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Date of these obituaries: 07-31-1999
George Stephen Wood, entrepreneur
George Stephen Wood, a decorated Army veteran, talented cook and entrepreneur, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North in Covington.
Mr. Wood, of Covington, was 64.
After a difficult childhood in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine, Mr. Wood enlisted in the U.S. Army a few years after World War II. He was stationed in Hiroshima, Japan, said his wife, Susan Cummings.
He was among about 200 soldiers in the 24th infantry who were the first to land in Korea during the Korean Conflict and was one of just six soldiers who survived, his wife said.
He received Silver and Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart.
"He was proud of his military experience," his wife said. "He always said, 'After Korea, every day is a bonus.' "
Mr. Wood had used his older brother's name to enlist in the Army, being too young at the time to do so himself.
"When he got out, they were going to try to draft him . . . and here he was, injured with a bayonet wound and shrapnel wounds," his wife said.
When he returned from the war, he married
and had two children. His first wife took the boys with her when the couple divorced, and their last names were changed. After many years of searching, father and sons were reunited more than 20 years ago, his wife said.
Mr. Wood worked as an employment recruiter before moving to Las Vegas and Reno, Nev., where he worked as a chef for a couple of years.
He also lived for a few years in California before returning to the Cincinnati area and settling in Covington in the 1980s.
Mr. Wood was working as a self-employed insurance consultant when health problems hit. He was diagnosed with diabetes and prostate cancer.
His spirituality kept him going, his wife said.
"The angels spoke through him," she said. "He had a devotion to our Virgin Mary."
Mr. Wood also was a member of VFW and the National Rifle Association.
Other survivors include sons, James Castle of Lafayette, Colo., and George Thomas Castle of Pennsylvania; a brother, Harry Watson of Cisco, Texas; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Covington. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Cremation will be at Baxter Cremation Service, Cincinnati. Memorials are suggested to Disabled American Veterans, 3725 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, Ky. 41076.
Clara Beasley, 90, of Fort Wright, died at 7 p.m. Thursday at Florence Park Care Center. She was a homemaker and a member of Fort Wright Homemakers and Leisure Timers, Fort Wright. Her husband, Albert Beasley, died in 1995. A son, Jerry Beasley, died in April.
Survivors include a daughter, Joyce Le Van of Florence; seven grandchildren and one great- grandchild.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Paul Church, Florence. Entombment will be in St. Mary cemetery Mausoleum, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Salesian Missions, P.O. Box 30, New Rochelle, N.Y. 10802-0030. Catchen and Son Funeral Home, Elsmere-Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Virginia Baker Braun, 77, of Fort Mitchell, died at 3 a.m. Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North Hospice in Covington. She was a retired bookkeeper for Beacon Construction Co., Cincinnati.
Survivors include a daughter, Jennifer Braun Kuhlmorgen of Havelock, Ontario; and one grandchild.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Cemetery, Cold Spring. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014. Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, is handling arrangements.
Byron R. Dickey, 79, of North Port, Fla., died Wednesday at his home. He was a retired manager for Tri-City Airport, Saginaw, Mich., and a former manager for the Greater Cincinnati Airport from 1953 to 1960. He was an Army veteran of World War II and a member of Masonic Temple, Newark, Ohio.
Survivors include his wife, Viola Dickey; daughters, Lynn Dickey of Salem, Ind., and Diane Dickey of Brimson, Minn.; a son, Robert Dickey of Fort Thomas; sisters, Arla Davy and Genevieve Russell, both of Zanesville, Ohio, and Barbara Boles and Peggy Crossmock, both of Newark, Ohio; brothers, Floyd Dickey of Wilmington, Del., and Randall Dickey of Palm Beach, Fla.; and six grandchildren.
No services are planned. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Southwest Florida, 5955 Rand Blvd., Sarasota, Fla., 34238. Farley Funeral Home, North Port, Fla., is handling arrangements.
Mike England, 49, of Mays Lick, died Thursday at his home. He worked for Kentucky Utilities.
Survivors include sons, Jason England of Mays Lick and Nathan England of Germantown, Ohio; a stepson, Bill Staggs of Flemingsburg; a stepdaughter, Marci Staggs of Flemingsburg; his mother, Ena Jones England of Georgetown; brothers, John England of Arizona, Noah "Dick" England of Nancy and Harry England of Mount Olivet; and a sister, Nancy Elmore of Georgetown.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Robertson County Funeral Home, Mount Olivet. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to American Diabetes Association, 745 W. Main St., Louisville, Ky. 40202.
