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Date of these obituaries: 12-17-1999
Aloysius Grupenhof, carpenter, composer
Aloysius Leo Grupenhof, a cabinet maker, musician and composer, died at 9:15 a.m. Monday at the Highlands of Fort Thomas nursing home. He was 90.
Mr. Grupenhof was a carpenter by trade, but music was his passion. He wrote poetry, lyrics and more than 350 compositions.
He realized his musical talent at age 12, when he repaired the reed in a friend's discarded harmonica and started playing. His mother bought a player piano and the youngster soon skipped the pedals, playing his own music. "He bought music theory books and taught himself," said his daughter, Angeline Barth of Florence.
"He wore the ivory keys down to the nails," said another daughter, Mary Jo Grupenhof of Burlington.
He did carpentry work on houses during the week, played in the Sunday community football leagues in Cincinnati from 1924-36, and led his own dance band.
In 1934 he married
Marie Geiman and they moved to Cold Spring, where they raised six daughters.
"He had a brilliant mind and a wonderful sense of humor," said Mary Jo Grupenhof.
Mr. Grupenhof built the family house himself, with help from his daughters and wife. "We hauled water from the creek to mix the mortar," said Ms. Grupenhof.
The household was filled with music and a sense of wonder, she said. "He taught us about the universe. He explained why the seasons change," she said. "He cared about the Earth."
Mr. Grupenhof invented a game about the universe and wrote a book on self-taught music. He created paper cutout toys. He wrote songs for each daughter. The girls would go with him when his band played. "We'd carry his music and help him set up the speakers," Ms. Grupenhof said.
Whenever he arrived, that's when the party started. "He always got people laughing," she said.
His wife, Marie, died in 1994. He had diabetes and eventually had to use a wheelchair, but his daughters moved the piano to the first floor. and turned the dining room into an office, where he continued to compose and to enthrall visitors.
He had a firm belief in God that he incorporated into his life and his music.
"He taught me never to give up hope," said Ms. Grupenhof.
He moved to Highlands of Fort Thomas nursing home in October, where he became known for his singing and his laughter. "He was scheduled to sing a duet for the Christmas party," said Mrs. Barth.
He had been a member of Carpenters Union local No. 698 in Cincinnati. He also was a member of the 55 Club at St. Thomas Church in Fort Thom as; the Catholic Order of Foresters and the Fort Thomas Retired Men's Club.
Other survivors include daughters, Jacqueline Kaye of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Virginia Bardua and Lois Ann Pikar, both of Fort Thomas, J and Joan Carol Connelly of Crestview Hills; 17 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, followed by prayers. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Cold Spring.
Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Frank Earl Appleman, 83, of Germantown, died Thursday at his home. He was a farmer and a member of Germantown United Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Mable Fegan Appleman; sons, David Appleman of Brooksville and Emery Appleman of Germantown; daughters, Kathy Mercer of Milford, Ohio, Joyce Henson of Las Vegas and Susie Weiss of Lexington; a sisters, Eddie Ethel Schiltz of Augusta and Blanche Cannon of Foster; 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Germantown United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Palmer Funeral Home, Germantown. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Germantown.
Estella Lee Field, 92, of Alexandria, died Thursday at her home. She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church of Alexandria. Her husband, Aylette Field, died in 1975.
Survivors include sons, Homer Field, Donald Field and Frank Field, all of Alexandria; seven grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church of Alexandria. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Alexandria Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075; or First Baptist Church, 104 Washington St., Alexandria, Ky. 41001. Cooper Funeral Home, Grants Lick, is handling arrangements.
David B. Harley, 60, of Ghent, died of cancer at 5:05 a.m. Thursday at Carroll County Memorial Hospital, Carrollton. He was a farmer.
Survivors include daughters, Carolyn Polley of Ghent and Teresa Polley of Elsmere; sisters, Kathryn McDole of Trimble County and Rosie Jones of Shelbyville; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery, Carrollton.
William P. McCune, 78, of Latonia, died at 3:35 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington.
Arrangements are pending at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia.
Emma Louise Nickerson Harlow, 60, of Cynthiana, died Tuesday at Christ Hospital, Cincinnati. She was a homemaker and a member of Cynthiana Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, William L. Harlow; a daughter, Debbie L. Cordray of Cynthiana; brothers, Thomas Nickerson of Michigan, William Ross Nickerson of Cynthiana, Eddie Thomas Nickerson, Winfred Nickerson, Donnie Ecklar and Eugene Nickerson, all of Cynthiana; a sister, Goldie Mitchell of Indiana; and two granddaughters.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Whaley-McCarty Funeral Home, Cynthiana. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the Hospice of the Bluegrass, 508 E. Pike St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031.
