Search Archived Marriage Records
These notices are dated: 02-08-2005
Donna Bass had finally turned her life around
Things were just starting to look up for Donna Bass.
She had just graduated from Beckfield College in Florence with a paralegal degree. She had plans to remarry her ex-husband and move into a state-subsidized house in Southgate.
But she died unexpectedly in her sleep on Friday at her home in Newport. She was 47.
She was born into a poor farming family in West Virginia, and her parents separated when she was 4. They grew their own vegetables, and her mother did ironing to make extra money.
They moved to Columbus, where years later Mrs. Bass married
and then divorced. She and her ex-husband still owed money on a used car they had bought from James Duane Bass Jr., who wanted her to go out with him.
So he sued her. "No one ever believes me when I tell this story, " Bass said.
Mrs. Bass' mother encouraged her daughter to go out with him. Maybe he'll forget about the lawsuit, she said.
He did. They were married, and moved to Newport in 1992 when Mr. Bass took a job with Convergys. They divorced in 1996, but remained friends.
Mrs. Bass was struggling with a cocaine addiction and alcoholism, Mr. Bass said. But she became involved in Alcoholics Anonymous, and kicked both habits.
She suffered a nervous breakdown in 2000, after her brother, Bob Tilley Sr., was murdered in Columbus.
About the same time, a friend invited her to Calvary Baptist Church. She became a member there and was baptized, said her good friend, Bee Haubner of Taylor Mill. "She owed everything to God, " Haubner said. "She gave him all the glory."
She became a volunteer with the Women's Crisis Center in Covington and with various recovery groups.
"Because of her trials in life, she was able to empathize with others and help many, " Haubner said. "She was the happiest when she was helping people."
One of those she helped was her ex-husband, who joined the 12-step program she was volunteering with in August 2001. He was "steeped deeply in (his) own alcoholism, close to death and desperate to be free, " he said. "Her inspiration led me back to the God I had lost so long ago."
They slowly renewed their relationship. He joined Calvary Baptist, and they made plans to get married
again.
Now, he said, he feels lost. "I lost the person who helped me with my business, I lost my confidant, I lost my wife, I lost my direction. Everything I've been working for is gone, " he said, and added that he knows that lost feeling will change with time. "But right now, as we say in AA, I'm just suiting up and showing up."
Other survivors include a brother, Bill Tilley of Covington.
A memorial service will be at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Calvary Baptist Church, Covington. There is no visitation. Burial will be private. Swindler & Currin Funeral Home, Latonia, is handling the arrangements.
Evelyn K. Bornhorn, 87, of Crescent Springs, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington. She was a retired co-manager of Woodhill Apartments, Crescent Springs and a member of the YMCA.
Survivors include her husband, Robert Lee "Ben" Bornhorn Sr.; sons, Robert Lee Bornhorn Jr., of Edgewood and John P. Bornhorn of Villa Hills; daughters, Carolyn Cox of Union and Mary Jean Brinker of Florence; a sister, Betty Roat of Cincinnati; 12 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
No services are planned at this time. Mrs. Bornhorn's body was donated to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine for scientific research purposes. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014. Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, is handling the arrangements.
Daisy Laura Bush, 87, of Cold Spring, died Sunday at Lakeside Place Nursing Home, Highland Heights. She was a retired cook from Lakeside Place Nursing Home. Her husband, Elbert "Tug" Bush, preceded her in death.
Survivors include sisters, Evelee Brewer of Campton and Marcella Riley of Miamisburg, Ohio; and several nephews and nieces.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 6612 Dixie Highway, Suite 2A, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Jean H. Reckers Case, 69, of Dayton, died Monday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was a retired secretary and clerk from The Provident Bank and a member of St. Anthony Church, Bellevue.
Survivors include her husband, William E. Case; sons, Michael Case of Dayton and Daniel Case of Taylor Mill; daughters, Sandy Keene of Latonia and Barbie Case-Lukens of Bellevue; 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Bernard Church, Dayton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Dobbling Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas.
Dorothy "Dot" Hutter Coffelder, 94, of Independence, formerly of Fort Mitchell, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a homemaker. She was a member of Immanuel United Methodist Church, Lakeside Park, the church's general board, the United Methodist Women's Society, William Booth Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, past treasurer of the hospital's sewing circle, and a volunteer for the American Red Cross, Veteran's Hospital and Nursing Home. Her husband, Charles J. "Church" Coffelder, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her dear friend and caregiver, Marcella Fields. Services will be at noon Wednesday at Highland cemetery Chapel, Fort Mitchell. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Immanuel United Methodist Church, 2551 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017. Allison & Rose Funeral Home, Taylor Mill, is handling the arrangements.
Elbert T. Cunningham, 62, of Elsmere, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. Arrangements are pending at Fares J. Radel Funeral Home, Newport.
