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Date of these obituaries: 01-19-2004
Dr. Virginia Daugherty Kratz, medical pioneer
Virginia Daugherty Kratz was a third-generation physician who was one of the first female public health officers in Kentucky.
Dr. Kratz, 80, a native of Independence and resident of Southgate, died Saturday at St. Luke East Hospital in Fort Thomas.
Dr. Kratz graduated from the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine in 1947 -- one of nine women in her class -- and spent a year as a public health official in Florida. As a 24-year-old med school graduate, she then returned to Kentucky as the public health officer in Owen and Grant counties, becoming only the second woman in the state to hold such a position, said her daughter, state Sen. Katie Stine, R-Fort Thomas.
There, she was known as "the lady doctor" to her patients.
As time went on, Dr. Kratz's territory expanded to include Gallatin, Pendleton and Boone counties.
"I think it started out a couple of counties and then it kept adding and adding. She'd go in and ask for a raise, and they'd give it to her, but they'd give her more counties, too, " Stine said. "She was tough. She was real tough."
Dr. Kratz learned to be tough early. Her father sent her to dance, art and acrobatics classes in Covington every Saturday to hone her cultural skills. Stine said her grandfather didn't want his children to be looked down on as rural hillbillies from Kentucky when they went off to college.
But that's what people thought anyway, Stine said. Her freshman year at UC, Dr. Kratz tried out for the elite chorus line. As she walked to the stage to audition, Stine said, her mother's colleagues snickered a bit.
But the tap-dancing skills she learned from those Saturday classes in Covington kicked in.
"She absolutely burned up the stage, " Stine said. "And all those Cincinnati girls -- the snooty ones -- their jaws just dropped to the floor."
Dr. Kratz made the squad.
Then, during her first year of medical school, Dr. Kratz's father died, leaving the family strapped for cash. Although Dr. Kratz's father was a well-known and respected physician, the family was not well-to-do, Stine said.
"Times were tough because they weren't well off, " Stine said. "Back then, people would pay for their medical bills with a sack of potatoes."
Dr. Kratz's mom went to work for the phone company and Dr. Kratz went to work in a lab to help pay for her school.
"She'd eat a candy bar for dinner just because she didn't have the money, " Stine said. "I'll tell you what, my mother is what you call a self-made woman. She really is."
Dr. Kratz was born into a family with a rich medical tradition. Her grandfather graduated in the first class of the University of Louisville Medical School, and her father graduated from the school as well. Her brother, uncle and cousins also were doctors.
And Dr. Kratz even married
a doctor she met in medical school. When it came to her own kids, Dr. Kratz's son, Dr. Robert Kevin Kratz of Cary, N.C., followed in his parents' footsteps. But Stine broke the tradition, becoming an attorney and a politician instead.
"They weren't happy about it, but my brother did go into medicine, " Stine said. "They got one out of that generation, so that seemed to appease everybody a little bit."
Though she didn't follow her mother into medicine, Stine said her mother inspired her to not be confined by what society might dictate.
"I guess, in a lot of ways, seeing her as a women in a field that was dominated by men shaped me to say, 'I can do whatever I wanted to do, '" said Stine, who has served in the legislature since 1994 and is one of only a few women to chair a legislative committee.
Dr. Kratz took a hiatus from practicing medicine in the 1960s to take care of her two children. She later returned to the field, doing a residency at Rollman Psychiatric Hospital in Cincinnati where she practiced for seven years.
A crippling tumor in her spine gradually forced her mother out of medicine, Stine said.
"Even through that, the people who would come stay with her, they always thought she was such a cool person, " Stine said.
Besides her two children, Dr. Kratz is survived by five grandchildren.
Services will be at 11:15 a.m. Wednesday at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Fort Thomas. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Independence Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Fort Thomas Weekday Religious Education, in care of St. Andrews Episcopal Church, 3 Chalfonte Place, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075; or Salvation Army, 340 W. 10th St., Newport, Ky. 41071. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
Marcella Gubser, strong in faith
Marcella M. Gubser used her strong Catholic faith to help her raise three of her six children on her own.
When her husband Clarence died in 1970, Mrs. Gubser got a job as a cook at St. Mary School in Alexandria and resolved to raise a close, yet large family like the one in which she grew up, said a daughter, Sandy Gubser of Cold Spring.
"She wound up at that point working and pretty much spent her energy making sure her kids were raised, " she said.
Mrs. Gubser, 78, of Alexandria died Saturday at Carmel Manor in Fort Thomas.
Sandy Gubser said her mother's support of her children's ambitions was unwavering.
"We didn't have a lot of money, so we all put ourselves through school, " she said. "Mom was there saying 'You can do it.'"
She was a member of St. Mary Church, Alexandria, and retired from Sunshine Cleaners in Cold Spring.
