Search Archived Marriage Records
Date of these obituaries: 10-22-1998
Robert Cleves, Covington mail carrier
In Robert J. Cleves' 25-some years as a letter carrier in Ludlow and Covington, he met many people along his route who became lifelong friends.
"To this day, even after being retired, we couldn't go out of the house without running into people he knows," said his wife, Catherine Brake Cleves.
"He was just a very warm human being. He liked people - he was a people person - and people liked him."
Mr. Cleves, of Fort Mitchell, died at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday at his home. He was 75.
He grew up in Covington and graduated from Covington Catholic High School. After selling paint and working for a manufacturer in Cincinnati, he went into the Army in 1942 and was stationed in Europe during World War II.
Upon his return in 1946, Mr. Cleves took a job at the U.S. Post Office in Ludlow and carried letters there and in West Covington for about 25 years.
He married
his wife in 1951, and they raised their two daughters in Lakeside Park.
"He was the best thing that ever happened to me," Mrs. Cleves said. "He was a wonderful husband and father - just an all-around good man."
Mr. Cleves' favorite pastime was his train collection. Collecting trains and building railroad sets was a lifelong hobby, his wife said.
"He has a huge train collection downstairs that's about 32 feet long and 15 feet wide, and he can run about 15 trains at one time," Mrs. Cleves said.
"People that would go down there, they'd say, "This looks like a field trip for the school children,' that's how big it is."
Mr. Cleves also enjoyed yard work and carpentry.
He was a member of the National Association of Letter Carriers and the National Association of Retired Federal Employees. He was a member of the Catholic Order of Foresters at Blessed Sacrament Church in Fort Mitchell, and a member of Fort Mitchell Senior Citizens.
He also was the manager of the 12th Street All-Stars baseball team.
Other survivors include daughters, Karen Rettig of Independence and Amy Tassetof Cincinnati; a brother, Elmer Cleves of Fort Mitchell; sisters, Mary Klaene of Fort Mitchell, Martha Schuh of Park Hills, Anna Mae Berning and Carol Martini, both of Cincinnati; and four grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Blessed Sacrament Church. Entombment will be in St. John Mausoleum, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014; or the charity of the donor's choice. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Ray Chain, 17, of Mays Lick, died Tuesday at Columbia Hospital, Maysville. He was a senior at Mason County High School, a former member of the school football team, and a member of the Shannon United Methodist Church, Mays Lick, and the Junior ROTC.
Survivors include his parents, James Michael "Butch" Chain and Kimberly Bellows Chain of Mays Lick; a grandmother, Betty Chain of Maysville; and a great-grandmother, Margaret Hitt of Maysville.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Shannon United Methodist Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, and 9 a.m. Saturday until the time of services at the church. Burial will be in Green Acres Cemetery, Mason County. Robertson County Funeral Home, Mount Olivet, is handling arrangements.
Lowell Chevalier, 68, of Cincinnati, formerly of Ludlow, died Wednesday at Franciscan Hospital in Cincinnati. She was a member of Sts. Boniface and James Church, Ludlow. Her husband, Charles Chevalier, preceded her in death.
Survivors include sons, Stanley Miller of Cincinnati and Rick Grief of Louisville; sisters, Willie Mae Marton of Pittsburgh, Wanda Clem and Betty Campbell, both of Louisville, Patsy Mayfield and Georgia Ledford, both of Corbin; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 7730 U. S. 42, Suite C6, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Gladys Moorhead Downard, 92, of Brooksville, died at 1:55 a.m. Tuesday at Extenda Care, Augusta. She was a homemaker and a member of Brooksville Baptist Church, where she was a Sunday school teacher, a choir member and the church pianist. Her husband, John A. Downard, died in 1984.
