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These notices are dated: 02-21-2004
Tambra Carpenter, sang gospel music
Tambra "Tammy" Carpenter, silenced by the effects of multiple sclerosis, didn't speak for the 24 years before her death Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. But her voice will echo at her wake Sunday as family members play a recording of a gospel song she made when she was 19.
She was an active teen, running on the track team at Twenhofel Middle School, skating, and singing with gospel groups in Ohio and Indiana, said her mother, Magdeline Collins of Taylor Mill.
Mrs. Carpenter married
and was 19 when her daughter, Shanda, was born. "When she was pregnant, she noticed a tingling in her hands and numbness in her arms, " Collins said.
It was the first warning signs of MS.
"She always depended on God to bring her out of it, " Collins said. "She didn't want to give in to it."
Shanda was a few months old when Mrs. Carpenter was invited to sing a solo on a recording of gospel music developed by several local churches. The song, "The Last Tear, " was written by a church member and held special meaning for Mrs. Carpenter. The lyrics talked about the trials and tears of life that will be banished by God's smile.
The recording was played on Christian radio programs for several years, Collins said. But Mrs. Carpenter's condition quickly worsened and she could barely speak by the time she was 20.
Her marriage disintegrated. She and her daughter went to live with her parents in Taylor Mill.
"She communicated with us by blinking her eyes, " Collins said. "Before she died, her eyes were blinking so hard -- she was telling all of us good-bye, giving us her love."
Mrs. Carpenter had the talent to become a gospel music star, said her sister, Sharon Hart of Mechanicsville, Va.
"She won singing contests from the time she was 12 until she was 16, " said Hart. "We were very proud of her."
Surviving in addition to her mother are her daughter, Shanda Lynn Murphy of Independence; her father, Bennie Collins of Taylor Mill; another sister, Glenna Hoskins of Burlington; and two grandsons.
Services will be noon Monday at Taylor Mill Pentecostal Church, Taylor Mill. Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Allison & Rose Funeral Home, Taylor Mill, and from 11 a.m. to noon Monday at the church. Interment will be in Floral Hills Mausoleum, Taylor Mill.
Memorials are suggested to the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky, 4460 Lake Forest Drive, Blue Ash, Ohio, 45236.
Bettie Jane Berns, 83, of Covington, formerly of Park Hills, died at 9:35 p.m. Sunday at St. Charles Care Center, Covington.
She was a retired clerk for St. Elizabeth Medical Centers, a member of Mother of God Church, Covington, and a member of the Loyal and Ancient Order of Hibernians. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bernard N. Berns, and sons, Dr. Barry Berns and Gregory Berns.
Survivors include a son, Anthony "Tony" Berns of Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, and four grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 12:05 p.m. Tuesday at Mother of God Church, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be at Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright.
Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to St. Charles Care Center, 500 Farrell Drive, Covington, Ky. 41011.
Mary Ann Harrison Brown, 65, of Highland Heights, died Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas.
She was a truck driver for TST Expediting Co., Windsor, Ontario, Canada.
Survivors include her husband, Ronald Brown; a son, Randolph Harrison of Highland Heights; a daughter, Rhonda Linhart of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; sisters, Betty Allsmiller and Beatrice Beliles, both of Louisville; brothers, Charlie Burchel of Salem, Ind., and Roy Burchel of Decatur, Ala.; sisters, Grace Dunlevy of Dunellon, Fla., and Helen Varnell of Niceville, Fla.; and three grandchildren.
A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at A.C. Dobbling & Son Funeral Home, Bellevue. Visitation will begin there at 1 p.m. Sunday.
William H. Brown, 82, of Cincinnati, formerly of Covington, died Friday.
He was a retired airline pilot for Pan American, and a member of American Legion Post No. 111, Woodlawn, Ohio. He was a volunteer for Easter Seals.
Survivors include a daughter, Millie Brown of Florence, one grandchild and two great-grandchildren.
A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Vine Hill Street Cemetery, Cincinnati. Burial will be in Vine Hill Street Cemetery, Cincinnati.
Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence, is handling arrangements.
Vickie "Vittoz"Castle, 57, of Florence, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
She was a cook for St. Charles Nursing Home, Fort Wright.
Survivors include her husband, Emory Curtis Castle; her parents, George Raymond Hill II and Doris C. Yancy Hill of Fort Meyers, Fla.; sons, Ronald Bryan Zippin of Aurora, Ind., Brett Anthony Zippin of West Chester, Ohio, and Nathan Curtis Castle of Big Stone Gap, Va.; daughters, Eve Nicole Vittoz Zippin of Florence, Bridgette Danaelle Zippin Foresman of Tallahassee, Fla., Ginger Ellen Mullins of Big Stone Gap, Francis Christine Gynn and Francis Charlene Carpenter, both of Dalton, Ga.; brothers, Randolph Stephen Vittoz of Fort Meyers, Fla., and George Raymond Hill III of Las Vegas, Nev.; and 17 grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Hamilton-Stanley Funeral Home, Verona. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Poplar Grove Cemetery, Verona.
