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Date of these obituaries: 09-28-1999
Leon V. Pearson, Crestview Santa
Leon V. Pearson brought a little bit of Christmas to generations of children.
For 35 years, Mr. Pearson played Santa Claus at the Edgewood tree lighting ceremony, churches, riverside homeless camps and anywhere else he could create Christmas magic.
In 1998, he told a Post reporter, "I do it because I love it. I never have visited anywhere for money. If people give me anything, I donate it to my church."
Mr. Pearson, 75, of Crestview, died at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at a friend's home in Edgewood.
His son, Nick Pearson of Taylor Mill, said, "He really enjoyed kids and making children happy. He was just a wonderful, warm person."
Mr. Pearson was a retired property manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Cincinnati, and a member of First Baptist Church of Fort Thomas.
With his authentic white beard and cheerful countenance, Mr. Pearson would be identified by children as Santa Claus year-round.
In every season, he carried pocket-sized candy canes to give children.
At Christmastime, he wore a red velvet suit, complete with matching cloak and hat.
"I've fashioned my suit from the original Santa in 'Miracle on 34th Street.' I try to be the Santa that kids like me to be," he said in the 1998 interview.
Mr. Pearson was born in Richmond, but he lived nearly 40 years in Crestview.
He served in World War II as a gunner on a Navy torpedo plane.
"He had been shot down in the Pacific and bobbed around in the water for a few hours before he was rescued," his son said. "He was also on the USS Princeton when it was sunk, but he managed to survive it all."
Mr. Pearson was active within the Campbell County Public Library.
He was also a member of the Kentucky Native Plant Society and the Behringer-Crawford Museum in Covington.
After he retired, he enjoyed traveling all over the world. He had recently visited Greece and was planning a trip to the western United States.
Other survivors include daughters, Carolyn S. Grothaus of Greenville, S.C., and Melissa A. Kirby of Wilmore; brothers, Carl Pearson of Vallejo, Calif., and Neville Pearson of Newport News, Va.; a sister, Emma Cunningham of Florida; and five grandchildren.
Services will be at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church, Fort Thomas. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery, Washington, D.C.
Memorials are suggested to the Campbell County Public Library, 3920 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, Ky. 41076; or Huntington Disease Association, 140 N. 22nd St., New York, N.Y. 10011. Catchen Funeral Home, Elsmere, is handling arrangements.
John Wayne Alexander, 64, of Covington, died at 7:55 a.m. Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was an agent and salesman with Alfec Insurance Co. and H. H. Gregg Corp., both in Cincinnati, and a member of Word of Life Bible Church, Cold Spring. He was an usher and a soloist at the church.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara Lee Yorgey Anderson; a son, Ronnie Alexander of Winchester, Tenn.; daughters, Patty Barton and Michelle Johnson, both of Lebanon, Tenn.; stepsons, Kenneth Lockard of Taylor Mill and Butch Lockard of Norristown, Pa.; stepdaughters, Becky Greco of Norristown, Pa., and Charon Sandusky of Norfolk, Va.; a sister, Fidelle Neal of Mount Juliet, Tenn.; and five step-grandchildren.
Services will be at 7 tonight at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Taylor Mill. Visitation will be from 5 to 6:45 p.m. today at the funeral home. Burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Woodlawn Memorial Park, Nashville, Tenn. Memorials are suggested to World of Life Bible Church, 39 E. Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, Ky. 41076.
William Dennis Bauer III, 18, of Maysville, died Sunday at University Hospital, Cincinnati, of injuries suffered in an auto accident in Concord. He was a farmer.
Survivors include his parents, William Dennis Bauer Jr. of Dover and Bessie Bauer of Maysville; a daughter, Haley Nicole Bauer, at home; brothers, Billy Joe Bauer, Denny Lee Bauer, Augustus Robert Bauer and Steven Matthew Bauer, all of Dover, and Russell Dale Bauer of Maysville; a half-brother, Mark Rosales of Maysville; a sister, Amanda Dawn Bauer of Maysville; his grandmother, Betty Wilson of Aberdeen, Ohio; and his fiancee, Kara Beth Litzinger of Maysville.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Brell and Son Funeral Home, Maysville. Visitation will be after 6 p.m. today at the funeral home. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Germantown.
Linda Susan Knepfle Bray, 48, of Alexandria, died at 10:15 p.m. Sunday at Mission Hospital, Asheville, N.C. She was a promotion coordinator with Procter & Gamble, Cincinnati, and a former member of the Northern Kentucky University Fund-raising Board. She was a past president of the NKU Alumni Association.
