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Date of these obituaries: 01-24-2004
Willis Dean Christner, farmer and dairy products salesman
Willis Dean "Bill" Christner knew milk and knew how to sell.
Those two attributes propelled him from milking cows on his family's dairy farm in Niles, Mich., to national sales manager for all of the Kroger Co.'s dairy operations in a career that spanned more than four decades.
Mr. Christner, 75, of Erlanger, died Friday at Woodcrest Manor, Elsmere.
He, five brothers and his father were working their dairy operation when four of his brothers went off to fight in World War II.
He dropped out of school in the eighth grade because he was needed on the farm, but his natural affability and work ethic helped him rise steadily through the dairy industry.
His first job off the farm was delivering for United Dairy in Niles, a company that he eventually headed as general manager.
He was hired away by Kroger in 1970 to launch an effort to sell that company's dairy products for rebranding to other retailers.
"He'd show these companies how it was to their advantage to buy their dairy products from Kroger and sell them under their brand, " said his son, Ronald Dean Christner, of Harrison, Ohio. "That was unheard of when he started. He was kind of a pioneer." His early customers in that effort include A&P.; Later in his career "he was selling milk and ice cream to Wal-Mart, " Ronald Christner said.
After his retirement from Kroger in 1986, Mr. Christner worked as a consultant for other regional dairy companies.
He developed a taste for hunting and fishing from his boyhood on the farm, and owned a place on Lake Superior near Munising, Mich., that later became part of Pictured Rocks National Seashore.
Growing up during the Depression made Mr. Christner sensitive to need in others, his son said.
"He knew tough times. So whenever he saw somebody who needed something, he would try to give it to them, " Ronald Christner said.
Surviving in addition to his son are his wife, Mary Lou Christner of Erlanger; a daughter, Carol Ann Carr of Walton; brothers, Henry Christner of Culpepper, Va., and Kenneth Christner of Edwardsburg, Mich.; and stepdaughters, Dana Marie Stulka of Howard, Ohio, and Anne Leslie Wright of Independence; four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Burlington Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to First Church of Christ, 6080 Camp Ernst Road Burlington, Ky. 41005; Parkinson's Disease Support Network UCMC, Neurology, Mail Location 525 231 Bethesda Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45267; or St. Elizabeth Hospice, 401 East 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014-9988
Carl Edward Creamer, 70, of Covington, died Friday at the Veterans Administration Nursing Home, Fort Thomas. He was a taxi cab driver.
Survivors include sisters, Gertrude Eckstein of Covington, Mary Ellen Creamer and Margaret Creamer, both of Lakeside Park; a brother, Robert Creamer of Covington; and several step-grandchildren. There are no services or visitation. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Esther Schneider Haas, 83, formerly of Newport, died at 5:10 p.m. Thursday at Northern Kentucky Rehabilitation Center, Highland Heights. She was a retired cook.
She was preceded in death by her husbands, Edward J. Schneider, who died in 1971, and Robert F. Haas, who died in 1994. She is survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Thomas Church, Fort Thomas. A prayer service will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Visitation will begin there at 9:30 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Cold Spring. Memorials: Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Helen Dalphine Johnson, 71, of Florence, died Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. She was a retired file clerk for R. L. Polk Co., Cincinnati.
Survivors include sisters, Norma Turner of Jackson, Shirley Faehr of Morningview, and Janice Minnich of Colerain Township, Ohio.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Taylor Mill. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Monday. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association, 2836 Vernon Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219.
Joyce Lee Knoop, 65, of Ludlow, died Thursday at her residence. She was a cook for Covington Chili Restaurant.
Survivors include a son, Robert Shearer of Ludlow, and three grandchildren.
Services will be at noon Monday at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Monday.
Erika M. Maelzer, 77, of Taylor Mill, died at 10:55 a.m. Friday at her home. She was a homemaker and a member of Holy Cross Church, Latonia, and the Holy Cross Parish 50 plus Club.
Survivors include her husband, Erich H. Maelzer of Taylor Mill; daughters, Christa L. VanHook of Somerset and Karola M. Buchanan of Versailles; a son, Udo H. Maelzer of Emeigh, Pa; a sister, Margrete Nixdorf of Ludenscheid, Germany; 13 grandchildren, two step-grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
A blessing will be conducted at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, at the convenience of the family. Entombment will be in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Holy Cross Church, 3612 Church Street, Latonia, Ky. 41015, or Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075
Ann S. McKenna, 97, of Sarasota, Fla., formerly of Fort Thomas, died Thursday at her home. She was a retired first-grade school teacher for Ruth Moyer School. Her husband, Harold McKenna, died in 1981.
Survivors include a son, Jon McKenna of Washington, D.C.; sisters, Elizabeth Cole of Venice, Fla., and Kathleen Patrick of Danville; and a brother, Thomas Spurlin of Richmond.
A memorial service will be held at Oldham Roberts and Powell Funeral Home, Sarasota, in the spring. Toale Brothers Funeral Home, Sarasota, is handling arrangements. Memorials are suggested to the First Presbyterian Church, 220 S. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075
Martha Jean Neal Northcutt, 72, of Walton, died Thursday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. Arrangements are pending at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Walton.
Ruby Pribble Owen, 85, of Butler, died Thursday at River Valley Nursing Home, Butler. She was the owner of Farmer's Market Grocery in Butler, and a member of the Butler Christian Church. Her husband, Gordon Owen, and son, Neal Owen, preceded her in death.
Survivors include daughters, Sidney Owen of Cincinnati and Jennifer Owen of Boca Raton, Fla.; and a brother, David Pribble of Falmouth.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Peoples Funeral Home, Butler. Visitation will begin there at noon Sunday. Burial will be in Butler Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Butler Christian Church, 111 High Street, Butler, Ky. 41006.
Harold Terrell, 39, of Dry Ridge, died at 4 a.m. Friday at his residence. He was a member of First Love Community Church, Crittenden, and also attended Macedonia Baptist Church, Jonesville.
Survivors include his parents, Harold Wayne Terrell, Sr., and Lola Griffith Terrell of Dry Ridge; a daughter, Brandee Terrell of Dry Ridge; a brother, Todd Terrell of Gallatin, Tenn.; and a sister, Tammy Terrell Jones of Dry Ridge.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Macedonia Baptist Church, Jonesville. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown. Burial will be at Macedonia Baptist Church Cemetery, Jonesville. Memorials are suggested to Macedonia Baptist Church Building Fund, 14545 Jonesville Road, Dry Ridge, Ky. 41035 or St. Elizabeth Hospice, 401 E. 20th Street, Covington, Ky. 41014.
