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Date of these obituaries: 09-20-2003
Syl LaFata, made suits for stars, golf's Masters
In the final days of his life, Syl "Tony" LaFata lay in a hospital bed being quizzed by a doctor checking on his mental faculties.
Mr. LaFata, 89, rattled off his name, address and medications to the amazement of the physician. Then he got back to doing what he had done for 70 years: He tried to sell the doctor a suit.
"He just loved to go to work. He loved his work, " said his sister-in-law, Marilyn McCabe, of Florence.
A designer for the stars, including Bob Hope, Perry Como and countless professional athletes, he kept working into this month.
Mr. LaFata, of Florence, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Edgewood.
He was a clothing designer at Hamilton Tailoring & Co. in Cincinnati for decades, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a tailor.
McCabe said his reputation grew in part because of work done for Carl Lindner, who referred Mr. LaFata to other prominent men looking for a good suit.
"He knew and designed and made clothes for Carl Lindner, and through him there were others. You name it, he knew them, " Mrs. McCabe said.
He also made the green jackets that are given to winners of the Master's golf tournament every April.
Mr. LaFata enlisted in the Army and served in World War II as a medic.
He was married
to JoAnne LaFata of Florence for 36 very happy years.
"They were very much in love, the kind that hold each other's hands when they were in their 70s, " Mrs. McCabe said.
She said Mr. LaFata was devoted to his family as well.
"There couldn't have been anybody who loved his family more. He has wonderful children, " she said.
Celebrities enjoyed his work, but Mr. LaFata had a magnetic personality that drew people from all walks of life to him.
"If he knew you and you met him, within five minutes you'd love him. It made no difference who they were. If he liked them, he liked them, " McCabe said.
Survivors in addition to his wife include sons Charles LaFata of Cincinnati and Joseph LaFata of Sault St. Marie, Mich.; a daughter, Renee Waller of Bright, Ind.; and seven grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 12:05 p.m. Tuesday at Mother of God Church in Covington. Visitation will begin there Tuesday at 10 a.m. Entombment will be at Mother of God mausoleum.
Memorials may be sent to American Heart Association, 2936 Vernon Place, Cincinnati, 45219.
Gary Lee Acree, 58, of Florence, died Thursday. He was a retired postal clerk, member of the National Rifle Association and a member of the American Postal Workers Union. His wife, Patricia Ann Antoni Acree, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his daughter, Jen-Na Acree of Covington; a son, Gary Lester Acree of Florence; a sister, Naomi Bowen of Independence; and a brother, Ray Acree of Independence.
Services will be at noon today at Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association, 333 Guthrie St., Suite 207, Louisville, Ky. 40202.
Dennis G. Chandler, Jr., 79, of Cincinnati, died Thursday at Burlington House in Cincinnati. He was a retired minister and member of the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Church. His first wife, Carolyn Chandler, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Chandler of Cincinnati; a son, Dennis T. Chandler of Cold Spring; brothers, David and Sherman Chandler, both of Owensboro; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at First Christian Church, 1031 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to Burlington House, 222 Springdale Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45231 or VITAS Healthcare Corp. of Ohio, 11500 Northlake Drive, Suite 400 Cincinnati, Ohio 45249.
Marie Free, 82, of Hebron, died Tuesday at Florence Park Care Center, Florence. She was a retired office manager for Dr. Howard Ravenscraft. Her husband, Richard James Free, preceded her in death.
Survivors include sons, Alan J. Free of Cincinnati, Glen R. Free of Grapevine, Texas and Mark R. Free of Erlanger; sisters, Laura Lamb of Latonia and Betty Roberts of Erlanger; five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services were held Friday. Burial is in Hebron Lutheran Cemetery, Hebron.
Memorials are suggested to the American Parkinson's Disease Association, 165 W. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45216.
Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron, is in charge of arrangements.
Hettie Gregory, 92, of Kenton County, died Friday at Rosedale Manor.
Arrangements are pending at Swindler & Currin Funeral Home, Latonia.
Carolyn S. Grisham, 74, of Sparta, died Thursday at St. Joseph Hospice in Lexington. She was a former teacher and a member of the Long Ridge Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Walton Grisham, Jr., of Sparta; a daughter, Pamela Grisham of Bedford, Texas; brothers, Barton Stephens of Horseshoe Bay, Texas, and Richard Stephens of Port Ludlow, Wash.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at McDonald & New Funeral Home, Owenton. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Monterey Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 506 E. Pike St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031, or Long Ridge Baptist Church, Sparta Road, Owenton, Ky. 41052.
