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These notices are dated: 03-15-2005
Charles Gier, helped found school for disabled children
Charles H. Gier of Fort Wright was a pioneer in the care of children with disabilities.
Gier and his wife, the late Dorothy Rose Fitzpatrick Gier, helped found the Good Counsel School in Newport. The school eventually merged with other schools doing similar work to become New Perceptions, Inc. of Edgewood, an organization that provides services to children and adults with disabilities.
Mr. Gier, 78, died Sunday at St. Charles Care Center in Covington.
The Giers started the school because of the deplorable conditions they found when looking for a facility for their autistic son, Michael. "At that time, the only thing they were doing with the mentally retarded was putting them in an institution, " said son Thomas Gier, also of Fort Wright. "Mom and dad decided they were not going to do that to my brother."
With no formal training, the Giers enlisted other members of the community to help create an alternative. They worked to help parents understand the needs of disabled children and focused on trying to teach the children.
Mrs. Gier, or "Miss Dot" as she was known, did the classroom work, while Mr. Gier built devices to help the children overcome their disabilities.
"If a kid couldn't walk, he built something to help them walk, " said Thomas Gier. "It was all about the kids and their lives were second."
Mr. Gier was a crane operator at Newport Steel for more than 40 years and he usually worked the night shift so he could spend his days at the school.
After Mr. Gier's wife and son, Michael, died in 1997 he began to volunteer at Be Concerned, the Kenton County organization that focuses on helping underprivileged families.
"Dad took the kids to different places, he was the driver, " said Michael Gier. "But he never made a big deal of what he did, he always wanted to stay in the background."
Mr. Gier was also a veteran of World War II and a member of the Holy Name Society at St. John Church. Other survivors include a daughter, Mary Ann Spare of Fort Wright; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Agnes Church, Fort Wright. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Fort Wright. Memorials are suggested to Be Concerned, 714 Washington St., Covington, Ky. 41011.
Veramae Schadler Bathalter, 86, of Alexandria, died Sunday at St. Luke East Hospice, Fort Thomas. She was a homemaker, an Eucharistic minister, and a member of St. Mary Catholic Church, Alexandria, Ladies Altar Society, and a volunteer at Lakeside Nursing Home, Highland Heights. Her husband, Harry E. Bathalter, preceded her in death.
Survivors include sons, Jerry L. Bathalter of Villa Hills, Robert E. Bathalter of Alexandria, and William H. Bathalter of Winchester, Ohio; and a daughter, Susan Popovich of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Services will be at noon Thursday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Alexandria. Visitation will begin there at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Alexandria. Alexandria Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.
Helen Behrens, 94, of Roanoke, Va., formerly of Covington, died March 9 at Lady of the Valley Retirement Center, Roanoke, Va. She was a homemaker and a member of Catholic Ladies of Columbia, St. Elizabeth Guild, Auxiliary of St. Charles Lodge, Catholic Daughters, and the Virginia Catholic Historical Society.
Survivors include daughters, Mary Leslie Meyer of Montea, Va., and Regina Behrens Black of New Market, Md.; sisters, Katherine May Kuhn of Cincinnati, Patricia Piper of Owenton, Rose Kelly of Independence, and Joan Riley of Florence; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Charles Care Center, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to The Lodge at St. Charles, 500 Farrell Drive, Covington, Ky. 41011.
Jeffrey L. Casper, 63, of Villa Hills, died Sunday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a retired employee from the IRS, an Army veteran, and a member of the Disabled American Vets.
Survivors include his wife, Alma Maegly Casper; a stepson, Robert Moore of Columbus, Ohio; a stepdaughter, Bonnie Moore of Villa Hills; a brother, Phillip Casper of Indiana; and three step-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Thursday. Burial will be in Hebron Lutheran Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Disabled American Veterans Headquarters, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, Ohio 45250.
Becky Ruth Hardin, 45, of Falmouth, died Sunday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was an employee with Wal-Mart, Dry Ridge, and a member of Blanket Creek Baptist Church, Falmouth.
Survivors include her husband, Steve Hardin; a son, Adam Hardin of Falmouth; a daughter, Nicole Zamudio of Falmouth; her mother, Ruth Mains of Falmouth; a brother, Barry Mains of Falmouth; a sister, Betty Nichols of Falmouth; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mt. Vernon Cemetery, Pendleton County. Memorials are suggested to Blanket Creek Baptist Church, 5080 Broadford Road, Falmouth, Ky. 41040.
Bonnie Morris Kostelac, 77, of Verona, died Monday at Owen County Hospital.
Arrangements are pending at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth.
Florence Elizabeth Weber Maloney, 90, of Elsmere, died March 9 at Woodspoint Health Care Center, Florence. She was a retired cashier from Kroger's and a member of Seventh Day Adventist Church, Taylor Mill.
Survivors include a daughter, Carol Gutzeit of Burlington; and two grandchildren.
Services were held at the convenience of the family. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery, Covington. Memorials are suggested to Seventh Day Adventist Church, 5235 Taylor Mill Road, Covington, Ky. 41015. Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence, handled the arrangements.
Alberta "Marie" Eby Smith, 65, of Turners Station, died Sunday at her residence. She was a homemaker and a member of Open Door Baptist Church. A son, Tony Lee Smith, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her husband, Merle Smith Sr.; a son, Merle Smith Jr., of Turners Station; a daughter, Diane Nahn of Metamora, Ohio; a brother, George Eby of Wauseon, Ohio; a sister, Anna Belle Eby Smith of Wauseon, Ohio; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Burial will be in English Cemetery.
William H. "Bill" Welch, 79, of Carrollton, died Sunday at VA Medical Center, Louisville. He was a retired carpenter, an Army veteran of World War II, and a member of Carrollton First Apostolic Church and United Brotherhood of Carpenters. His wife, Agnes Fitzgerald Welch, preceded him in death.
Survivors include a son, John Welch of Carrollton; daughters, Evelyn Welch and Jennifer Welch, both of Carrollton, and Karen Scanboro of Louisville; a brother, Jerry Welch of Aulander, N.C.; sisters, Alma Janie Welch Moore of Madison, Ind., and Manie Jo Jenkins of Aulander, N.C.; and 10 grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Carrollton I.O.O.F. Cemetery.