Survivors include daughters, Kim Bray and Shannon Bray, both of Alexandria; and a sister, Debbie Grimme of Cold Spring.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Cremation was in Asheville, N.C. Memorials are suggested to NKU Alumni Association University Development Fund, Nunn Drive, Highland Heights, Ky. 41076.
Eric T. Costello, 52, of Highland Heights, died Sunday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a computer salesman with APAC, Erlanger.
Survivors include his wife, Beverly Neltner Costello; sons, Kirt Costello of Houston and Scott Costello of New Philadelphia, Ohio; his mother, Clara Costello of Highland Heights; a sister, Elaine Costello of Highland Heights.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring. Visitation will begin there at 6 p.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to American Diabetes Association, 8899 Brookside Ave., West Chester, Ohio 45069. Radel Funeral Home, Highland Heights, is handling arrangements.
Audrey Ann Entwisle Ferguson, 65, of Crittenden, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a security guard with Pinkerton Co., and a member of Goshen Christian Church, Morning View.
Survivors include sons, Roger G. Hendricks of Mingo Junction, Ohio, and Ben L. Ferguson ; daughters, Barbara Ann Kinda of Brilliant, Ohio, and Audrey Jayne Bell of Tucson, Ariz.; stepsons, William Ferguson of Crittenden, George Lee Ferguson of Lorning View, Donnie Ferguson of Chicago, Dannie Ferguson of Williamstown and Herbert "Pete" Ferguson of Dry Ridge; stepdaughters, Joyce Burgess of Lexington and Sandra Gail Connelly Ferguson of Dry Ridge; brothers, Ben Entwisle of Lockport, Ill., William Entwisle of Yuma, Ariz., and Robert J. Entwisle of North Canton, Ohio; 22 grandchildren; and many great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Goshen Christian Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Walton. Burial will be in Hillcrest Cemetery, Dry Ridge.
Judy M. Hall, 55, of Erlanger, died Saturday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a customer service representative with Augur Industrial Fabrications, Erlanger.
Survivors include her husband, Clete Hall; a son, Michael Warning of Florence; daughters, Michelle McDaniel of Elsmere and Tracey Kilmer of Crescent Springs; brothers, Tony Hayden of Cincinnati, Ronald Hayden of Fort Mitchell and Gordon Hayden of Florence; sisters, Gloria Robinson of Sarasota, Fla., Beverly Hayden of Cincinnati and Phyllis Gavin of Erlanger; and six grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Mary Queen of Heaven Church, Erlanger. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger. Entombment will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 7730 U.S. 42, Suite C6, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Harry L. Hatton Jr., 48, of Covington, died at 6:26 p.m. Sunday at his home. He was a retired jailer with the Kenton County Jail, Covington, and a member of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Survivors include his wife, Tammy Hatton; a stepson, B.J. Herald of Covington; a stepdaughter, Carrie Bowman of Covington; his parents, Harry Hatton Sr. and Effie Daniels, both Clearwater, Fla.; a brother, George Daniels of Florence; and a sister, Shirley Lanham of Clearwater.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Cremation will be at Cincinnati Cremation Co.
Ronald Gene Hoffman, 55, of Warsaw, died of cancer Sunday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. He was a guidance counselor with Gallatin County Middle School and a member of Warsaw Christian Church. He was a member of the Kentucky Counseling Association and was an Army veteran of the Vietnam War.
Survivors include his wife, Sharon Coursey Hoffman; daughters, Kimberly Ruth Hoffman of Warsaw and Trisha Dale Hoffman of Bowling Green; a son, Kurt Coursey Hoffman of Little Rock, Ark.; a sister, Ruth Seale of Olive Hurst, Calif.; brothers, Robert Hoffman of Newbury, Calif., and Richard Hoffman of Cumming, Ga.; and one grandson.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Carlton-Lowder Funeral Home, Warsaw. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Fairview Cemetery, Bowling Green.
Memorials are suggested to Warsaw Christian Church, Warsaw, Ky. 41095; or American Cancer Society, Warsaw, Ky. 41095.
Jane Kinder Kennedy, 58, of Brooksville, died Sunday at Robertson County Health Care Center, Mount Olivet. She was a receptionist with Contel Telephone Co. and a member of Chatham Church of Christ.