Survivors include nieces, Martha Schoeff of Moores Hill, Ind., Virginia Bravard and Geraldine McGeorge, both of Brooksville, Dorothy Doan of Nicholasville and Zelma Wood King of Falmouth; and nephews, Roger Vennefron of Fairfield, Ohio, L. D. Ransom of Dillsboro, Ind., Harold William Downard and Robert Downard, both of Brooksville, and Gaylord Morris Jr. of Crestview Hills.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Moore and Parker Funeral Home, Brooksville. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight, and from 1 p.m. Friday until the time of services at the funeral home. Burial will be in Bracken Memorial Cemetery, Brooksville. Memorials are suggested to Brooksville Baptist Church, Brooksville, Ky. 41004; or Hospice of Hope, 1 West McDonald Parkway, Maysville, Ky. 41056.
Walter E. Elam, 65, of Verona, died at 8:40 p.m. Tuesday at his home, after an extended illness. He was a retired staff sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, a former construction worker, and a member of Verona Full Gospel Church of God.
Survivors include his wife, Janett Crase Elam; a son, Anthony Wayne Burden of Verona; daughters, Bonnie Gail Ringo of Waco, Texas, Kathy Dawn Buskowski of San Antonio, Pamela Fay Lucas of Dry Ridge, Nancy Lee Lopez of Owenton, Deborah Ann Chamberlin of Florence, Lena Star Oakes of Verona, Brenda Kay Henson of Butler and Theresa Cunningham of Covington; his mother, Edna Elam of Verona; brothers, James E. Elam of St. Petersburg, Fla., David Elam of Louisville, Bobby E. Elam and Donald Elam, both of Verona, and Johnny E. Elam of Minnesota; sisters, Darlene Higgins of Warsaw, and Viola Morris and Norma Jean Rollins, both of Verona; 27 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Hamilton-Stanley Funeral Home, Verona. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in New Bethel Cemetery, Verona.
Isabelle Marie McClurg Graziani, 84, of Newport, died Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was a homemaker, and a member of the First Baptist Church of Cold Spring, where she was a Sunday school teacher and a member of the church choir. Her husband, Harry Graziani, preceded her in death.
Survivors include daughters, Beverly Graziani of Raleigh, N.C., and Gwendolyn Selby of Knoxville, Ark.; sons, Douglas Graziani and Thomas Graziani, both of Alexandria, and Lawrence Graziani of Melbourne; sisters, Pearl Buchanan and Doris Hamilton, both of Portsmouth, Ohio; a brother, Estil McClurg of Garrison; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church of Cold Spring. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Burial will be in First Baptist Church of Cold Spring Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to First Baptist Church of Cold Spring Building Fund, 4410 Alexandria Pike, Cold Spring, Ky. 41076; or American Cancer Society, 7730 U. S. 42, Suite C6, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Ron J. Herndon, 54, of Independence, died at 7:53 p.m. Monday at Bethesda North Hospital, Cincinnati. He was the administration financial manager with Four C's Inc., Cincinnati, a member of the Cincinnati Corvette Club and an Air Force veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Norma F. Herndon; a daughter, Christina Nemekis of Erlanger; a sister, Padgee Rich of Covington; and one grandchild.
Services were this morning at Catchen and Son Funeral Home, Covington. Burial was in Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to Shriners Burns Institute, 3229 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45229.
Michael R. Howard, 37, of Owenton, died Tuesday at VA Medical Center, Louisville, after an extended illness. He was a disabled Army veteran of the Persian Gulf War and a member of Squiresville Baptist Church.
Survivors include his parents, Kenneth and Arletta Duncan of Squiresville; and a brother, Mark Howard of Frankfort.
Services will be at 3 p.m. CDT today at Dixon Cemetery, Grand River, Ky. Rogers Funeral Home, Owenton, handled arrangements.
Andrew Knopf, 88, of Highland Heights, died Monday at Lakeside Place Nursing Home in Highland Heights. He was a meat packer with Gus Juengling & Son Co., Cincinnati. His wife, Mary Knopf, preceded him in death.
Survivors include a son, Ronald Knopf of Findlay, Ohio; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at noon Friday at Wesleyan Cemetery, California. Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue, is handling arrangements.
Bessie Malone, 65, of Newport, died Monday at University Hospital, Cincinnati.
She was a homemaker and a member of Senior Choir of Corinthian Baptist Church, Newport, and a member of the church Missionary Society.
