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These notices are dated: 08-21-2004
Benjamin Baker, was 'very gentle and giving'
Benjamin Schell Baker had an artist's soul, a cheerful smile and a natural interest in any subject anyone might care to discuss.
"You could sit and talk to him about anything from how to put in a concrete patio to how to send a man to the moon, " said his son, James Baker of Crestview Hills.
"And he loved art. After the war, he had an offer to be a cartoonist for Disney, but he decided to come home where his roots were.
"As an artist, if he could paint a smile on everyone's face, he would have."
Mr. Baker died Thursday at Rosedale Manor Nursing Home in Latonia. He had been ailing since suffering a stroke in April. He was 81.
His son recalled an incident from his boyhood when he and his father were working on a project together in the basement:
"Dad said, 'Do me a favor. In the year 2000, ' he said, 'would you blow a horn for me? Because I don't expect to be around.' So when 2000 came around, I bought him a horn and wrote him a letter that said, 'Dad, you made it. Now blow your own horn.'
"A few minutes after midnight that New Year's, he called to tell me he took that horn and blew it with all his might."
The younger Baker said he thought so much of his father that he asked him to be the best man in his wedding and named his own son after him.
"He always had a smile, " he said. "He was a very gentle and giving man. He lived his life caring for others and giving to the community. And he was always putting on funny hats and making faces, from the time I was a kid and even in his 80s."
He retired in 1981 as public affairs manager with Cincinnati Bell after more than 40 years of service in the Covington office.
A long-time member of St. Mark United Church of Christ in Latonia and more recently of Lakeside Presbyterian Church in Lakeside Park, Mr. Baker was a World War II Navy veteran, serving as a radio technician.
After the war, he married
Kathy Nitschke of Chicago, who later was active in establishing a countywide library system in Kenton County, as well as the Kenton County League of Women Voters.
Mr. Baker was elected to two four-year terms on the Covington Board of Education and was appointed by Kentucky Governors Louis B. Nunn, Julian Carroll and Wendell Ford to the Kentucky Advisory Council on Vocational Education, serving from 1968 until 1980. He also was a lobbyist for Cincinnati Bell in Frankfort.
During the 1960s, Mr. Baker was a member of a statewide panel formed to work for judicial reform in Kentucky and a panelist on the White House Conference on Education in Northern Kentucky.
For 20 years, he was a member of the board of directors of both the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Kentucky State Chamber of Commerce, as well as chairman pro-tem in the establishment of the Northern Kentucky Traveler and Tourist Bureau.
He also was appointed by the local chamber in the mid-60s to lead a community-wide effort to establish a four-year state college in Northern Kentucky. As chairman of the Kenton County Site Selection Committee, he led the effort to locate a 360-acre campus for what became Northern Kentucky University.
Mr. Baker was a founding member of the Northern Kentucky Arts Council in 1966 and helped establish the Frank Duveneck Art Gallery.
In 1972, he became a member of the board of trustees of the Baker-Hunt Foundation and served for three years as its president before stepping down in 2000.
Other survivors include his wife, Kathy, of Crestview Hills; a daughter, Linda Dennis of Dayton, Ohio; a brother, John Baker of Florence; a sister, Barbara Schochet of Cincinnati; four grandchildren, Katie McElwee, Ben Baker, David Dennis and Rob Dennis, and one great-grandchild, Grant McElwee.
Visitation: 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia. Services: 10 a.m., Tuesday, at the funeral home. Burial: Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Erlanger.
Memorials: Baker-Hunt Foundation, 620 Greenup Street, Covington, 41011.
"Bi-Lo" Bobby Cockrell, 56, of Latonia, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North Hospice, Covington. He was a truck driver for Hilltop Concrete, Cincinnati.
Survivors include his wife, Mildred Kroth of Latonia; daughters, Shaunna Wyche of Florence, Bobbie J. Cockrell of Hebron, Terry Thornton and Tonya Cockrell, both of Cincinnati, and Nicole Skean of Independence; a brother, David Dozier of Richmond; sisters, Joyce Cole of Ravenna, Edna Dozier of St. Petersburg, Fla., Mary Cockrell of Irvine, and Jean Burrows of Columbus; and six grandchildren.
Services will be at noon Monday at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Erlanger.
Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014.
Clifford "Dale" Copley, 43, of Newport, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North Hospice, Covington. He was a musician.