Other survivors include sons, Don Gubser of Melbourne and John Gubser of Alexandria; daughters, Joyce Hartig of Alexandria, Linda Heiert of Melbourne and Angela Wolfe of Cold Spring; sisters, Evelyn Crowley of Independence, Ruth Kremer and Anna Mae Ritter, both of Highland Heights, and Alvina Steffen of Cold Spring; brothers, Clifford Simon of Highland Heights, Frank Simon of Cold Spring and Louis Simon of Fort Wright; and 13 grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Mary Church, Alexandria. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Alexandria. Memorials are suggested to Carmel Manor, 100 Carmel Manor Road, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075; or St. Vincent DePaul Society, 2655 Crescent Springs Road, Erlanger, Ky. 41018.
Roy Baker, 86, of Alexandria, died at 5:07 p.m. Friday at Highlands of Fort Thomas nursing home. He was an employee of the Veterans Administration Medical Center and Nordloh Tile Co., both in Cincinnati, and a member of St. Paul United Church of Christ, Alexandria.
Survivors include his wife, Jean A. Baker; a daughter, Carol Jean Baker of Dayton, Ohio; and a son, Darrell Lee Baker of Dayton, Ohio.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Alexandria Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to St. Paul United Church of Christ, 1 N. Jefferson St., Alexandria, Ky. 41001.
Dorothy Bamberger, 97, of Covington, died Saturday at St. Charles Care Center, Covington.
Arrangements are pending at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger.
Chester Lee Breeden, 88, of Carrollton, died Saturday at King's Daughters Hospital in Madison, Ind. He was a retired employee of Leeway Trucking Co. and an Army veteran of World War II. Two infant sons and a daughter, Dorothy Marie Abbott, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Alice Breeden, and a son, Rev. Curtis T. Breeden of Liberty.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery, Carrollton.
Joseph J. Corbett, 81, of Fort Mitchell, died Saturday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
He was a retired distribution clerk with the U.S. Postal Service and a member of Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell. He was a member of the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, the Brotherhood of Railway Clerks, Covington Catholic High School Boosters and a volunteer with Parish Kitchen. He was a former boxing coach at Covington Catholic and coached Knothole baseball. His wife, Dorothy Schlinkert Corbett, died in 2002.
Survivors include daughters, Mimi Jervis of Carbondale, Colo., and Terry Biggers of Lexington; sons, Gary Corbett of Littleton, Colo., Johnny Corbett of Trumbull, Conn., Tommy Corbett of Wilder and Willy Corbett of Cincinnati; a brother, William Corbett of Ludlow; and 13 grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 p.m. Thursday at Blessed Sacrament Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Parish Kitchen, 141 Pike St., Covington, Ky. 41011.
Anna Thomas Zornes Cooper, 95, of Germantown, died at 7:57 a.m. Saturday at Robertson County Health Care Center, Mount Olivet. She was a retired nurse's aide and a member of Germantown Baptist Church. Her husband, Albert W. Cooper, died in 1995. Sons, Wayne Cooper and Russell Cooper, died in 1975 and 1996, respectively.
Survivors include daughters, Marie Woodruff of Germantown and Ada Adair of Cynthiana; sisters, Lelah "Doll" Jordan and Pauline Jones, both of Flemingsburg; 14 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Palmer Funeral Home, Germantown. Visitation will begin there at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Germantown. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Hope, 909 Kenton Station Road, Maysville, Ky. 41056.
Millie Neal Dolan, 96, of Fayetteville, Tenn., formerly of Harrison County, died Saturday at her home. She was a homemaker. Husbands, Louis Neal and James W. Dolan, both preceded her in death.
Survivors include daughters, Kay Butcher of Harrison County and Marcia Dolan Beyl of Fayetteville, Tenn.; five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Battle Grove Cemetery, Cynthiana. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 508 E. Pike St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031. Ware Funeral Home, Cynthiana, is handling arrangements.
Evelyn Dunn, 71, of Dry Ridge, died Sunday at her home.
Arrangements are pending at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown.
Richard L. Ellis, 78, of Latonia, died at 8:50 a.m. Friday at Rosedale Manor, Latonia. He was a retired ironworker with Stewart Iron Work and an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. His wife, Alberta Ellis, died in 1997.
Survivors include sons, Danny Ellis of Cold Spring and John Ellis of Lexington; daughters, Kathleen Ellis and Linda Vance, both of Latonia, and Melissa Schulkens of Alexandria; a brother, Henry Fuller of Fort Thomas; a sister, Irene Adams of St. Augustine, Fla.; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Holy Cross Church, Latonia. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at Don Catchen and Son Funeral Home, Covington. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill.
Lee Earhart Jr., 61, of Ludlow, died Saturday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington.
Arrangements are pending at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Taylor Mill.
