Search Archived Marriage Records
Date of these obituaries: 12-22-2003
Chester Racke, 77, bank president, CEO
Chester Racke began his banking career emptying spittoons and ended it as president and chief executive officer of Fort Thomas Bellevue Bank.
"Banking was his love, and he just went right up the ladder, " said Mr. Racke's wife of 53 years, Kate Racke.
Mr. Racke, 77, of Cold Spring died Friday at St. Luke Hospital East in Fort Thomas.
In addition to banking, Mr. Racke was involved in numerous government and civic endeavors. He was city clerk of Alexandria, board member and treasurer of the Alexandria Fair, treasurer of the Campbell County Board of Education, a commissioner of the Campbell County Water District and a board member of the St. Luke Community Foundation.
During World War II, he served in the Army's 100th Infantry Division in Europe and spent a half-year in combat. He was awarded two Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster and the Soldier's Medal.
Mr. Racke's first banking job was in 1942 at the age of 16 when he was a high school senior. He emptied spittoons, filled ink wells and set out ink blotters at the Bank of Alexandria. After World War II, he returned to the Bank of Alexandria as an assistant cashier and in 1951 took a similar position at Fort Thomas Bank, which later became Fort Thomas Bellevue Bank, then Liberty National Bank and now Bank One.
Through the years, he won promotions to cashier, director, executive vice president, president and chairman of the board. He retired as chief executive officer in 1988.
"He wanted to be a success, and he was, " said Mrs. Racke. "He loved helping young people. We hear from people all the time saying that he made them their first loan so they could get a car or a home.
"He wanted to help everyone. He was a great one to give. He couldn't do enough for his daughters and grandchildren. He was a perfect husband and a great father."
Mr. Racke was president of Group 8 Kentucky Bankers Association and the Campbell County Bankers Association. He was a past commander of Campbell County VFW Post No. 3205, a member of American Legion Post No. 98 in Fort Thomas and the local draft board. He also was a member of Newport Elks Lodge No. 273 and Alexandria Masonic Lodge No. 52 F&AM.
Other survivors include daughters, Linda McKee of Columbus, Ohio, and Peggy Bertke of Alexandria; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Christ Church United Church of Christ, Fort Thomas. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Burial will be in Alexandria Cemetery.
James L. Adkins, 51, of Cordova, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center Grant County, Williamstown. He was a maintenance worker with Toyota Motor Manufacturing Co., Georgetown, a member of Radcliff United Methodist Church and a former Boy Scout leader with Boy Scouts Troop No. 704, Corinth.
Survivors include his wife, Verina Chambers Adkins; sons, Clayton Adkins and Chris Adkins, both of Berry; a daughter, Camille Whidby of Crittenden; brothers, Buddy Adkins of Benton and Bill Adkins of Frankfort; a sister, Bobbye Kinser of Atlanta; and a grandson.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Williamstown Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Stringtown Christian Church, 8475 Cordova Road, Berry, Ky. 41003.
Ulysses Samuel Arrasmith Sr., 87, of Villa Hills, died Wednesday at his home. He was a retired employee of the United States Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C., and a member of St. Joseph Church, Crescent Springs. He was a retired deputy jailer. A son, Otis Lee Arrasmith, died in 1994.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy E. Arrasmith; sons, Ulysses Arrasmith Jr. of Melbourne, Joseph D. Arrasmith of Doylestown, Pa., and James T. Arrasmith of Ryland Heights; daughters, Peggy S. O'Shea of Wilder, Patricia L. Arrasmith of Villa Hills and Bonnie I. Wells of Florence; brothers, John F. Arrasmith of Erlanger and Robert Arrasmith of Edgewood; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial was this morning at St. Joseph Church, Crescent Springs. Burial was in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, handled arrangements.
Doris Ann Greene Bourne, 70, of Owenton, died Sunday at her home. She was a secretary and bookkeeper and a member of Owenton First Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Ma-lone Bourne; a son, Ed Bourne of Owenton; a daughter, Ann Kay Scoggins of Rome, Ga.; a sister, Lucy Kay McCoy of Owenton; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at McDonald and New Funeral Home, Main Street location, Owenton. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery, Owenton. Memorials are suggested to First Baptist Family Life Center, 213 N. Main St., Owenton, Ky. 40359.
Howard B. Carson Jr., 62, of Latonia, died Sunday at his home. Arrangements are pending at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia.