Raymond Herndon, 56, of Covington, died Monday at his home. He was an employee for the city of Covington.
Survivors include brothers, Lewis Herndon, Larry Herndon and John Herndon, all of Covington; and sisters, Donna Lewis, Patricia Herndon, Mary Alice Herndon and Linda Halbert, all of Covington.
Memorial services will be at 6 p.m. Sunday at Jones and Simpson Funeral Home, Covington. Visitation will begin at 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Camp Nelson Veteran's Cemetery, Nicholasville.
Karen L. Cain Johnson, 47, of Newport, died Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital East in Fort Thomas.
Survivors include a son, Troy Johnson of Sanders; a daughter, Tina Miller of Burlington; sisters, Diana Earhart and Beverly Ruedebusch, both of Dry Ridge, Carol Williams of Independence and Darlene Tucker of Walton; a brother, James Cain Jr. of Newport; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Radel Funeral Home, Newport. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Karen Johnson Trust Fund, c/o Huntington Bank, P.O. Box 2655, Covington, Ky. 41012.
James Edward Reilly, 5, of Butler, died in an early morning apartment fire Wednesday in Butler, along with his 2-year-old brother, Bradley Scott Tiryung.
Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Michelle and Eric Tiryung of Butler; his father, Tony Miller of Bowling Green; and grandparents, Tom and Janice Reilly of Butler and Phyllis Griffin of Bellevue.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at Peoples Funeral Home, Grants Lick. Memorials are suggested to the Reilly/Tiryung Trust Fund, c/o Provident Bank, 145 W. Main St., Alexandria, Ky. 41001. Peoples Funeral Home, Grants Lick, is handling arrangements.
Charles Ruf, 89, of Covington, died at 5 p.m. Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood. Arrangements are pending at Swindler and Currin Funeral Home, Latonia.
Phyllis M. Stricker, 60, of Erlanger, died Friday at St. Luke Hospital West in Florence. She was a homemaker. A son, Chip Devenny, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her husband, William Stricker; a son, John Devenny of Erlanger; a daughter, Shawna Russell of Erlanger; a brother, Bruce James of Loveland, Ohio; sisters, Donna Drewyr of Milford, Ohio, and Sabrina Coyle of Erlanger; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Forest Lawn cemetery Chapel, Erlanger. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 7730 U. S. 42, Suite C6, Florence, Ky. 41042. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Connie Marlene Jett Thompson, 46, of Berry, died Thursday at Perm Cast Inc., Cynthiana, where she was employed.
Survivors include her husband, Richard "Rick" Thompson; sons, Phillip David Kelly of Cynthiana and Michael Daniel Kelly of Berry; a stepson, Jason Kenneth Thompson of Berry; a stepdaughter, Amanda Dawn Thompson of Berry; brothers, James Darrel Jett of Berry and "Tex" Royden Jett of Mount Sterling; sisters, Dora Jane Irvin of Paris, Melba Sharon Soard of Berry and Woodrolene Callahan of Cynthiana; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Ware Funeral Home, Cynthiana. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Pythian Grove Cemetery, Berry.
Bradley Scott Tiryung, 2, of Butler, died in an early morning apartment fire Wednesday in Butler, along with his 5-year-old brother, James Edward Reilly.
Survivors include his parents, Eric and Michelle Tiryung of Butler; and grandparents, Tom and Janice Reilly of Butler, Phyllis Griffin of Bellevue, and James and Barbara Tiryung of Florence.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday at Peoples Funeral Home, Grants Lick. Memorials are suggested to the Reilly/Tiryung Trust Fund, c/o Provident Bank, 145 W. Main St., Alexandria, Ky. 41001. Peoples Funeral Home, Grants Lick, is handling arrangements.
Dorothy L. Van Huss, 74, of Latonia, died at 11:35 p.m. Wednesday at The Colony in Latonia. She was a retired secretary for Rusk Heating and Air Conditioning; a member of Taylor Mill Church of Christ; a volunteer with the Red Cross during World War II; a volunteer with the USO, and a former den mother for the Cub Scouts.
Survivors include sons, Michael P. Van Huss of Milford, Ohio, Randall L. Van Huss of Covington and Thomas A. Van Huss of Covington; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial services will be at 7 p.m. Aug. 7 at Taylor Mill Church of Christ. Mrs. Van Huss' body was donated to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
Memorials are suggested to Taylor Mill Church of Christ, 6203 Taylor Mill Road, Covington, Ky. 41015, or charity of donor's choice.
Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, is handling arrangements.