Memorials are suggested to the Humane Society of Kentucky, 22 Commonwealth Avenue, Erlanger, Ky. 41018.
Thomas Clemons, 68, of Augusta, formerly of Falmouth, died Friday at Augusta Health Care, Augusta.
Survivors include sons, Mike Clemons of Falmouth, Jonathan Clemons of Alexandria and David McFarland of Las Vegas, Nev.; daughters, Karen Combs of Florence and Elaine Fryman-Schroeder of Southgate; a sister, Connie Covert of Georgetown; 13 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Peoples Funeral Home, Falmouth. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Falmouth.
Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society, c/o Peoples Funeral Home, Falmouth.
Sister Mary Virgila, S.N.D., 78, of Park Hills, died at 5 :10 p.m. Thursday at Lourdes Hall, St. Joseph Heights, Park Hills.
The former Mary Bernice Knochelman, she entered the Congregation for the Sisters of Notre Dame in Covington, on Feb. 2, 1943, and made her first vows on Aug. 13, 1945, in Covington.
She worked as group mother at St. John's Orphanage, Fort Mitchell, at St. Aloysius Orphanage, Cincinnati, and served for five years at St. Paul College, Washington, D.C.
She spent 47 years of her religious life doing community service in the Provincial House.
Survivors include sisters, Rosemary DeGrummond of Fort Mitchell and Dorothy Swikert of Edgewood, and several nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday at St. Joseph Heights. A Christian wake service will be at 5 p.m. Monday at the Provincial House, St. Joseph Heights. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at St. Joseph Heights. Burial will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Convent Cemetery, Park Hills.
Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to Sisters of Notre Dame, 1601 Dixie Highway, Park Hills, Ky. 41011.
Edward J. Lay Jr., 67, of Fort Wayne, Ind., formerly of Northern Kentucky, died Tuesday at Northeast Indiana Hospice Home, Fort Wayne.
He was a former work leader and examiner for the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions, and a former employee of CIT Loan Co., in Indianapolis and Cincinnati.
He was a member of Erlanger First Church of God and Mooresville First Church of God and Tillman Road Church of God in Fort Wayne. He was also a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts of America.
Survivors include his wife, Dolores Lay; sons, Edward J. Lay III of London and Bryan Scott Lay of Livingston; daughters, Terri Ruth Delf of Livingston, Lisabeth Ann Wilson of Vancouver, Wash., and Marri Sue Sayler of Huntington, Ind.; his mother, Bessie Lay of Florence; sisters, Betty Jean Arnold of Burlington and Lois Ann Merrill of Walton; a brother, Gary Wayne Lay of Crittenden; grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Tillman Road Church of God. Visitation will be from noon to 1 p.m. today at the church and also from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Chapel, Erlanger. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to Tillman Road Church of God, 3710 E. Tillman Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46816; or Visiting Nurse Service and Hospice, 5910 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46814.
Ella Louise Shehan Shaw, 73, of Covington, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
She was formerly an assembly worker for Wadsworth Electric, and a member of Community Pentecostal Church, Independence.
Survivors include her husband, Chester Alan Shaw; a son, Douglas Earl Sparks of Independence; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Community Pentecostal Church, Independence. Visitation will begin there at 5 p.m. Monday. Burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Swiss Colony Cemetery, London.
Memorials are suggested to Community Pentecostal Church, 11875 Taylor Mill Road, Independence, Ky. 41051
Doris H. Strilka, 59, of Union, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North Hospice, Covington.
She was a teacher retired from Dixie Heights High School, and a former Peace Corps volunteer.
Survivors include her husband, Robert Strilka of Union; a daughter, Sarah Langston of Cincinnati; and a sister, Jean Langston of Potomac, Md.
Graveside services will be at 11:30 a.m. Monday at McKees Rocks, Pa. Burial will be in St. Alexander Nevsky Cemetery, Pittsburgh.
Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth North Hospice Unit, 401 East 20th Street, Covington, Ky. 41014
Charles Raymond Swope, 40, of Highland Heights, died Wednesday at his residence.
He was an assembly line worker at Kahn's Meat Co., Campbell County.
Survivors include his mother, Carolyn Swope of Highland Heights; a son, Christopher J. Swope of Highland Heights; a daughter, Samantha N. Swope of Highland Heights; a brother, John G. Swope of Highland Heights; a sister, Betty Jo Pelgen of Taylor Mill; and a stepson, Terry Ingram of Fort Thomas.
Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. A memorial service will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church of Highland Heights. Fares J. Radel Funeral Home, Highland Heights, is handling arrangements.
Memorials are suggested to Immanuel Church of the Nazarene, c/o the Citizens Bank of Northern Kentucky, 2911 Alexandria Pike, Highland Heights, Ky. 41076.
