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Date of these obituaries: 07-30-97
Rev. Charles E. Blake, put family first
The Rev. Charles E. Blake was a civil rights pioneer, educator and pastor.
But many people in Kentucky, Tennessee and Connecticut simply knew him as "Daddy Blake."
"He was the epitome of a patriarch who believed in family. Before he died, this house would be filled with people who called themselves his children, " said one of Rev. Blake's daughters, Cheryl Hoskins of Covington.
Rev. Blake, 78, of Covington, died at 12:25 a.m. Monday at his home. He was pastor emeritus of the Freeman Avenue United Church of Christ, Cincinnati. He also was past presiding elder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and served in the ministry for 48 years.
Rev. Blake was from Tennessee and had lived throughout the Southeast and Northeast.
During the early 1960s, Rev. Blake enrolled his children in the Danville public schools to achieve integration. Later, after his retirement, he taught many Newport children at a local church on Monday evenings.
Rev. Blake told his children and others that education was important. And although he stepped down from the pulpit in his later years, he continued preaching to anyone who would listen, Ms. Hoskins said.
"Family was his most important thing. He preached it during his ministry and he showed it during his life, " Ms. Hoskins said.
Rev. Blake was an electrician, plumber, master carpenter, auto mechanic, counselor, teacher and entrepreneur. He was the first black chaplain for the fire department in Hartford, Conn. Rev. Blake and his wife, Mary Cross Blake, recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Other survivors include his sons, Ivan Blake of Las Vegas, Nev., and David Blake of Cincinnati; another daughter, Charlotte Sydnor of Hampton, Va.; a sister, Virginia Carter of Los Angeles; 14 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. James AME Church, Covington. Visitation will be there from 10 a.m. to time of services Saturday. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Jones and Simpson Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Lois C. Campbell, 66, of Butler, died Monday at St. Luke Hospital East, Ft. Thomas. She was a homemaker and a member of Plum Creek Christian Church in Campbell County. She also was treasurer for the Pendleton County branch of the American Cancer Society, and a member of the Cincinnati Cyclones fan club.
Survivors include her husband, George Campbell; sons, Mike Campbell of Florence, and Ned Campbell of St. Louis, Mo.; daughters, Anne Hosking of Butler, Meg Crail and Kim Campbell, both of Alexandria, and Joy Keeping of Richmond, Texas; her mother, Christine Tungate of Florence; sisters, Brenda Jo Bricker of Taylor Mill and Wyona Whaley of Piner; 14 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at the church. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, Pendleton County Chapter, c/o 7730 U.S. 42, Suite C6, Florence 41042 or to Cincinnati Cyclones Fan Club Scholarship Fund. Peoples Funeral Home, Butler, is handling arrangements.
Geneva Combs, 63, of Newport, died Monday at St. Luke Hospital East, Ft. Thomas. She was a homemaker, and a member of First Assembly of God Church, Alexandria.
Survivors include her husband, Luther Combs; daughters, Della Rose Turner of New port, and Debra Webster of Alexandria; a son, Luther Combs Jr. of Alexandria; sisters, Allie Nadicksbernd and Bonnie Messer, both of Newport, Bertha Goodson of Hazard, and Lillie Mae Miller and Linda Simms, both of Dayton; brothers, Willie Couch of Melbourne, Eugene Couch of Cold Spring, and Berlie Couch of Hebron; and six grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at the church. Visitation will there from 11 a.m. to time of services Thursday, and from 5 to 9 p.m. today at Radel Funeral Home, Newport. Burial will be Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill..
Kaitlin B. Delph, 6, of Glencoe, died Monday at her home.
Survivors include her mother, Michelle L. Delph; grandparents, Marsha and Mike Logsden of Glencoe, and Tracy and Mike Delph of Dayton; and great-grandparents, Violet and Robert Wiley of Hebron.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Thursday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron. Visitation will be there from 11 a.m. to time of services Thursday. Burial will be in Belleview Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Children's Hospital Clinical Research Center, 3333 Burnett Ave., Cincinnati 45229.
William R. Ferry, 65, of Florence, died at 12:25 p.m. Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a certified dental technician with Orthodonic Labs Inc., Florence. He also was an Air Force veteran of the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley Foskett Ferry; sons, Mark Ferry of Florence, and Stephen Ferry of Franklin, Ind.; and six grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be there from 5 to 8 p.m. today. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Medical Center Hospice, 401 E. 20th St., Covington 41014-9988.
John "Jack" Groeber, 78, of Covington, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
He was a retired chief accountant for Interlake Steel in Newport. He also was a member of Hilltoppers Association in Ft. Wright.
Survivors include his wife, Johann Groeber; a son, Ronald Groeber of Cincinnati; daughters, Nancy C. Fedders of Ft. Wright, and Alice Atkins of Sugarland, Texas; a sister, Juliann Casey of Huber Heights, Ohio; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. John Church, Covington. Body will be donated to University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow, is handling arrangements.
Loistene Jackson, 84, Covington, died Monday at 1:20 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Hospice Unit, Covington. Her husband, James Jackson, died in 1987.
She was a member of the St. James A.M.E. Church, Covington.
