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Date of these obituaries: 01-08-2004
Ruth Ball, 90, brought vitality to her activities
Ruth Jacob Ball had a positive outlook on life, her daughter said.
Sure, there's a lot you could complain about, she would say, but it's better just to be happy.
"She just really did enjoy life, " said her daughter, Harriet Ball Shepherd of California. "She lived in that nursing home eight-and-a-half years, and until the very end, she was a good visit. You didn't come out feeling 'ugh.'
"She just had a spirit about her."
Mrs. Ball, a native of Pendleton County and resident of Carmel Manor nursing home who lived in Fort Thomas for more than 60 years, died Monday. She was 90.
Mrs. Ball was born near Falmouth and moved with her family to Indiana as a youth. As a young adult, she became a schoolteacher, teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Indiana.
She and her husband, Frank Ball, met while attending a family reunion in Falmouth -- Mr. Ball's brother was married
to Mrs. Ball's cousin -- and were married
a year later. She moved back to Kentucky and, like most women in her generation, Mrs. Ball gave up her career when she got married, Shepherd said.
"I don't think she was given the time to miss it, " Shepherd said. "It was just understood a married
woman didn't teach."
Mrs. Ball funneled her intellectual and creative energy into other activities after leaving teaching, Shepherd said. She sewed, cooked and hand made crafts for her three daughters and was an avid reader with a library that was always full.
"Now that I look back, I see that's where that was all coming from, " Shepherd said. "She was doing that for her 'students.' It's just that her kids were her students."
Mrs. Ball also put energy into Circle meetings, the monthly Bible lessons at her church. Every month, the women's group would meet and a member would teach a certain chapter of the Bible to the others. When it was her turn, Shepherd said, Mrs. Ball would read several books to find the best quotes and stories to explain her chapter.
"She was just really well liked, " Shepherd said. "And people knew that when they wanted a job done, she would do it and do it creatively."
Mrs. Ball is survived by another daughter, Mary Ball Hammill, of Minneapolis; four grandchildren, eight great grandchildren and a great-great granddaughter. She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank, in 1988 and a daughter, Letitia Ball Judd, in 1983.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Carmel Manor Chapel, Fort Thomas. Burial will be in the Ball Family Cemetery, California. Memorials are suggested to Carmel Manor, 100 Carmel Manor Drive, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075; or the charity of the donor's choice. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
A. Evelyn Creamer, 91, of Maryville, Tenn., formerly of Latonia, died at 10:37 p.m. Monday at Blount Memorial Hospital, Maryville.
She was a member of Trinity United Methodist Church in Latonia, Lakeside Seniors Colony Club, the American Association of Retired Persons, and the St. Luke Hospital West Auxiliary. She was a retired secretary for Dr. Robert Bader in Cincinnati.
Her husband, Ralph Estes Creamer, died in 1972. A son, James B. Warrington, died in 1990. A daughter, Judith Ann Kuester, died in 2001.
Survivors include grandchildren, Kerri K. Dole of Colorado Springs, Andrew Kuester and Bradford Kuester, both of Knoxville, Tenn.; and a great-granddaughter.
Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
Memorials are suggested to Trinity United Methodist Church, 101 E. Southern Ave., Covington, Ky. 41015. Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, is handling arrangements.
Rose Angela Dauer, 87, of Erlanger, died Tuesday at the Highlands of Fort Thomas nursing home.
She was a retired insurance agent and a member of St. Henry Church, Elsmere.
Survivors include a niece, Mary Elizabeth Estes, and a nephew, Stephen Anthony Book, both of Walton.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Henry Church. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
Memorials are suggested to St. Henry High School, 3755 Scheben Drive, Erlanger, Ky. 41018. Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence, is handling arrangements.
Clayton H. Davis, 44, of Florence, died Wednesday at his home.
Arrangements are pending at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Taylor Mill.
Lucille Doleski, 97, of Florence, died Wednesday at Villaspring Health Care Center, Erlanger.
She was an accountant with State House in Boston and a member of St. Richard Church, Danvers, Mass. Her husband, Frank J. Doleski, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a daughter, Leona Dudley of Florence; sisters, Alice Caron of West Peabody, Mass., and Emma Espinola of Danvers; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Richard Church, Danvers. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at Stith Funeral Home, Florence, and from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at Clarence R. Lyons Funeral Home, Danvers. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Salem, Mass.
Eleanor F. Geiger Eckerle, 85, of Latonia, died at 4:14 p.m. Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington.
She was a homemaker and childcare worker, and was a meal provider at Rosedale Manor, Latonia.
She was a member of Holy Cross Church, Latonia, an associate member of the Sisters of Divine Providence in Melbourne and a volunteer care provider for the elderly. Her husband, Gilmore Eckerle, died in 1964. Daughters, Ellen Kobman and Dr. Marlene Eckerle, died in 1999 and 2003, respectively.
Survivors include daughters, Sister Ellen Marie Eckerle, C.D.P. and Annette Bishop, both of Latonia, Judy Carter of Raleigh, N.C., and Janice Ferguson of Cincinnati; sons, Ronald Eckerle of Dayton, Ohio, Paul Eckerle of Florence and Richard Eckerle of Independence; a sister, Ruth Schulte of Union; brothers, Leonard Geiger of Fort Thomas and Edgar Geiger of Safety Harbor, Fla.; 22 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at Holy Cross Church, Latonia. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia. Prayers will be at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Holy Cross Church, 3612 Church St., Covington, Ky. 41015; or Sisters of Divine Providence, 1000 St. Anne Drive, Melbourne, Ky. 41059.
