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Date of these obituaries: 03-10-2000
Robert Hammersmith, served city
Robert Kyle Hammersmith, a former Florence council member who sold the city the property that was later used to establish city hall, died Monday at Gallatin Health Care Center in Warsaw.
Mr. Hammersmith, 86, of Warsaw, was the former owner of Florence Nursery, Twelve Oaks Nursery in Verona and Florence Highland Center.
He served three terms on the Florence City Council in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the city went from being a sixth-class city to a third-class city, said former Florence Mayor C. M. "Hop" Ewing, who served on the council with Mr. Hammersmith.
Mr. Hammersmith owned some property on U.S. 42 that he sold to the council in order for city hall to be built. The city recently opened a new city hall after it outgrew the building on U.S. 42.
Mr. Hammersmith had to resign from the city council in order to sell the property to the city, Mr. Ewing said.
"Bob served very well. He was a level-headed fellow and a good businessman," Mr. Ewing said.
"He had his convictions and he stood up for them. I enjoyed the time we had together."
Mr. Hammersmith headed Florence's safety committee when he was on the city council. He enjoyed hunting as well as tending to his businesses, Mr. Ewing said.
Mr. Hammersmith was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Florence. A son, Robert Kyle Hammersmith Jr., died in 1999.
Survivors include a daughter, Peggy Kaplan of Columbus, Ohio; a son, Fred Hammersmith of North Vernon, Ind.; and several grandchildren.
Graveside services were at 10 a.m. today at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to the Hammersmith Family, c/o Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, P.O. Box 55, Walton, Ky. 41094.
Lawrence H. Benne, 82, of Carrollton, died Thursday at his residence. He was a reti red master sergeant in the Air Force.
Survivors include his wife, Lazane Crecelius Benne; a daughter, Bonnie Jean Lips of Louisville; sons, Joseph Griffith of Fort Mitchell and Jules Benne of Hacienda Heights, Calif.; sisters, Rosemary Smith and Anna Hartman, both of Florence, and Jacklyn Carter of Reading, Ohio; brothers, Robert Benne of Cincinnati, John Benne of Charleston, S.C., James Benne of Clarksville, Tenn., and William Benne of the state of California; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton. Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday and from 10 a.m. until time of services Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Carrollton IOOF Cemetery.
Mary Joan Saladin Dearwater Blair, 70, formerly of Lakeside Park, died Wednesday at Arbors at Milford Subacute and Rehabilitation Center in Milford, Ohio. She was a homemaker. Her first husband, Jerold R. Dearwater, died in 1961. Her second husband, Robert F. Blair, died in 1983.
Survivors include a daughter, Molly E. Blair Dinardo of Gainesville, Fla.; sons, John "Gregory" Dearwater of Singapore, Brian C. Dearwater of Lakeland, Fla., Mark R. Dearwater of Lake Worth, Fla., and Andrew T. Dearwater of Houston; her mother, Florence Hegge Saladin of Fort Wright; brothers, Dr. Thomas A. Saladin of Lakeside Park, Gerald C. Saladin of Moultrie, Ga., and David "Michael" Saladin of Hebron; a sister, Judith Ann Haney of Hebron; and eight grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell. Visitation will be from 8:30 a.m. until time of services Monday at the church. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Building on Faith Fund, c/o Blessed Sacrament School, 2415 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017; or charity of donor's choice.
Richard Eads, 72, of Covington, died at 8:40 p.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood. He was a printer.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. C&C; Mortuary, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Lena Gordon, 96, of Latonia, died at 7:26 p.m. Tuesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a retired seamstress and a member of Latonia Baptist Church. Her husband, Floyd Gordon, died in 1990. A daughter, Jean Dunaway, died in 1998, and a son, Donald Gordon, died in 1980.
Survivors include a daughter, Alyce Glenn of Latonia; a sister, Edna Alexander of Warsaw; nine grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Swindler and Currin Funeral Home, Latonia. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to Latonia Baptist Church Building Fund, 3800 Church St., Covington, Ky. 41015.
