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Date of these obituaries: 12-12-2003
Floyd Morris, RADAC founder and innovator
Floyd Morris grew up during the Depression in the mountains of eastern Kentucky, dropped out of school in the sixth grade and worked in the mines to help support his eight siblings.
But he had mechanical aptitude, an indomitable work ethic and an uncanny ability to find better ways to get things done that he used to build his one-man radiator shop into a manufacturing company that now has locations across the region.
Mr. Morris died Tuesday at Carmel Manor Nursing Home in Fort Thomas.
"Floyd was very ingenious as far as finding ways to do something, " said George Sparks of Taylor Mill, Mr. Morris' son-in-law.
"He did that his entire life, even after he retired, " said Pat Sparks, Mr. Morris' daughter and wife of George Sparks. "Like he put a chute through a window in his basement to get logs for his stove. We could empty an entire truck in 15 minutes."
Mr. Morris started Floyd's Radiator Service in 1947 in the rear of a Hudson dealership his brother-in-law operated in Newport. As it expanded into distributing radiator cores, the business moved twice in Newport, the last time into the old Sportsman Club building where the Newport Aquarium now stands.
He was popular with employees, treating them like family, said George Sparks.
The company changed its name to RADAC in 1975 to reflect branching out into vehicle air conditioning, and in 1979 began making radiator cores.
It built a 68, 000-square-foot building in Dayton in 1994 that currently handles manufacturing and warehousing functions and administrative offices, and now has 18 locations across the South and Midwest.
Mr. Morris retired in 1981 and his son, Richard Morris, became company president.
In retirement, Mr. Morris "piddled" on his farm in Grants Lick, said George Sparks, built a house there and consulted for awhile for RADAC. He and his second wife, Irene Morris, who died in 1996, also traveled.
"He was a man who people loved, " said Pat Sparks. "He had the ability to make people feel comfortable.
"He loved children. I couldn't get near my kids when he was around he liked to be with them so much."
His first wife, Prudie Morris, died in 1986.
Surviving in addition to his son and daughter are sisters, Freda Dobro of Plymouth, Mass., Christine Gillespie of Dayton, Ohio, and Jewel Slack of Daytona Beach, Fla.; brothers, Marion Morris of Fort Myers, Fla., and Wicker Morris of Wellington; three grandchildren, six step-grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Visitation will begin there at noon. Burial will be in Alexandria Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer's Disease Association, 644 Linn St., Suite 1026, Cincinnati, Ohio 45203.
James Franklin Barhorst, 80, of Independence, died Tuesday at his home. He was a retired machinist and former owner of Madison Machine Co., a member of American Legion Moon Brothers Lodge No. 275 and the Friends of the Kenton County Library and a member and chef de gare of 40/8 Club. He was an officer of the Northern Kentucky Golfers Association, was involved in youth instruction, and was a Navy veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia M. Hacker Barhorst; a son, Jeffrey Barhorst of Arlington, Va.; a daughter, April Barhorst of Independence; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence. Visitation will begin there at 3 p.m. Saturday. Memorials are suggested to American Legion Post, P.O. Box 39, Independence, Ky. 41051.
Randall Lee Bowen, 82, of Demossville, died Wednesday at his home. He was an employee in the produce department of Wyatts Super Value, Falmouth, a farmer and a carpenter. He was a member of Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, Pendleton County, where he was active with Sunday school and discipleship programs.
Survivors include his wife, Geneva Bowen; sons, Teddie Bowen, Freddie Bowen, Eddie Bowen and Tim Bowen, all of Demossville, and Randall Bowen Jr. of Dry Ridge; daughters, Mary Lou Gray of Williamstown and Dolly Gray of Demossville; brothers, George Bowen and Bernard Bowen, both of Demossville; 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Pendleton County. Memorials are suggested to the Hospice of Hope, 909 Kenton Station Drive, Maysville, Ky. 41056.Constance Mary Cooper, 97, of Williamstown, died Thursday at her home. She was a retired seamstress with Pogue's Department Store and a member of Senior Citizens of Northern Kentucky and Carriage House Seniors.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary Lile of Williamstown; three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be at the convenience of the family. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 6612 Dixie Highway, Suite 2A, Florence, Ky. 41042. Cremation Society of Greater Cincinnati is handling arrangements.
Margaret Coogan Donlin, 91, of Cleveland, died Friday in Cleveland. Her husband, Leroy J. Donlin, died in 1999.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary Rose of Cleveland; sons, Jim Donlin of Florence and John Donlin of Johnstown, Pa.; and eight grandchildren.