Survivors include a daughter, Amanda Copley of Highland Heights; a son, Jason Copley of Wilder; his mother, Sandy Gipson of Newport; his stepmother, Linda Copley of Nashville, Tenn.; brothers, Brian Ormes of Bellevue and James Stidham of Falmouth; a sister, Betty Copley of Newport; and three stepbrothers, Marty Copley, John Copley, and Kurt Copley, all of Nashville, Tenn.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Fares J. Radel Funeral Home, Newport. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Rev. David Timothy "Tim" Estes, 51, of Warsaw, died Wednesday at his residence. He was minister at Warsaw Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Carol Hatfield Estes; his brothers, Mark A. Estes of Louisville and J. Philip Estes of Wilmore; and a sister, Ann Katherine Wilkerson of Fayetteville, Ark.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Warsaw Baptist Church. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Pearson's Funeral Home, Louisville, and from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the church. Memorials are suggested to Warsaw Baptist Church, P.O. Box 846, Warsaw, Ky. 41095.
Lorenzo Foster, 76, of Covington, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospital North, Covington. He was a retired iron worker.
Survivors include daughters, Karen Bell of Cincinnati and Valerie Foster of Newport; and sons, Mark Foster of Forest Park, Ohio, Douglas Foster of Newport, and Scott Foster of Covington.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery, Covington. Jones, Simpson & Gee Funeral Home, Covington, is handling the arrangements.
Glenna Graham, 49, of Covington, died Wednesday at University Hospital, Cincinnati. She was an assistant community service director with Northern Kentucky Community Action.
Survivors include her husband, Kevin Graham; her parents, Jacob and Elizabeth Ogburn of Covington; a brother, Steve Ogburn of Latonia; and a sister, Annette Fox of Union.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 7:30 p.m. Monday at St. Ann's Church, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 5:30 p.m. Monday. Mrs. Graham will be cremated.
Memorials are suggested to St. Ann's Church, 1274 Parkway Ave., Covington, Ky. 41011. Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow, is handling the arrangements.
Helen Mae Gunning, 82, of Fort Thomas, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Hospital South, Edgewood. She was a homemaker and a member of Divine Mercy Parish, Bellevue.
Her husband, Edward Gunning, preceded her in death. Survivors include brothers, Edward Heitzman of Highland Heights and Delbert Heitzman of Cincinnati; and sisters, Bertha Hofstetter of Highland Heights and Cloty Koke of Southgate.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Divine Mercy Church, Bellevue. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery.
Faith Elizabeth Hunter, 22, of Independence, died at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in an auto accident on Taylor Mill Road in Independence. She was a student at Northern Kentucky University.
Survivors include her parents, Mark and Barbara Hunter of Independence; a sister, Jenny Hunter of Independence; and grandmother, Sylvia Martin of McKenzie, Tenn.
Services will be at 10 a.m. today at Covenant Christian Church, Newport. Visitation was held on Friday at the church. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill.
Memorials are suggested to Covenant Christian Church Navajo Mission, 601 E. Second St., Newport, Ky. 41071.
Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling the arrangements.
Helen Vest Jones, 87, of Walton, died Thursday at University Hospital, Cincinnati. She was a retired receptionist from Walton Advertiser.
She was a founding member of WA-NA Women's Club and a member of Walton Christian Church, Walton Women's Club, and Walton-Verona P.T.A.
Her husband, Clayton Jones, preceded her in death. Survivors include a son, Robert C. Jones of Walton; daughters, Nancy Sue Vest of Verona, Pat Slusher of Walton, Elizabeth Gomilla of Hammond, La., and Evelyn Richard of Walton; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Hamilton-Stanley Funeral Home, Verona. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in New Bethel Cemetery, Verona.
Memorials are suggested to Walton Christian Church, 50 S. Main St., Walton, Ky. 41094.
Darrell Lee Louden, 42, of Florence, died Thursday at his residence. He was a lab technician with Poly One.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce Louden; a son, Cody Louden of Florence; a daughter, Danielle Louden of Walton; his father, Emmett Louden of Union; brothers, Bobby Louden of Highland Heights and Ken Louden of Burlington; sisters, Sharon Nunn of Independence and Karla Louden of South Bend, Ind.; and one grandchild.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence, with visitation beginning there at noon Sunday. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Bellevue Cemetery.