Albert J. Fields, 76, of Falmouth, died at 12:49 a.m. Thursday in Bremerton, Wash. He was an assembly supervisor with Ford Motor Co., Cincinnati, and a past master of Latonia Lodge No. 746 F&AM and Royal Order of Scotland. He was a member of Scottish Rite, Covington Commandery No. 7 Knights Templar, Kenton Council No. 13 R&SM;, and Knights of the York Cross of Honor. He was a member of Orion Lodge No. 222 in Falmouth and Plum Creek Christian Church. His first wife, Iola Fields, died in 1997.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia Case Fields; sons, Greg Fields of Independence and Phillip Fields of Latonia; a stepson, Michael Fields of Atlanta; a daughter, Jennie McCollum of Covington; a stepdaughter, Janet R. Silcott of Bremerton; a brother, Leslie Fields of Erlanger; sisters, Mary Neumeister of Walton, Elizabeth Fisher of Ludlow and Ruth Bonar of Richmond, Ind.; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be at noon Wednesday at Swindler and Currin Funeral Home, Latonia. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Masonic Homes of Kentucky, 3701 Frankfort Ave., Masonic Home, Ky. 40041.
William "Al" Groh, 87, of Bellevue, died Sunday at his home.
He was a shoe repairman and owner of Groh's Shoe Repair in Dayton and a member of St. Anthony Church in Bellevue, American Legion Post No. 153 and Dayton Eagles. He was an Army veteran of World War II. A daughter, Karen Mayer, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Margie Geisler Groh; daughters, Cindy DeSerna of Lebanon, Ohio, and Kathy Groh of Bellevue; a son, Mike Groh of Fort Thomas; and six grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Bernard Church, Dayton. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at A.C. Dobbling and Son Funeral Home, Bellevue. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3229 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45229; or Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Mildred L. Haas, 94, of Fort Thomas, died Saturday at Carmel Manor, Fort Thomas. She was a bookkeeper with Newport Auto Sales and a member of St. Thomas Church in Fort Thomas, where she was a member of the St. Thomas Altar Society and 50/50 Club. She was a volunteer with St. Luke Hospitals. Her husband, Francis X. Haas, preceded her in death.
Survivors include sons, Timothy Haas of Wilmette, Ill., and Francis X. Haas Jr. of Denver; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at Carmel Manor. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at A.C. Dobbling and Son Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to Carmel Manor, 100 Carmel Manor Road, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Mary Jane MacMillan Halloran, 68, of Cincinnati, formerly of Bellevue, died Friday at Mercy Franciscan Hospital, Cincinnati. She was a homemaker and a volunteer with Mercy Franciscan Hospital, Mount Airy campus, Cincinnati. Her husband, Thomas L. Halloran, died in 1995.
Survivors include sons, Douglas Halloran of Clarksville, Tenn., Michael Halloran, Robert Halloran and Thomas Halloran, all of Cincinnati; a brother, Alex MacMillan Jr. of Fort Thomas; and seven grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at A.C. Dobbling and Son Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to American Heart Association, 2936 Vernon Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219.
Helen Charlotte Long, 91, of Florence, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was an employee of Lazarus Department Store, Cincinnati. Her husband, Louis Long, died in 1990.
Survivors include a son, Helen Todd of Florence; eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger. Visitation will begin there at noon Tuesday. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Kathryn Ann McGraw, 55, of Florence, died Saturday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. She was a homemaker and a member of Fowler Creek Baptist Church.
Survivors include sons, Charles McGraw of Williamstown and Carl Lee McGraw of Dry Ridge; a daughter, Jackie Smith of Florence; brothers, Arthur McDaniel, Wayne McDaniel and John McDaniel, all of Union, James Henry McDaniel of Maxville, Steve McDaniel of Florence, George "Joe" McDaniel of Walton and Russell McDaniel of Independence; sisters, Angie Laneheart of Nashville, Tenn., Lilly Mae Mallicoat of Verona, Susan Holten of Okeana, Ohio, and Viola Jean Vance of Florence; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Beech Grove Cemetery, Burlington.
James Pack, 68, of Newport, died Friday at Baptist Convalescent Center, Newport. He was a retired janitor with A.D. Owens School and a member of Trinity Baptist Church, both in Newport.
Survivors include brothers, Ken Pack of Newport and Don Pack of Claryville.
Services will be at noon Tuesday at Trinity Baptist Church. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Cooper Funeral Home, Grants Lick, is handling arrangements.
Thomas A. Reibling, 89, of Erlanger, died Saturday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
He was a retired purchasing agent with Western Paper Products Co., Cincinnati, and a member of St. John's Congregational Church in Covington, Latonia Lodge No. 746 F&AM, Scottish Rite Valley of Covington, Syrian Shrine of Cincinnati and the Kingsmen choral group. He was a member of the church council at St. John's. His wife, Naomi Oswald Reibling, died in 1978.