Ruth Margaret Davis, 91, of Edgewood, died Saturday at Carmel Manor Nursing Home, Fort Thomas. She was a retired office manager from Bluegrass Provision.
Survivors include sons, Leland B. Davis, Jr., of Edgewood and Thomas W. Davis of Louisville; a sister, Harriet Schomaker of Newport; and three grandchildren.
Services will be at the convenience of the family. Northern Kentucky Crematory, Walton, is handling the cremation. Memorials are suggested to Carmel Manor Nursing Home, 100 Carmel Manor Road, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling the arrangements.
Herman Otto Hertenstein, 79, of Villa Hills, died Saturday at University Hospital, Cincinnati. He owned an automobile dealership in the Chicago area for 35 years.
Survivors include his wife, Jeanne Hertenstein; daughters, Tava Schutter of Union, Mary Kinkade of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Patti Haase of Palatine, Ill.; a sister, Margaret Bugal of Mount Vernon, Ill.; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Forest Lawn Memorial Park Chapel, Erlanger. Visitation will begin there at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the chapel. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Memorials are suggested to Lakeside Christian Church, 195 Buttermilk Pike, Lakeside Park, Ky. 41017. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling the arrangements.
Robert J. Kelly, 91, of Lakeside Park, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was the retired owner of the former Kelly Buick dealership in Covington, an Army veteran of World War II, and a member of Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell. His wife, Mary A. O'Connell Kelly, preceded him in death.
Survivors include a son, Kevin J. Kelly of Lakeside Park; a sister, Jane Kelly Pattee of Minneapolis, Minn.; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell. There is no visitation. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling the arrangements.
Patsy Sue Kemper, 56, of Owenton, died Saturday at her residence. She was the owner and operator of Kemper's Sale Barn and a member of Victory Baptist Church. Her husband, Orville Kemper, and her daughter, Tammy Kemper, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her son, Tim Kemper of Burlington; a stepson, Jackie Kemper of Dry Ridge; stepdaughters, Emma Jean Beckham of Cincinnati and Phyllis Marksberry of Dry Ridge; a brother, Frank Herrington, Jr., of Independence; a sister, Diane Hensley of Owenton; a stepbrother, Clark Rambo of California; a stepsister, Ann Tucker of Stamping Ground; 13 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Owenton First Baptist Church. Visitation will begin there at noon Wednesday. Burial will be in Owenton Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Victory Baptist Church, Owenton, Ky. 40359. McDonald & New Funeral Home, Owenton, is handling the arrangements.
Byron Arthur "Butch" Kent, 60, of Union, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a driver with Castellini Co., part owner of the Humpty-Dumpty Preschool and a volunteer firefighter with the Walton Fire Department. He was also a member of Walton United Methodist Church and Local Union No. 114.
Survivors include his wife, Lynda Kent; sons, Andrew W. Kent of Chicago and David B. Kent of Carlisle, Pa.; daughters, Kristian D. Kent of Lamoyne, Pa., and Tracey A. Schwartz of Florence; his stepmother, Catherine Kent of Goshen, Ohio; brothers, Charles Kent of Wesley Chapel, Fla., Clark Kent of Goshen, Ohio, and Corby Kent of Fort Meyers, Fla.; a sister, Charlotte Sydell of San Antonio; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Entombment will be in Forest Lawn Mausoleum, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to Children's United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 749, Versailles Road, Versailles, Ky. 40383.
This obituary is being published again to correct errors of The Kentucky Post.
Robert L. Meyer, 67, of Cold Spring, died Monday at St. Luke Hospice, Fort Thomas. He was a retired warehouse manager from St. Elizabeth South, Edgewood. He was a volunteer fireman for Dayton and Cold Spring Fire Departments and a youth football coach at St. Therese Church, Southgate.
Survivors include his wife, Susan Meyer; a son, Robert A. Meyer of Houston, Texas; a daughter, Robin Dietriech of Phoenix, Ariz.; stepdaughters, Kristeen Boaz of West Chester, Ohio, Catherine Perry of Erlanger, and Karen Sower of Fort Thomas; and six grandchildren.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at St. Therese Church, Southgate. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Garnetta Padgett Morrison, 85, of Cynthiana, died Sunday at Grand Haven Nursing Home, Cynthiana. She was a homemaker and a member of Mount Carmel Christian Church.
Survivors include her husband, Stanley Morrison; a son, Terry A. Morrison of Harrodsburg; a daughter, Mary Edna Fryman of Cynthiana; seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Ware Funeral Home, Cynthiana. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Salem Cemetery, Union County. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 506 E. Pike St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031; or Alzheimer's Association, 644 Linn St., Suite 1026, Cincinnati, Ohio 45203.
