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Date of these obituaries: 05-20-1999
Beechwood's Donna Jo Hornsby, honored as media pioneer, teacher
Donna Jo Hornsby, who pioneered the use of technology in school libraries and classrooms in Kentucky, died Tuesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood. The Florence resident was 53.
Ms. Hornsby was a media specialist with Beechwood Independent Schools for the last 21 years.
She was self-taught in the use of technology in school libraries and classrooms.
Thanks largely to her efforts, Beechwood High School was one of the first in the state to use an electronic system for cataloging its library books.
She also taught courses on the Internet, and she designed pages on the World Wide Web for Beechwood schools and her church, Heritage Assembly of God, in Florence.
"She was active in going around and talking to other school librarians and showing people how to implement the technology in their libraries," said a son, Buddy Hornsby of Lexington.
Ms. Hornsby received many awards for her work, including the Merit Media Award from the state Department of Education and the Kentucky School Library Media Association's Outstanding Media Librarian award in 1991.
She was the 1992 Kentucky Department of Education Christa McAuliff Fellowship winner, and the recipient of the Golden Apple and Ben Franklin awards. Most recently, she was the featured speaker for the annual conference of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Ms. Hornsby taught classes at the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University, and was active in the A.S.K. program for at- risk students at NKU in 1990.
She served as president of the Kentucky School Media Association from 1994 to 1995.
Ms. Hornsby grew up in Newport and graduated from Newport High School in 1962.
Her mother, a librarian at Mildred Dean Elementary School in Southgate, inspired her professional ambitions.
She kept working until the days before her death.
"She adored the kids, and the kids adored her," said a daughter, Sharon Laycock, of Erlanger.
Ms. Hornsby was an active member of Heritage Assembly of God, serving as the church's organist for more than 20 years.
She also was an avid reader.
She taught all of her children to read at young ages, Sharon Laycock said.
"She always had a book in front of us," she said.
Ms. Hornsby was a devoted mother, grandmother and aunt to her nephew, Joshua D. Farley, said another daughter, Karen Heidrich of Erlanger.
"She was like a best friend to all her children, and she will be greatly missed by the community," Ms. Heidrich said.
"Her children love her deeply and will miss her."
Other survivors include her parents, Rev. John D. and Mrs. Delpha Farley of Fort Mitchell; sisters, Golden Roberts of Erlanger and Rebekah Hafer of Fort Mitchell; brothers, Dallas Farley of Florence, Lane Farley of Tappahannock, Va. and John D. Farley of Ellicott City, Md.; and two granddaughters.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Heritage Assembly of God.
Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger.
Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate.
Memorials are suggested to Donna Hornsby Memorial Scholarship Fund, Beechwood Independent School, 54 Beechwood Road, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017.
Leo John Bilz, 86, of Erlanger, died Tuesday at his home.
He was a retired machinist with Lunkenheimer Valve Co., Cincinnati.
A son, John Bilz, died in 1986.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia Kidd Bilz of Erlanger; a son, Tom Bilz Sr. of Doraville, Ga.; daughters, Jill Landrum and Nancy Otto, both of Erlanger; a brother, Wilbert Bilz of Latonia; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Friday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence.
Visitation will begin there at 12:30 p.m. Friday.
Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014.
Roger Edward Bolen, 42, of Independence, died Thursday at Mercy Anderson Hospital, Cincinnati, after an extended illness.
Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Geneva and Ben Madonna of Valrico, Fla.; a brother, Tim Bolen of Independence; a sister, Peggy Coyle of Walton; three stepsisters; and three stepbrothers.
Services will be at 8 p.m. Friday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence.
Visitation will begin there at 6 p.m. Friday.
Burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill.
Matthew Lee Norman Daniel, 1-day-old son of Ralph Lee and Michele Beck Daniel of Miamitown, Ohio, died Friday at Mercy South Hospital, Fairfield, Ohio.
Other survivors include a sister, Stefanie Gastright of Fort Mitchell; and grandparents, Bette Loke of Florence and Ralph Daniel Sr. Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Neidhard-Minges Funeral Home, Cincinnati.
Visitation will begin there at noon Friday.
Burial will be in Miamitown Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Make A Wish Foundation, 100 W. Clarendon, Phoenix, Ariz. 85013.
George Geers, 66, of Walton, died at 6:44 p.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood.
Arrangements are pending at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown.
Edna J. House Jackson, 84, of Florence, died Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital West in Florence.
Arrangements are pending at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown.
Mabel F. Spears, 88, of Deland, Fla., formerly of Corinth, died Monday at Alliance Nursing Health Care Center in Deland.
She was a retired seamstress.
Survivors include sons, William Spears of Chattanooga, Tenn., and Ralph D. Spears ; daughters, Sara Smith of Port St. Lucie, Fla., and Sue Crafton of Lake Helen, Fla.; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Rogers Funeral Home, Corinth.
Visitation will be from noon to 3 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Corinth Cemetery.