Survivors include sons, Fred Jackson and Thomas Jackson, both of Covington, and James Jackson, Petersburg, Va.; daughters, Elizabeth Brooks, Oklahoma City, Okla., Barbara Phipps, Covington, Loroma Fowler, Cincinnati, and Earlene Stone, Cincinnati; sisters, Ruth William and Prentis Holt, both of Knoxville, Tenn.; brothers, John Huddleston, Covington, Charles Huddleston, Indianapolis, and Chester Huddleston, Knoxville; 16 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and seven great-great- grandchildren.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Friday at the church. Visitation will be there from 5 p.m. until the time of service Thursday. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Ft. Mitchell. Jones & Simpson Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Geraldine Morford, 56, of Newport, died Saturday at St. Luke Hospital East, Ft. Thomas. She was a homemaker and a member of Candlestick Fellowship Church, Newport.
Survivors include brothers, Douglas Morford of Dayton, and Ray Morford of Newport; and a sister, Barbara Morford of Newport.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport. Visitation will be there from 9 a.m. to time of service Thursday. Burial will be in Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati.
Charles E. Peddicord, 61, of Cynthiana, died Monday at Harrison Memorial Hospital, Cynthiana. He was a member of Cynthiana Baptist Church, a retired timekeeper for Ladish Co., Cynthiana, and a financial secretary for United Steelworkers of America Local 7513 in Cynthiana.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Lou Tucker Peddicord; a son, Greg Peddicord of Lexington; his mother, Ina Peddicord Boyers of Cynthiana; a sister, Lorna Blackburn of Ft. Thomas; and a granddaughter.
Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Thursday at Battle Grove Cemetery, Cynthiana. Visitation will be from noon to time of service Thursday at Drake Funeral Home, Cynthiana. Memori als are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 2312 Alexandria Drive, Lexington 40504.
Thomas C. Purcell Sr., 84, of Southgate, died Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital East, Ft. Thomas. He was a corporate accountant for E. Kahns and Sons for 30 years. He also worked as a real estate broker, served as president of Campbell County Board of Realtors, and was a founding board member of the Ft. Thomas Swim Club Association.
He was national treasurer of Xavier University Dads' Club, and received the St. Francis Xavier Special Award for his 35 years of service to Xavier.
He was a member of Knights of Columbus, Fourth Degree Bishop Flaget Assembly and of Bishop Mulloy Council No. 1301.
His other memberships include: St. Therese Holy Name Society, Nocturnal Adoration Society, Northern Kentucky Right to Life, Southgate Optimists, and Over 50 Club in Southgate.
Survivors include his wife, Lucille T. Paolucci Purcell; sons, Thomas C. Purcell II of Ft. Thomas, and Paul J. Purcell of Centerville, Ohio; daughters, Marilyn C. Reis of Highland Heights, and Martha L. Toennis of Ft. Thomas; brothers, Norbert Purcell of Evendale, Ohio, Vernon Purcell of Pleasant Ridge, Ohio, and Raymond Purcell of Southgate; 28 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Therese Church, Southgate. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Ft. Thomas. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Ft. Thomas.
Cheryl Townsend Rucker, 45, of Cincinnati, died Thursday at University Hospital, Cincinnati. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Donnie Rucker of Cincinnati; a son, Ronald Tate at home; a daughter, Danielle Rucker at home; and a brother, Randy Townsend of Erlanger.
Graveside services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Cremation will be by Hillside Chapel. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Elizabeth Sanchez, 87, of Ft. Thomas, died Sunday at 4:45 p.m. at Carmel Manor Nursing Home, Ft. Thomas. Her husband, Sabino Sanchez, died in 1977.
She was a member of the Brighton Center Guild, the Golden Age Group of Ft. Thomas and was the former president of the Altar Society at St. Stephen Parish in Cumberland. Survivors include a daughter, Margaret Meister of Ft. Thomas; sisters, Helen Bartha, Franklin, Ohio, Rosa Veres of Jacksonville, Fla., Giza Taylor of Alva, Fla., and Nancye McKelvey of Huber Heights, Ohio; brothers, Andrew Bartha, Downey, Calif., and William Bartha of Lutz, Fla.; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Carmel Manor Nursing Home, Ft. Thomas. Visitation will begin there at 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Ft. Thomas. Memorials may be made to St. Thomas Church, Ft. Thomas, or Carmel Manor Nursing Home, Ft. Thomas. A.C. Dobbling & Son, Ft. Thomas, is in charge of arrangements.
Robert L. Smith, 73, of Cincinnati, formerly of Covington, died Tuesday at his home.
Arrangements are pending with Jones and Simpson Funeral Home, Covington.
Emma Jane Stevens Walker, 89, of Lexington, died Sunday at The Highlands of Ft. Thomas Nursing Home, Ft. Thomas. She was a retired librarian who worked for University of Kentucky and the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort.
She was the first woman to graduate from the UK College of Commerce and was inducted into the C. M. Gatton College of Business and Economics Hall of Fame in 1996.
She was a member of Calvary Baptist Church, Lexington, and the Highland Hills Baptist Church, Ft. Thomas. She was also past regent of the Bryan Station chapter of Daughters of American Revolution.
Survivors include daughters, Elizabeth Humphrey of Alexandria, May Walker of Dallas; brothers, James D. Stevens of Kitty Hawk, N.C., Herbert K. Stevens of Versailles; sister, Toute Rabe of Versailles; three grandchildren; and four great- grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Aaron M. Smith Funeral Home, Lexington. Visitation will begin there at 1 p.m. today. Burial will be in Lexington Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Greater Cincinnati Alzheimer's Association, 644 Linn St., Cincinnati 45203.