Survivors include a son, Rocky Kennedy of Flemingsburg; a daughter, Jeanne Marie Warner of Crittenden; sisters, Joyce Johnson of Neptune and Wanda Clos of Brooksville; and a brother, William Kinder of Florence.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Chatham Church of Christ. Visitation will be from 6 to 9 tonight at Moore and Parker Funeral Home, Brooksville. Burial will be in Johnsville Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Hope, 1 W. McDonald Parkway, Maysville, Ky. 41056.
Florence D. Daniels Weier Kessler, 88, of Spring Hill, Fla., formerly of Newport, died Sept. 17 in Florida. She was a homemaker. She was preceded in death by husbands Lawrence J. Weier and Arthur A. Kessler, and a son, Russell R. Weier.
Survivors include sons, Lawrence J. Weier of Spring Hill, Jerry J. Weier of Fairfield, Ohio; a sister, Hazel Knapke of Indianapolis; 10 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 9 a.m. Thursday at Radel Funeral Home, Newport. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to Lawrence and Betty Weier Scholarship Fund, in care of Greater Cincinnati Foundation, 300 W. Fourth St., Suite 200, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202; or the charity of the donor's choice.
Randy Michael Laake, son of Theresa and Joseph Laake Jr. of Cincinnati, was stillborn Tuesday at Christ Hospital, Cincinnati.
Other survivors include a brother, Richie Laake, at home; and grandparents, Joseph and Maris Laake of Cincinnati and Richard and Audrey Balker of Florence.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul Church, Florence. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Wings, in care of Christ Hospital, 2319 Auburn Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45219. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Joseph M. Macke, 97, of Fort Mitchell, died at 7:15 p.m. Saturday at St. Charles Care Center, Fort Wright. He was a retired employee of Christy Surgical Co., Cincinnati, and a member of Summit Hills Country Club, Crestview Hills.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia E. Macke; daughters, Alice Pille of Fort Wright, Marjorie Howe and Joyce Rohan, both of Cincinnati, and Susan Porter of Wyoming, Ohio; 22 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.
Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Highland cemetery Chapel, Fort Mitchell. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Diocesan Catholic Children's Home, 75 Orphanage Road, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017; or Trinity Episcopal Church Discretionary Fund, 326 Madison Ave., Covington, Ky. 41011. Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, is handling arrangements.
Bruce Eldon Reedy, 41, of Carrollton, died Sunday at his home. He was a maintenance worker and a member of Whites Run Baptist Church, Carrollton.
Survivors include his father, Stanley E. Reedy Sr. of Skylight; a brother, Dr. Stanley E. "Gene" Reedy Jr. of Carrollton; and sisters, Cheryl L. Noe of Fort collins, Colo., Janice L. Carroll of Orlando, Fla., and Theresa L. Bennett of Deltona, Fla.
Memorials services will be at 3 p.m. Oct. 3 at Whites Run Baptist Church. Memorials are suggested to the family, in care of Whites Run Baptist Church, 4690 Highway 36 East, Carrollton, Ky. 41008. Tandy-Eckler-Riley Funeral Home, Carrollton, is handling arrangements.
Betty James Rubin, 77, of Florence, died at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at her daughter's home in Independence. She was a waitress with El Greco Restaurant in Southgate, and a member of Faith Baptist Temple, Melbourne.
Survivors include a daughter, Vicki Ballard of Independence; a brother, Robert James of Fort Mitchell; sisters, Dorothy Crowe of Landers, Calif., and Alice Werbrich of Lakeside Park; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Faith Baptist Temple. Cremation will be at Hillside Chapel, Cincinnati. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Home-Health Hospice, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014. Catchen Funeral Home, Elsmere, is handling arrangements.
Kenneth Lloyd Strassel, 74, of Newport, died Saturday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a retired groundskeeper with Twin Oaks Golf Course in Latonia.
Survivors include nieces, Linda Gardner of Covington, Brenda Tuemler of Bellevue and Donna Vonderhaar of Southgate; and a nephew, Robert Strassel of Woodlawn.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport. Visitation will begin there at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Alexandria Cemetery.
Edward "Sonny" L. Townsley, 61, of Dayton, died Saturday at his home. He was a maintenance worker with Northern Kentucky University.
Survivors include a sister, Sue Russell of Dayton; and brothers, Michael Townsley and Thomas Townsley, both of Bellevue.
Services were this morning at Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue, is handling arrangements.