Fenton R. Miles, 83, of Falmouth, died Thursday at Harrison Memorial Hospital, Cynthiana. He was a retired farmer and a member of Antioch Mills Christian Church, Harrison County.
Survivors include his wife, Norma Anderson Miles; a daughter, Beverly Milner; a brother, Shelby Miles of Falmouth; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Antioch Mills Christian Church, Berry. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth. Burial will be in Mount Vernon Cemetery, Pendleton County.
Memorials are suggested to Antioch Mills Christian Church, 12785 U.S. Highway 27, Berry, Ky. 41003.
Atira Elaine Perkins, 5 weeks, of Fort Thomas, died Friday at Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati.
Survivors include her parents, Charles and Barbara Perkins of Fort Thomas; paternal grandfather, Steve Brossart of Newport; paternal grandmothers, Maggie Perkins and Sarah Durham, both of Dayton; maternal grandfather, William Justice of Dayton; maternal grandmother, Karen Justice of Dayton; paternal great-grandparents, Nick and Betty Brossart of Kentucky; uncles, Keith Justice of Dayton, Troy Justice of Covington, and Ronnie Justice of Pikeville; an aunt, Phyllis McGoven of Florida; and a great aunt, Joyce Brumfield of Dayton.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Community Freewill Baptist Church, Silver Grove. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery's Babyland, Southgate.
Memorials are suggested to Gideon Bible, P.O. Box 252, Highland Heights, Ky. 41076. Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue, is handling the arrangements.
Brian Lee Roberts, 36, of Hebron, died Wednesday in Florence. He was a kitchen manager with LongHorn Steakhouse and a member of St. Paul Catholic Church.
Survivors include his wife, Tanya Putnam Roberts; sons, Taylor Horstman and Brian Roberts, Jr., both of Hebron, and T.J. Roberts of Burlington; daughters, Brianna Roberts of Burlington, and Kaitlyn Roberts and Christine Roberts, both of Hebron; his father, James Roberts of Newport; his mother, Patricia Mullins of Taylor Mill; brothers, Michael Moore of Florence, Steven Moore of Independence, Jeffrey Moore of Walton, and Ricky Mullins of Burlington; and sisters, Melissa Holt of Hebron and Heather Roberts of Fort Thomas.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Falmouth.
Memorials are suggested to The Brian Roberts' Children Memorial Fund, in care of any U.S. Bank branch.
Mary Romer, 65, of Fort Wright, died Thursday at her residence. She was a teacher at St. Pius X and St. Agnes, and a member of St. Agnes Church, Fort Wright.
Survivors include her husband, Donald Romer; and sisters, Lois Volmer and Sr. Joanne Mary Braeunig, both of Cincinnati.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 7 p.m. Monday at St. Agnes Church, Fort Wright. Visitation will begin there at 4 p.m. Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright.
Memorials are suggested to Diocesan Children's Home, 75 Orphanage Road, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017; or Sisters of Mercy HOME Program, 1602 Madison Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45206.
Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling the arrangements.
Mark T. Steffen, 27, of Alexandria, died Monday at his parents' home in Highland Heights.
Survivors include his wife, Kathy M. Steffen; his parents, Thomas A. and Vickie Steffen, both of Highland Heights; daughters, Nora Steffen and Ada Steffen, at home; a brother, Brad Steffen of Newport; and grandparents, Robert Brown of Highland Heights and Frances Stallard of Highland Heights.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Mary Church, Alexandria.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at Alexandria Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Alexandria.
Memorials are suggested to Mark Steffen Memorial Fund, in care of any Fifth Third Bank.
William Rice Whaley, 76, of Cynthiana, died Thursday at Edgemont Manor, Cynthiana. He was a retired bus driver from the Harrison County Senior Citizens Center and a Navy veteran. He was a member of Cynthiana Presbyterian Church and Cynthiana Elks Lodge No. 438.
Survivors include his wife, Annette Smith Whaley; sons, Phillip Whaley of Dayton, Ohio, and Rice Whaley of Hermitage, Pa.; a daughter, Lynn Stroot of O'Fallon, Mo.; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Ware Funeral Home, Cynthiana. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. today. Burial will be in Battle Grove Cemetery, Cynthiana.
Memorials are suggested to Harrison County Senior Citizens Center, 216 Old Lair Road, Cynthiana, Ky. 41031.