Joan Northcutt Eldridge, 75, of Erlanger, died at 7:25 p.m. Monday at her daughter's home in Erlanger. She was a retired bookkeeper in local doctors' offices, and a member of Hebron Church of Christ, Rosebud Chapter No. 39 Order of the Eastern Star, Job's Daughters Chapter No. 5, Bethel, and Cincinnati Bell Telephone Pioneers. Her husband, Louis Russell Eldridge, died in 2003.
Survivors include a son, Doug Eldridge of Hebron; a daughter, Donna Miller of Erlanger; and five grandchildren.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Friday at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 4 p.m. Friday. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Hebron Church of Christ, 2966 Damascus Road, Hebron, Ky. 41048.
Karl K. Kaucher, 90, of Covington, died Wednesday at Baptist Towers, Covington.
Arrangements are pending at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow.
Kevin "Whitey" Thomas Lawrence, 38, of Dry Ridge, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a concrete worker with Woodyard Construction Co. and was a member of Pendleton County Motor Cross.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce Keller Lawrence; a son, Kevin Thomas Lawrence Jr. of Dry Ridge; a daughter, Michelle Doyen of Dry Ridge; his mother, Janice Dills of Dry Ridge; brothers, Rusty Lawrence and Patrick Dills, both of Dry Ridge; and sisters, Susan Lawrence Byrd of Goshen, Ohio, and Megan Dills of Dry Ridge.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Eckler-Hudson Funeral Home, Dry Ridge. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to Kevin Lawrence Jr. Memorial Fund, 690 Larkin Lane, Dry Ridge, Ky. 41035.
Phillip Wayne Renfro, 53, of Owenton, died Tuesday at Owenton Manor. He was a meter tester with Actaris Metering Systems, Owenton, and a member of Owen County Bassmasters. He attended Richland Baptist Church. A son, Ronnie Dale Renfro, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Angie Minor Renfro; sons, Phillip Wayne Renfro Jr. of Owenton and Kyle Wiley of Frankfort; stepsons, Ethan Bradford, Spencer Lawson and Tyler Lawson, both of Owenton; his mother, Barbara Alice Boothby Renfro; brothers, Johnny Hill of New Liberty, Velmar Renfro Jr. of Owenton, William Kenneth Renfro of Hesler, Jackie Renfro, Don Renfro and Marty Renfro, all of Owenton; and sisters, Fannie Dews of Cincinnati, Faye E. Swiger of Frankfort, Rosie Juett, Shirley Moore, Roxanne Miller, Jane Ellen Marsh, Barbara Wainscott, and Sarah F. McCormick, all of Owenton.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at McDonald & New Funeral Home, Main Street location, Owenton. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 tonight at the funeral home.
Margaret Ruth Rollyson, 72, of Fort Wright, died at 6:50 a.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington. She was a retired clerical worker with local insurance companies and a member of St. Paul Christian Church, Fort Wright.
Survivors include sisters, Gladys Harvey of Highland Heights, Madge Rollyson of Florence and Dorothy Miracle of Latonia.
Services will be at noon Friday at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Walnut Hills Cemetery, Cincinnati. Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer's Disease Association, 644 Linn St., Suite 1026, Cincinnati, Ohio 45203.
Blanche Leona Schoenfeld, 85, of Florence, died Wednesday at Florence Park Care Center, Florence. She was a secretary with Cincinnati Financial. Her husband, Frederick Schoenfeld, preceded her in death.
Survivors include sons, John Schoenfeld of Florence and Michael Schoenfeld of Cincinnati; a sister, Betty Browning of Cincinnati; a brother, Eugene Browning of Cincinnati; 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at noon Friday at St. Paul Church, Florence. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Friday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Cincinnati. Memorials are suggested to American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 2680, North Canton, Ohio 44720.
Alleen Griggs Townsend, 85, of Erlanger, died at 5:10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. She was a homemaker. Her first husband, William Zimmerman, died in 1968. Her second husband, Denver Townsend, died in 1980.
Survivors include daughters, Joyce Lutes of Erlanger and Julia Andrews of Ludlow; four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Taylor Mill. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill.
Charles L. Watkins, 60, of Covington, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington. He was an employee of Swifty Gas Stations in Florence and Burlington.
Survivors include his wife, Vicki Webster Watkins; a daughter, Lisa Pope of Erlanger; sons, Charles L. Watkins of Covington and Mathew R. Watkins of Erlanger; a stepson, Edward Bertram of Covington; stepdaughters, Carrie Marksberry of Covington and Michelle Marksberry of Warsaw; sisters, Mildred Kingery of Cincinnati and Jean Collini of Moores Hill, Ind.; and a grandson.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Carlton-Lowder Funeral Home, Warsaw. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Paint Lick Cemetery.
Albert White, 57, of Maysville, died at 11:45 a.m. Jan. 1 at his home. He was a steelworker.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia White, and daughters, Margaret Gill of Ripley, Ohio, and Linda Whitney of Maysville.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Brell and Son Funeral Home, Maysville. Visitation will begin there at 1 p.m. Friday.