Survivors include several nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Corinthian Baptist Church. Visitation will begin there at 6 p.m. Friday. Jones & Simpson Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Media E. Mullins, 87, of Newport, and at 7:45 p.m. Tuesday at Carroll County Hospital in Carrollton. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Mitchell Mullins, died in 1988.
Survivors include a son, Michael Mullins of Latonia; and daughters, Anna Bea Taylor of Fort Thomas, Bonnie Lee Hornsby of Hebron, Opal McClanahan and Mae Creekmore, both of Newport, Wanda Sprague of Warsaw and Sharon Ginn of Glencoe.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Wesley Chapel Cemetery, Peach Grove.
Violette F. Pell, 92, of Augusta, died at 2:04 p.m. Tuesday at Meadowview Regional Medical Center, Maysville. She was a homemaker and a member of Augusta Church of the Nazarene. Her husband, Roland Pell, died in 1984. A daughter, Violette Jean Collins, died in 1980.
Survivors include a daughter, Eva Mae Bravard of Augusta; seven grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Moore and Parker Funeral Home, Augusta. Visitation will be from 6 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mount Zion Cemetery, Augusta. Memorials are suggested to Senior Adult Ministries of Augusta Church of the Nazarene, Augusta, Ky. 41002.
George R. Powers, 79, of Williamstown, died at 6:50 p.m. Wednesday at Hospice Care Center in Lexington.
Arrangements are pending at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown.
C. Albert Pulliam, 88, of Berry, died at 3:40 p.m. Wednesday during surgery at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington.
Arrangements are pending at Woodhead Funeral Home, Berry.
Carolyn J. Riggs, 55, of Clifton Park, N.Y., formerly of Northern Kentucky, died Tuesday at Ellis Hospital, in Schenectady, N.Y. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, George Riggs; sons, Mark Riggs of Chicago and Scott Riggs of Dallas; and a daughter, Kimberly Riggs of Dallas.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Jesse Orville Robinson, 72, of Cincinnati, died at 9:09 p.m. Tuesday at Deaconess Hospital in Cincinnati. He was a retired truck driver for Richter Transportation and an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Jeannette B. Robinson; a son, Ricky Robinson of Verona; a daughter, Vicky Robinson of Mount Carmel, Ohio; a brother, William Robinson of Mount Repose, Ohio; a sister, Mary Shaner of Texas; and four grandchildren.
Services will be held at the convenience of the family. Don Catchen and Son Funeral Home, Elsmere-Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Marcella E. Schwierjohann Schowalter, 80, of Dayton, died Monday at Highlands of Fort Thomas. She was a cafeteria supervisor with Western & Southern Life Insurance Co., and a member of the 55 Club at St. Bernard's Church in Dayton. Her husband, Wilbur Schowalter, died in 1970.
Survivors include sons, Thomas Schowalter of Dayton and William Schowalter of Taylor Mill; a sister, Rita Bittner of Cincinnati; brothers, Frank Schwierjohann of Crestview Hills, Leo Schwierjohann of Highland Heights and William Schwierjohann of Silver Grove; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian was this morning at St. Bernard Church, Dayton. Burial was in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to St. Bernard Church, Fifth and Berry streets, Dayton, Ky. 41074. Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue, handled arrangements.
Herman J. Thaman, 92, of Erlanger, died Wednesday at his daughter's home in Florence.
Arrangements are pending at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger.
Joyce Weidner, 59, of Walton, died at 6:04 p.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood.
Arrangements are pending at Stith Funeral Home, Florence.
Margaret Wendle, 92, of Highland Heights, died Saturday at Lakeside Place Nursing Home in Highland Heights. She was a retired secretary with ADT, Cincinnati, and a member of the St. Paul United Church of Christ, Fort Thomas, where she was a secretary with the Women's Guild and a Sunday school teacher. There are no immediate survivors.
Memorial services will be at 11:45 a.m. Sunday at St. Paul United Church of Christ, Fort Thomas. Burial was Wednesday at Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Radel Funeral Home, Newport, is handling arrangements.