Ann L. Kiefer Keitz, 88, of St. Simon's Island, Ga., formerly of Fort Thomas, died Tuesday at SouthEast Georgia Regional Medical Center in Brunswick, Ga. She was a member of Christ Church United Church of Christ in Fort Thomas. Her husband, Elmer M. Keitz, preceded her in death.
Survivors include daughters, Sandra Kaufmann of Darien, Ga., Jennifer Palmer of Farmington Hills, Mich., and Stephanie Tranberg of Vista, Calif.; brothers, Paul and Dale Kiefer, both of Cincinnati; seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Christ Church United Church of Christ in Fort Thomas. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until time of service Monday at the church. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate.
Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is in charge of arrangements.
Wayne "Butch" Laudick, 45, of Morning View, died Friday.
Survivors include his mother, Gayle Hilbert Laudick; a daughter, April Warren of Florence; sons, Chris and Joe Laudick both of Florence; a sister, Colleen Dalga of Delaware, Ohio; brothers, Bruce Laudick of Glencoe and Sam Laudick of Foster; and one grandson.
Services will be at the convenience of the family.
Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice.
Demaree "Lindy" Linville, 89, of Maysville, died Friday at Maysville Nursing & Rehabilitation Facility. He was a retired farmer and racehorse trainer, and belonged to Maysville Church of Christ. A daughter, Carolyn Demaree Linville, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Verna Mullikin Linville of Maysville; a son, Maurice Linville of Arcadia, Ohio; a daughter Gail Blakely of Orlando, Fla.; three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Palmer Funeral Home, May's Lick. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home.
Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Hope in Maysville.
Nicholas Frank Manhardt, 93, of Butler, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North in Covington. He was a retired mechanic for H. Miller Dairy in Cincinnati, a member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Alexandria and St. John Vianney Church in Madison Place, Cincinnati. His wife, Eva Bertha Manhardt, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his son, Ronald Manhardt of Butler; a daughter, Marlene Deardoff of Leefkin, Texas; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary Catholic Church, Alexandria. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Monday at Alexandria Funeral Home, Alexandria. Burial will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Cincinnati.
Memorials are suggested to Charles Care Center 500 Farrell Drive Covington, Ky. 41011.
William C. Oldfield, 60, of Crestview Hills, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North Hospice Unit in Covington.
He was an attorney and partner with Oldfield, Davidson and Rieger in Covington, past president of the Northern Kentucky Bar Association, Chairman of the Kentucky Bar Association Annual Convention, and a member of St. Mary Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington.
Survivors include his wife Patricia A. Murphy Oldfield of Crestview Hills; daughters, Laura A. Oldfield of Erlanger and Linda M. Vohl of Taylor Mill; and a grandson.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:30 a.m. Monday at St. Agnes Church. Fort Wright.
Visitation will be from 9:30 a.m. until time of service Monday at the church. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
Memorials are suggested to Shriners Burn Institute for Children, 3229 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45229.
Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, is in charge of arrangements.
Leah Gabrielle Roark, 9 months, of Independence, died Thursday.
Arrangements are pending at Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence.
Margaret Seiter, 69, of Highland Heights, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South in Edgewood.
Arrangements are pending at Connley Brothers Funeral Home in Latonia.
Betty M. Webster, 86, of Walton, died Friday.
She was formerly a co-owner of Webster's TV and Radio Shop in Walton, and a member of First Baptist Church of Walton.
Her husband, Lewis Victor "Doc" Webster, and a son, Wendell Webster, preceded her in death.
Survivors include sons, David V. Webster of Walton and Elmer "Bud" Webster of Wilmington, Ohio; sisters, Martha Bowling of Lawrenceburg, Ind., Margie Fisk of Erlanger and Jane Hembree of Florence; brothers, Charles Clinkenbeard of Erlanger, and Edward and Jim Clinkenbeard, both of Morning View; and five grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, Walton.
Visitation will be from 2 to 5 Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Crittenden Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Hickory Grove Baptist Church, 11969 Taylor Mill Road, Independence.
