivors include his wife, Janet Green of Erlanger; sons, Dennis Green of Centerville, Ohio, Tim Green of St. Charles, Mo., and Darren Green of Erlanger; brothers, James Green of Norwood, Ohio, and Robert Green of Cincinnati; sisters, Mary Geiger of Deer Park, Ohio, and Catherine Schmidt of Cincinnati; and six grandchildren.
There will be no services or visitation. Burial was in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Ernest "Gene" Jenkins, 73, of Lady Lake, Fla., and formerly of Edgewood, died Wednesday at his home.
He was a retired car repairman for CSX Transportation, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion, and a Navy veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Phyllis Jenkins; sisters, Margie Moher of Alexandria, Etta Mae Rifken of Dayton and Amizetta Neiser of Union, Mo.; and brothers, Walker Jenkins of Silver Lake, Calif., Thomas Jenkins of Silver Grove and Russell Jenkins of Alexandria.
There will be no services or visitation.
All Faiths Cremation Society, Lady Lake, Fla., is handling arrangements.
Gordon George Luessen, 75, of Seattle, formerly of Kenton Hills, died May 16 in Seattle.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Due Luessen; sons, Chris G. Luessen, Brian R. Luessen, Ronald E. Luessen, Warren P. Luessen and Deron A. Luessen, all of Seattle; a daughter, Bonnie Luessen Roylance of Seattle; and a brother, Albert J. Luessen of Erlanger.
Services were May 18 at Green Funeral Home, Seattle.
Memorials are suggested to Epworth United Methodist Church, 1229 Highway Ave., Covington, Ky. 41016.
Gregory E. Mains, 46, of Cincinnati, died Friday at Mercy Hospital, Anderson Township, Ohio.
He was an heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technician at I.S. Mechanical, Cincinnati.
Survivors include his mother, Joyce Smith Scott of Elsmere; father and stepmother, Everett and Natalie Mains of Erlanger; sisters, LeEtta Jasper of Cincinnati, Kathy Mains of Covington, Piper Turner of Jacksonville, Fla., and Melody Mains of Florence; brothers, Steven Mains and Keith Mains, both of Florence.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Walton. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the time of services Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Independence Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Family of Gregory Mains, c/o Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, P.O. Box 55, Walton, Ky. 41094.
James Ronald Marshall, 45, of Newport, died Wednesday at Lakeside Park Care Center, Lakeside Park.
He was a car salesman and a member of Covington Masonic Lodge No. 109 F&AM, Covington Scottish Rite and Cincinnati Syrian Temple.
Survivors include a brother, Bob Marshall of Newport; and a sister, Lois Johnson of Silver Grove.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Catchen Funeral Home, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate.
Rita Mae Menke, 80, of Covington, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
Arrangements are pending at Linnemann Funeral Home, Covington.
Donna Claytor Sharp, 68, of Fort Thomas, died at 10:19 a.m. Thursday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas.
She was a retired sales clerk at Kmart in Newport and a bowling instructor.
Survivors include her husband, Harold B. Sharp; daughter, Carole Rudolph of Fort Thomas; and a granddaughter.
Services will be at noon Monday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the time of services Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate.
Howard G. Smith Sr., 93, of Elsmere, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
He was a conductor for the Southern Railway and a member of Crescent Springs Presbyterian Church, Unity Lodge No. 478 F&AM, Ludlow, and the Indra Consistory Scottish Rite. His wife, Edna Smith, died in 1986.
Survivors include a daughter, Betty Martin of Florence; sons, Gerald Smith of Burlington and Howard G. Smith Jr. of Villa Hills; sister, Ruth Castnellie of Latonia; brother, Bob Finnell of Fayetteville, Ga.; eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Monday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Unity Masonic Lodge services will be at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill.
Memorials are suggested to Crescent Springs Presbyterian Church, 710 Western Reserve Rd., Crescent Springs, Ky. 41017.
Ellen M. Vail, 81, of Florence, died at 8:55 p.m. Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was an operator for AT&T; and an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include a sister, Mary Siebert of Florence.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 6 p.m. Monday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Burlington. Burial will be in VA Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio. There will be no visitation.
Memorials are suggested to Parish Kitchen, 141 Pike St., Covington, Ky. 41011.