Mary V. "Jean" McPheron, 75, of Covington, died at 5:45 a.m. Monday at her home.
Survivors include brothers, William McPheron of Burlington and Robert L. McPheron of Crittenden.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence, is handling arrangements.
James H. Miller, 79, of Fort Thomas, died at 11:05 a.m. Thursday and St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington. He was a retired salesman with J. H. Schuler Co., a member of First Baptist Church of Bellevue and a member of the board of directors at Our Lady of the Highlands. Mr. Miller held local and state offices with the Newport Lions Club and was an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Jean McIlvoy Miller; daughters, Kim Luse, Kelly Lenhardt and Karen Class, all of Fort Thomas, and Pam Thompson of Union; sons, Randy Miller of Union and Ronald Miller of Jacksonville, N.C.; sisters, Reva Haigis and Hazel Sparks, both of Dayton, and Mabel Miller of New Port Richey, Fla.; a brother, Charles Miller of Dayton; and 11 grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Visitation will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Alexandria Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014; or First Baptist Church, 254 Washington Ave., Bellevue, Ky. 41073.
Howard Redman, 67, of Covington, died at 2:30 a.m. at his residence.
Arrangments are pending at Swindler & Currin Funeral Home, Latonia.
Wanda P. Rudnick, 85, of Butler, died Thursday at River Valley Nursing Home in Butler. She was a retired bookkeeper with Johnson Paper Co. in Cincinnati and a member of Butler Christian Church.
Survivors include a daughter, Myrna Rice of Alexandria; a stepson, Harold Rudnick of New York; one granddaughter and one great-granddaughter.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Peoples Funeral Home, Butler. Visitation will begin there at noon Saturday. Burial will be in Butler Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Hope, 1 W. McDonald Parkway, Maysville, Ky. 41056; or Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Terry Kent Sellers, 57, of Morrow, Ohio, died at 4:45 a.m. Thursday at Bethesda North Hospital, Cincinnati. He was manager of business systems for Cincinnati Electronics Corp., Cincinnati, and a member of the National Rifle Association. His wife, Judith Ann Datillo Sellers, died in 1998.
Survivors include a son, Damon Sellers of Morrow, Ohio; and brothers, Neal Sellers Jr. of West Chester, Ohio, and Bryan Sellers of Cincinnati.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Prayers will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Flem R. Shoupe, 79, of Fort Thomas, died Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital East in Fort Thomas. He was a salesman with Commonwealth Insurance Co., and a former deacon at First Baptist Church in Fort Thomas. Mr. Shoupe was a member of American Legion Post No. 327 in Newport, and the Highlands High School Boosters, Union College Boosters Association and the Union College Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a Navy veteran of World War II. His wife, Easter P. Shoupe, preceded him in death.
Survivors include a daughter, Kathryn Diedenhofer of Fort Thomas; sons, Butch Shoupe and Kevin Shoupe, both of Fort Thomas; a brother, John L. Shoupe of Miami Township, Ohio; and six grandchildren.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Visitation will begin there at 5 p.m. Sunday. Burial will be at 3 p.m. Monday at Calvary Cemetery, Siler. Memorials are suggested to American Diabetes Association, 8899 Brookside Ave., West Chester, Ohio 45069; or Cincinnati Association for the Blind, 2045 Gilbert Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.
Geraldine Simpson, 76, of Fort Mitchell, died at 11:39 a.m. Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a retired sales associate with McAlpin's department stores. Her husband, Edward R. Simpson, died in 1967.
Survivors include a son, Larry Simpson of Sparta; sisters, Wanda Russo of Mount Carmel, Ohio, and Joyce White of Taylor Mill; and one grandson.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Erlanger. Visitation will begin there at 4 p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in El Camino Memorial Park, San Diego.
Paul Vance, 77, of Frankfort, formerly of Owenton, died Thursday at Frankfort Regional Medical Center. He was a farmer and factory worker, and a World War II veteran.
Survivors include a sister, Charlotte Vance of Frankfort.
Services will be at noon Saturday at McDonald Funeral Home, Seminary Street, Owenton. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be at Beechwood Cemetery, Owen County. Memorials: to the American Cancer Society, 160 Moore Drive, Suite 201, Lexington, Ky. 40503.