Ralph "Lucky" Chamberlain, 80, of Maysville, died at 10:10 a.m. Friday at Meadowview Regional Medical Center, Maysville. He was a retired maintenance worker with Brownings Manufacturing Co., Maysville, and an Army veteran of World War II. His wife, Mary Ruth Chamberlain, died Feb. 2. Sons, Terry Chamberlain, Franklin Chamberlain, Ralph Chamberlain Jr. and Jerry Chamberlain, and a stepson, Tommy White, also preceded him in death.
Survivors include daughters Linda Hopwood of Maysville and Mona Tracy of Terre Haute, Ind.; sons Chester Chamberlain and Larry Chamberlain, both of Maysville and Donnie Chamberlain of Ripley, Ohio; sisters Mariah Frances White and Lillian Bertha Burns, both of Mount Olivet, and Anne Ruth Wade of Lexington; 10 grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Brell and Son Funeral Home, Maysville. Visitation will begin there at 6 p.m. today. Burial will be in Maysville Cemetery.
Alice Winifred "Winnie" Gates Doyle, 75, of Florence, died Saturday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington. She was a new accounts representative with Kentucky National Bank and a member of Senior Citizens of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Burlington.
Survivors include her husband, William Doyle; a son, William Doyle Jr. of Brandon, Fla.; daughters Catherine Doyle Weber of Cincinnati, Peggy Ann Doyle Ihlendorf of Woodbury, Conn., and Cheryl Doyle Wiseman of Florence; sisters Margaret Robinson of Mobile, Ala., Dora A. Purvis of Davis, Calif., and Nell Rae Bateman of Hammond, La.; brothers Leroy Gates of Thomasville, Ind., Bradley Gates of Mobile, Ala., and Buford Gates of Demopolist, Ala.; and 11 grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Burlington. Visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Burlington. Entombment will be in Forest Lawn Mausoleum, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014.
Norma M. Grollig, 84, of Fort Wright, died at 5:25 p.m. Saturday at Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati. She was a homemaker, and a member of the St. Monica Society, Pathfinders, St. Charles Auxiliary and St. Augustine parish council.
Survivors include her husband, William Grollig; daughters Sandra Oster of Brunswick, Ohio, Paula Fritz and Beverly Pastura, both of Cincinnati, and Nancy Brooker of Latonia; brothers Ed Schulte of Fort Wright, Alvin Schulte of Covington, Robert Schulte of Scottsdale, Ariz., and Joseph Schulte of Park Hills; sisters Dorothy Funke of Erlanger and Anna Mae Middendorf of Covington; and five grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Augustine Church, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Entombment will be in Mother of God Mausoleum, Fort Wright.
Harry E. Kugler, 85, of Dry Ridge, died Saturday at New Castle Nursing Home. He was a former firefighter with the Cincinnati Fire Department, a retired maintenance worker with Multi-Color Printing in Cincinnati and a member of West Union, Ohio, Masonic Lodge. His wife, June Lillian Resterer Kugler, died in 2000.
Survivors include a daughter, Christy Hardison of Waddy; sons David Kugler and Steven Kugler, both of Harrison, Ohio; nine grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
No services are planned. Cremation will be at Hillside Chapel, Cincinnati. Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown, is handling arrangements.
Dorothy Rutledge Barcol Lawson, 83, of Covington, died at 4:40 p.m. Saturday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include a daughter, Lois Wilson of Covington; sons Teddy Lawson of Covington, Larry Barcol of Ryland Heights and Jerry Barcol of Glencoe; nine grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild.
Services will be at noon Tuesday at Don Catchen and Son Funeral Home, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Linden Grove Cemetery, Covington.
Ronny J. Livingood, 50, of Dayton, died Friday at University Hospital, Cincinnati. He was a marine mechanic with Lodder's Marine in Fairfield, Ohio.
Survivors include his wife, Alice Livingood; a daughter, Lyndsy Livingood of Batesville, Ind.; stepsons Daniel L. Osborne of Dayton, Gary L. Osborne of Cincinnati and Michael L. Osborne of Jacksonville, Fla.; a son, Ronny A. Livingood of Batesville, Ind.; sisters Marci Cleary and Cherrie Painter, both of Houston, and Beth Livingood of Corinth; brothers Buddy Livingood and Terry Livingood, both of Cincinnati; and a grandchild.