Memorial Mass of Christian burial will be Feb. 1 at Little Flower Church, Cincinnati. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
N.B. Foley, 80, of Cincinnati, died at 5:10 a.m. Tuesday at his residence. He was retired, and was a former member of Amity Baptist Church, Independence.
Survivors include his wife, Vivian Lamb Foley; daughters, Barbara Moore of Cincinnati, Debbie Foley Marksberry of Florence and Sheila Pettit of Erlanger; brothers, Rev. Charles L. Foley of Georgetown and Jack Foley of Florida; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Swindler and Currin Funeral Home, Latonia. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Taylor Mill.
Ed Kelly, 77, of Covington, died at 6:02 p.m. Wednesday at Holy Cross Hospital, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Arrangements are pending at Swindler and Currin Funeral Home, Latonia.
Lona Smith McCormick, 73, of Brooksville, died Wednesday at Meadowview Regional Medical Center, Maysville. She was a homemaker and a member of Powersville Christian Church. Her husband, Dee Foster "John" McCormick, died in 1998.
Survivors include daughters, Barbara Aulick of Germantown, Bonnie McCormick and Brenda McCormick, both of Brooksville; sons, Johnny McCormick and David McCormick, both of Brooksville; a sister, Leslie Smith of Cynthiana; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Powersville Christian Church, Brooksville. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at Moore and Parker Funeral Home, Brooksville. Burial will be in Mount Zion Cemetery, Augusta. Memorials are suggested to Powersville Christian Church, 3180 Brooksville-Powersville Road, Brooksville, Ky. 41004.
Rev. Carl Sidney Miller, 81, of Falmouth, died Wednesday at Mercy Franciscan Hospital, Western Hills campus, Cincinnati. He was a minister with Oak Hills Christian Church, Cincinnati. A daughter, Cynthia Lou Miller, and a son, Phillip Leslie Miller, both preceded him in death.
Survivors include sons, Nathan Lee Miller of Las Vegas and Timothy Irvin Miller of Independence; daughters, Luanne Lucas of Florence, Paula Miller of Covington and Jackie Turner of Union; a brother, Everett Miller of Waynesville, Ohio; sisters, Mary Ramey and Laura Rosing, both of Kettering, Ohio; and eight grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Oak Hills Christian Church, Cincinnati. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Miami Cemetery, Waynesville, Ohio. Memorials are suggested to Oak Hills Christian Church Building Fund, 6420 Bridgetown Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45248; or NAMI of Northern Kentucky, P.O. Box 1125 Florence, Ky. 41022. Stith Funeral Home, Florence, is handling arrangements.
Dorothy "Doti" Neltner Myers, 81, of Fort Wright, died at 1 a.m. Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a retired executive secretary with American Appraisal Co., Cincinnati.
Survivors include a daughter, Shaun Schneider of Fort Wright; a sister, Madlyn Heavren of Cedarburg, Wis.; two granddaughters, four step-grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial was Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. Burial was in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to The Point, 104 Pike St., Covington, Ky. 41011; or in the form of Masses. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
Lucille Risner, 74, of Cynthiana, died Thursday at her residence. She was a retired employee of Harrison Memorial Hospital, Cynthiana, and a member of Victory Baptist Church, Cynthiana. Daughters, Evelyn Mae Risner and Rachael Ann Risner, both preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Charles Richard Risner of Harrison County; daughters, Vivian Cummins and Brenda McMahon, both of Harrison County; a brother, Homer Foreman of Lexington; a sister, Bernice White of Harrison County; five grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Ware Funeral Home, Cynthiana. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Battle Grove Cemetery, Cynthiana. Memorials are suggested to Hospice or the Bluegrass, 508 E. Pike St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031; or Victory Baptist Church, 120 Second St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031.
Erma M. Tomlinson, 80, of Highland Heights, died Tuesday at Northern Kentucky Care and Rehabilitation Center, Highland Heights. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Jessie Tomlinson, died in 1976.
Survivors include daughters, Katrina Thompson of Latonia and Stephanie Turner of Newport; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Forest Lawn cemetery Chapel, Erlanger. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to American Diabetes Association, 8899 Brookside Ave., West Chester, Ohio 45069. A.C. Dobbling and Son Funeral Home, Bellevue, is handling arrangements.
La Donna Wartman, 55, of Bromley, died Wednesday at Jewish Hospital, Louisville.
Arrangements are pending with Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow.
Betty Jane Williams, 81, of Southgate, died Wednesday at her home. She was a manager with Mead Corp., Cincinnati.
Survivors include nieces, Nancy Callahan of Florence and Barbara Heck of Southgate.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at A.C. Dobbling and Son Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Visitation will begin there at 8 a.m. Saturday.
Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate.
Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