Survivors include a daughter, Ruth Johnson of Union; a sister, Mary Margaret Kelley of Burlington; and a grandchild.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati. Memorial suggested to St. John's Congregational Church, 1236 Highway Ave., Covington, Ky. 41011.
Billy Ray Sadler Jr., 40, of Cynthiana, died Friday at Harrison Memorial Hospital, Cynthiana. He was a truck driver.
Survivors include a son, Billy Ray Sadler III of Pensacola, Fla.; daughters, Autumn Michelle Sadler of Reagan Nichole Sadler, both of Harrison County; his parents, Billy Ray and Rosemary Sadler of Milford; brothers, Randy Sadler and Mark Sadler, both of Harrison County; a sister, Penny Prows of Harrison County; a stepsister, Mary Beth Foster of Harrison County; and fianc�e, Linda Cordray of Cynthiana.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Ware Funeral Home, Cynthiana. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Pythian Grove Cemetery, Berry. Memorials are suggested to Kidney Foundation of Central Kentucky, 2417 Regency Road, Suite B, Lexington, Ky. 40503.
John William Sams, 74, of Independence, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a retired grinder with American Tool and Lodge and Shipley companies.
Survivors include his wife, Carolyn Carroll Sams; sons, Michael Sams of Morning View, Darrall Sams and William Sams, both of Independence, Barry Sams of Dry Ridge and Dennis Sams of Florence; sisters, Mallina Johnson of Fishers, Ind., Julia Lovill of Midletown, Ohio, Daisy Westerfield and Ohler Snyder, both of Corbin, and Anna Louise Howard of Corbin; a brother, Edward Stepp of Corbin; and seven grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Salvation Army, 340 W. 10th St., Newport, Ky. 41071.
Gabriel Mary Schanding, 78, of Latonia, died at 5 a.m. Friday at her home.
She was a homemaker and a member of Holy Cross Church, Latonia. She was active with Holy Cross Senior Citizens and was a volunteer with Be Concerned, Covington. Her husband, Donald "Bud" G. Schanding, died in 1988.
Survivors include sons, Donald Schanding of West Chester, Ohio, and Gary Schanding of Villa Hills; a daughter, Paula Reed of Taylor Mill; brothers, Mike Gladney and Frank Gladney, both of St. Johns, Newfoundland; sisters, Nell Hanlon and Patsy McCallister, both of St. Johns, Newfoundland; 13 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial was this morning at Holy Cross Church, Latonia. Burial was in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright. Memorials are suggested to Be Concerned, 714 Washington St., P.O. Box 921, Covington, Ky. 41012; Holy Cross High School, 3617 Church St., Covington, Ky. 41015; or St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014. Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, is handling arrangements.
Fred James Thompson, 75, of Newport, died at 12:45 p.m. Saturday at his home. He was a driver with City Products Co., Cincinnati, and a member of Teamsters Union Local No. 105.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Thompson; sons, Joseph Michael Thompson of Dayton, Fred James Thompson Jr. of Newport and Paul Edward Thompson of Taylor Mill; daughters, Teresa Thompson of Alexandria, Kathaleen Foley of Erlanger, Evalyn Caylor of Independence, Suan Helton of Helton of Covington and Janet Gayle Robinson of Hebron; brothers, Kenneth Earhart of Mount Vernon and Robert Earhart of Dry Ridge; 19 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.
No services are planned. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill.
Myra Louise Wilson True, 89, of Williamstown, died Saturday at Grant Manor Health Care Center, Williamstown. She was a retired teacher with the Grant County Board of Education. Her husband, John True, died in 1981.
Survivors include a son, Johnnie L. True of Dry Ridge; daughters, Jane Lee Jones and Janice L. Wright, both of Corinth; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Eckler-Hudson Funeral Home, Dry Ridge. Visitation will begin there at noon. Burial will be in New Columbus Cemetery, Corinth.
Mary M. Wischer, 84, of Park Hills, died at 11 a.m. Saturday at Villaspring Care Center, Erlanger. She was a deputy clerk with the Kenton County Clerk's office.
Survivors include a brother, William Wischer of Park Hills, nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian burial was this morning at St. Agnes Church, Fort Wright. Burial was in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright.
Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice. Don Catchen and Son Funeral Home, Elsmere, is handling arrangements.
Gregory Arthur Young, 49, of Florence, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a disabled construction worker.
Survivors include sons, Travis Dehner and Tyler Dehner, both of Covington; sisters, Toni Moore Cowherd of Walton and Colleen Pieper of Independence; and brothers, Ronnie Young and Wayne Young, both of Independence.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence.
Memorials are suggested to Lisa Rump Memorial Fund, in care of Holy Cross High School, 3617 Church St., Covington, Ky. 41015.