Floral Louise Juett Orphan, 88, of Latonia, died Friday at her residence. She was a homemaker and former secretary to Sen. Brent Spence. She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Latonia, the Ohio Parliamentary Association, editor of the State of Kentucky PTA magazine, and a volunteer for the Boys and Girls Club of America, Covington. Her husband, John Orphan, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Nicholas J. Orphan of Atlanta, Ga.; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Trinity Untied Methodist Church, Latonia. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Allison & Rose Funeral Home, Covington, and at 10 a.m. Thursday at the church. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Action Ministries, 4375 Boron Drive, Latonia, Ky. 41015.
Ronal Lee Perry Sr., 48, of Florence, formerly of Walton, died Sunday at his residence. He was a disabled mechanic.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Lynn Perry; a son, Ronal Perry Jr., of Florence; daughters, Bridget Perry of Williamstown and Rachael Perry of Dry Ridge; his father and stepmother, Otis and Mary Lou Perry of Walton; his mother, Shirley Lemox of Florence; a brother, Rick Perry of Walton; sisters, Vicky Perry of Walton and Debbie Turpin of Wilder; and five grandchildren.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at 5 p.m. Thursday. Northern Kentucky Crematory, Walton, is handling the cremation. Memorials are suggested to South Fork Christian Church Building Fund, 14896 South Fork Christian Church Road, Verona, Ky. 41094.
Mary Hazel Robinson, 84, of Elsmere, died Sunday at Woodcrest Manor, Elsmere. She was a homemaker and a member of Mary Queen of Heaven Church, Erlanger, St. Henry's Senior Citizens, the Silver Bells, and Elsmere Senior Citizens. Her husband, William Omer Robinson, preceded her in death.
Survivors include sons, James Larry Robinson and William Donald Robinson, both of Walton, and Richard Allen Robinson of Union; daughters, Margie Kemen of Villa Hills and Linda Robinson-Fries of Florence; 23 grandchildren and 40 great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Mary Queen of Heaven Church, Erlanger. Visitation will be from 9 to 10:45 a.m. Thursday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger. Burial will be in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Covington. Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer's Association, 644 Linn St., Suite 1026, Cincinnati, Ohio 45203; or American Heart Association, 333 Guthrie St., Suite 207, Louisville, Ky. 40202.
Frances Ann Scanlan, 86, of Erlanger, died Sunday at Baptist Village Care Center, Erlanger. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Henry Church, Elsmere.
Survivors include a son, Dr. Dennis Scanlan of Nova Scotia; and one grandchild.
Memorial Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Henry Church, Elsmere. There is no visitation. Northern Kentucky Crematory, Walton, is handling the cremation. Memorials are suggested to UNICEF, 333 E. 38th St., New York, N.Y. 10016. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling the arrangements.
Lova Schwenke, 85, of Orlando, Fla., formerly of Boone County, died Sunday at Health Central Hospital, Ocoee, Fla. Her husband, Richard "Dick" Schwenke, preceded her in death. She was a member of Lake Buena Vista Baptist Church.
Survivors include a son, Albert Schwenke; a daughter, Velma Jean Schwenke; a brother, Kenneth Bender of Normal, Ill.; four grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Woodlawn Funeral Home Chapel, Orlando, Fla. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Lake Buena Vista Baptist Church, 11551 N. County Road 535, Orlando, Fla. 32821.
Jeffrey Scott Smith, Jr., 28, of Cincinnati, died Monday at Mercy Fairfield Hospital, Fairfield, Ohio. Arrangements are pending at McDaniel Funeral Home, Corinth.
Sun Mi Tschirhart, 46, of Florence, died Sunday at her residence.
Survivors include her husband, William Tschirhart; sons, Bu Sun Choi and Je Hun Choi, both of Blythewood, S.C.; her parents, Yon Su Paek and Pok Ye Choe; brothers, Seong Ki Paek of Blythewood, S.C., and Woon Hak Paek of Jacksonville, Fla.; and sisters, Sun Yo Washington of Atlanta, Ga. and Soon Duk Baek of Elgin, S.C.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Greenlawn Funeral Home, Columbia, S.C. A memorial service will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday with visitation following until 9 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Greenlawn Serenity Gardens, Columbia, S.C.
Roger L. Wagner, 61, of Erlanger, died Sunday at his sister's residence in Cold Spring. He was a waste management engineer and a salesman with Purestream, Inc., Florence. He was a member of the National Rifle Association and the Erlanger Auxiliary Police Department.
Survivors include daughters, Karen Wright of Burke, Va., Jennifer Kamer of Villa Hills, Christy Wagner-Pence of Williamstown, and Hope Roberts of Dry Ridge; sisters, Carol Kremer of Cold Spring and Lynn Mahon of Cincinnati; and 10 grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Henry Church, Elsmere. Visitation will be from 8 to 9:30 a.m. Friday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