Services will be at 10 p.m. Tuesday at A.C. Dobbling and Son Funeral Home, Bellevue. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Butler County Cemetery, Fairfield.
Ruth Kinnett Mullikin, 76, of Mount Olivet, died Friday at St. Joseph Hospital, Lexington. She was a homemaker and a member of Mays Lick Lighthouse Church. A son, Kenneth Ray Watson, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her husband, William L. Mullikin; brothers Ray Kinnett of Sardinia, Ohio, and Robert Kinnett of Oxford, Ohio; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Robertson County Funeral Home, Mount Olivet. Burial will be in Shannon Cemetery, Mays Lick. Memorials are suggested to Mays Lick Lighthouse Church, 6682 U.S. Highway 68, Mays Lick, Ky. 41055.
Helen M. Sandfoss, 86, of Clarksville, Ohio, formerly of Camp Springs, died at 6:15 p.m. Saturday at Continental Manor, Blanchester, Ohio. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Joseph F. Sandfoss, died in 1996.
Survivors include sons Daniel Sandfoss of Clarksville, Ohio, and David Sandfoss of Mentor; a sister, Katie Dutle of Cold Spring; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Church, Camp Springs. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Camp Springs. Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph Church, Box 225, Four Mile Pike, Camp Springs, Ky. 41059.
Michael A. Smith, 41, of Florence, died Friday at Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati. He was disabled.
Survivors include a daughter, Jessica Reece of Dry Ridge; his mother, Thelma Lienhart Smith of Covington; brothers James Smith of Corinth, Kenny Smith of Covington and Ronald Smith of Independence; and sisters Diane Brownell of Richmond, Vt., Cheryl Voss of Covington, Donna Bisson of Pablo, Mont., and Carol Wilson of Corinth.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Covington. Visitation will begin there at noon Tuesday. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
Joyce Stout, 59, of Demossville, died Friday at her home. She was a bookkeeper with Nagel and Sons Co., Cincinnati, and a member of First Christian Assembly of God, Cincinnati. She was a member of the church bell choir and taught Sunday school there.
Survivors include her husband, Bob Stout; daughters Alyson Wilson of Independence and Kathy Fogarty of Indianapolis; a sister, Susie Bertholf of Louisville; a brother, Ed Cooper of Vienna, Va.; and five grandchildren.
Services were this morning at Peoples Funeral Home, Falmouth. Burial was in Pleasant Ridge Cemetery, Pendleton County.
Ethel Watkins, 82, of Latonia, died at 1:45 a.m. Saturday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was a charter member of Covington Baptist Temple. Her husband, Marshall Watkins, died in 1983.
Survivors include sons Gary Watkins of Dayton, Ohio, and Larry Watkins of Latonia; daughters Kathy Napier of Xenia, Ohio, and Marlene Moore of Cincinnati; brothers, Farris Proffitt of London and Gordon Proffitt of Squire Lakes, Ind.; 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 6 p.m. today at Covington Baptist Temple. Visitation will begin there at 4 p.m. Burial will be noon Tuesday at Rough Creek Cemetery, London. Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, is handling arrangements. Memorials are suggested to Covington Baptist Temple, 1813 Holman Ave., Covington, Ky. 41014.
Adrian Dean West, 74, of Moraine, Ohio, formerly of Brooksville, died at 9:58 a.m. Friday at his home. He was a roofer and an Army veteran of the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife, Bertha Ann "Sis" West; daughters Vickie Lynn West of Dayton, Ohio, and Marilyn Sue Bowman of Franklin, Ohio; a brother, Howard West of Brooksville; sisters Mildred Hatfield of Newport and Ruth Campbell of Orlando, Fla.; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Moore and Parker Funeral Home, Brooksville. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Concord Cemetery, Brooksville. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Marion Wieck, 86, of Fort Mitchell, died Saturday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington. She was a retired Navy nurse and assistant director of nursing education, chairwoman of the psychiatric nursing and maternal child nursing with Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati. She also served as nurse coordinator and director of nursing education at Rollman Psychiatric Institute in Cincinnati.
Survivors include sisters Julitta Overman of Crestview Hills and Eloise Holzderber of Elsmere.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Benedict Church, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to St. Benedict Church, 338 E. 17th St., Covington, Ky. 41011; or BAWAC, 7970 Kentucky Drive, Florence, Ky. 41042. Linnemann Funeral Home, Burlington, is handling arrangements.