Alma White Grimes, 91, of Florence, died at 4:45 a.m. Wednesday at Florence Park Care Center. She was a homemaker. Her first husband, James R. White, died in 1964. Her second husband, Oscar Grimes, died in 1982.
Survivors include a daughter, Janet Elizabeth Clark of Taylor Mill; sons, Ralph A. White and Robert F. White, both of Covington, Fred T. White of Independence, Jesse G. White of Homestead, Fla., and William W. White of Morning View; 17 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Independence Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to First Baptist Church of Independence Thanksgiving Fund, 11659 Madison Pike, Independence, Ky. 41051.
Anita D. Grogg, 61, of Covington, died March 2 at her residence. She was a homemaker.
Services will be at the convenience of the family. Catchen and Son Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Mary E. Johnson, 75, of Ryland Heights, died at 3:40 p.m. Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North Hospice in Covington.
Arrangements are pending at Swindler and Currin Funeral Home, Latonia.
Marie Hogreffe Payne, 86, of Independence, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood. She was a retired cafeteria worker for Kenton County Schools and a member of Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Independence. A son, John Collier "Jackie" Payne, died in 1960.
Survivors include her husband, Collier "Buster" Payne; a daughter, Phyllis Pettit of Independence; a son, Robert Franklin Payne of Walton; eight grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hickory Grove Baptist Church, Independence. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 tonight at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence. Burial will be in Independence Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Hickory Grove Baptist Church, 11969 Taylor Mill Road, Independence, Ky. 41051; or Baptist Village, 3000 Riggs Ave., Erlanger, Ky. 41018.
Sister Mary Frances Sobczak, C.D.P., 65, of Melbourne, died at 9:10 a.m. Wednesday at Holy Family Home in Melbourne. She was an educator and member of the Congregation of Divine Providence for 47 years. She formerly served as interim secretary for total Catholic Education and as superintendent of schools for the Diocese of Savannah, Ga.
Survivors include her mother, Helen Chrusniak of Baltimore; and brothers, Francis Sobczak of Savannah, Ga., John Sobczak of Queenstown, Md., and Martin Sobczak and Richard Sobczak, both of Baltimore.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 4 p.m. Saturday at St. Anne Convent Chapel, Melbourne. Visitation will be from 1:30 p.m. until time of services Saturday at the chapel, with a wake service at 2:30 p.m. Burial will be in St. Anne Cemetery, Melbourne. Memorials are suggested to Congregation of Divine Providence, St. Anne Convent, 2000 St. Anne Drive, Melbourne, Ky. 41059. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
Helen Malapelli Stephens, 56, of Williamstown, died at 6 a.m. Thursday at her residence. She was a quality control inspector and a school bus driver for Grant County Schools.
Survivors include her husband, Howard Stephens; daughters, Lisa Lockard and Lura McGraw, both of Williamstown; a brother, Larry Callahan of Erlanger; a sister, Barbra Haun of Woodlawn; and three grandsons.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Burlington. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until time of services Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Burlington Cemetery.
Charles Stichling, 83, of Taylor Mill, died at 2:50 a.m. Friday at St. Luke Hospial West, Florence.
Arrangements are pending at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia.
Joseph W. Thomas, 78, of Covington, died Thursday at St. Luke Hospital East in Fort Thomas.
Arrangements are pending at Catchen and Son Funeral Home, Covington.
Robert J. "Bob" Witt, of Crestview Hills, died at 11:38 a.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood. He was a retired test desk technician for Cincinnati Bell and an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce I. "Jo" Ramsey Witt; daughters, Marsha Feldhues of Villa Hills and Terry Linder and Jeannie Cummins, both of Edgewood; six granddaughters and one great-granddaughter.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 6612 Dixie Highway, Suite 2, Florence, Ky. 41042; or Latonia Baptist Church, 3800 Church St., Covington, Ky. 41015.
