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Date of these obituaries: 06-13-2003
Kenneth E. Perkins, 86, minister for 50 years
Kenneth Earl Perkins, a minister for more than 50 years, had two favorite quotes, both from the Bible: "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly, " and "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
The Covington resident, who died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit in Covington, showed himself friendly throughout his 86 years, said those who loved him. And now, they said, he's found that hope of glory.
"The world don't know what they lost when he went home, " said Paula Farrell, a friend who cared for him in his last days. "He loved you no matter what. He never judged nobody."
Mr. Perkins grew up in Silver Grove, where he was a standout basketball player at Silver Grove High from 1935 to 1937.
He served in the Army during World War II, fighting in Normandy, Northern France, the Ardennes, the Rhineland and Germany. He earned five Bronze Stars and a Good Conduct Medal.
A lifelong patriot, his favorite Army memory was of the time when he carried the flag in front of more than 1, 500 troops.
After the war, he lived in California, where he led a Pentecostal Holiness church. He later received a license to preach from the International Deliverance Churches.
He also worked in a civilian capacity for a police department while in California, and later in life contributed financially to many law enforcement agencies.
He returned to Northern Kentucky in the 1980s and served as a roving evangelist. He was known as "the pillar" at the former Latonia Church of God, where Farrell's husband, Stephen, met him.
"He was more of a spiritual grandfather to me, " Stephen Farrell said.
Mr. Perkins loved to spice his preaching with humor, and was fond of joking and teasing with people, so much so that some women thought him a flirt, Farrell said. He also loved to play the harmonica.
"It was very easy to love that man, " Paula Farrell said.
Mr. Perkins' wife, Martha Bruner Perkins, preceded him in death.
Survivors include sons, Roger Perkins, Kenneth Perkins Jr. and David Perkins, all of Concord, Calif.; daughters, Becky and Julie, both of Concord; stepdaughters, Mabel Barnette, Betty Mayhan and Patsy Bruner, all of Covington; a stepson, Johnny Bruner of Covington; and a brother, Roy Perkins of Silver Grove.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Latonia Community Pentecostal Church. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Mount Zion Cemetery, Bracken County. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Mary Blanche Sorrell Alexander, 91, of Florence, died Thursday at Woodspoint Nursing Home, Florence. She was a homemaker and a Williamstown Christian Church, Grant County Homemakers Club, St. Elizabeth Medical Center Auxiliary in Grant County and the Lloyd High School Alumni Association. Her husband, Russell Roy Alexander, died in 1985. A son, Alfred Lee Alexander, died in 1937.
Survivors include a daughter, JoAnn Mayes of Independence; sons, John Alexander of Florence, Roy R. Alexander and Dannie Alexander, both of Mount Zion, William Thomas Alexander of Lawton, Okla., and Earl D. Alexander of Phoenix; a sister, Ethel Steever of South Bend, Ind.; grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Eckler-Hudson Funeral Home, Dry Ridge. Visitation will begin there at 1 p.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Mount Zion Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to Williamstown Christian Church, 318 N. Main St., Williamstown, Ky. 41097.
Rita Lehr Cook, 86, of Lakeside Park, died at 9:35 a.m. Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was the retired owner of Cook Jewelry Co. and a homemaker. Her husband, Melvin Cook, died in 1995.
Survivors include a daughter, Sandra Eibel of Lakeside Park; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to Diocesan Children's Home, 75 Orphanage Road, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017; or the Point ARC, 104 Pike St., Covington, Ky. 41011. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Joe Lee Cottey, 80, of Brooksville, died Thursday at his home. He was a farmer and an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Nina Rose Cottey; daughters, Karen King and Paul Jo Cottey, both of Brooksville; a stepdaughter, Darleen Cooper of Augusta; a son, Anthony Lee Cottey of Brooksville; stepsons, David Wayne Wachter of Brooksville and Brian Steven Wachter of Augusta; a sister, Loraine Colvina of Englewood, Fla.; 17 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Moore and Parker Funeral Home, Brooksville. Visitation will be from 6 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Bracken Memorial Cemetery, Brooksville. Memorials are suggested to VFW Post No. 9535, Augusta, Ky. 41001.
Kenneth R. Couch, 49, of Covington, died Wednesday at his mother's home in Edgewood. He was a hair designer and owner of Strands salon in Covington, and was a member of Unity Center of Cincinnati.
Survivors include his mother, Evelyn Helmer Couch; sisters, Suzanne Games and Jennifer Carero, both of Florence, Bobbie Ackley of Hebron and Julie Sherman of Park Hills; brothers, Dan Couch of Walton, Dewaine Couch of Fort Mitchell and Keith Couch of Independence.
Memorial Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Pius X Church, Edgewood. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Kathryn Hegland, 83, of Covington, died at 8:05 p.m. Wednesday at Rosedale Manor, Latonia. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include sons, Charles Hegland of Erlanger, Scott A. Hegland of Stafford, Va., and James R. Hegland of Islamorada, Fla.; brothers, Clinton Roberson of Woodbridge, Va., and Nelson Roberson of Louisville; a sister, Jeanetta Campbell of Dayton, Ohio; and four grandchildren.
Services will be private. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Don Catchen and Son Funeral Home, Elsmere. Burial will be in the family cemetery in Mays Lick.
Elaine G. Hood, 80, of Fruitland Park, Fla., died Thursday in Fruitland Park.
Survivors include her husband, Millard Hood; a son, James Millard Hood of Walton; a daughters, Deborah Sue McDonald of Reddick, Fla.; a brother, Crayton Noyes of Florence; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Page-Theus Funeral Home, Leesburg, Fla. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Leesburg.
Norma Jean Knox Kittle, 73, of Cynthiana, died Wednesday in Atlanta. She was a retired teacher, a homemaker and the organist and choir director for Cynthiana Presbyterian Church.
Survivors include her husband, Benjamin Kittle; daughters, Jennifer Giersch of Atlanta, Cynthia King of Springboro, Ohio, and Beverly Brockman of Chattanooga, Tenn.; and five grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Cynthiana Presbyterian Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Woodhead Funeral Home, Berry, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Monday at the church. Burial will be in Pythian Grove Cemetery, Berry. Memorials are suggested to Cynthiana Presbyterian Church, 103 N. Main St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031.
Viola Marshall, 88, of Alexandria, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington.
She was a homemaker and a member of First Baptist Church, Alexandria. Her husband, Stanley Marshall, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Gary Marshall of Falmouth; daughters, Marlene Schalk of Florence and Brenda Carr of Alexandria; eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. today at First Baptist Church, Alexandria. Burial will be in Alexandria Cemetery. Peoples Funeral Home, Falmouth, is handling arrangements.
William McKenzie, 52, of Newport, died Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas.
He was a chef with B&B; Riverboats and a member of Mountain Assembly Church of God, Newport, and Darters of Northern Kentucky.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara Jean McKenzie; a son, Patton Lewis of Latonia; brothers, Patrick McKenzie and Jerry McKenzie, both of Newport, David McKenzie of Alexandria and Daryl McKenzie of Owensboro; and a sister, Winnie Sizemore of Newport.
Services will be at 9 tonight at Mountain Assembly Church of God. Visitation will begin there at 5 p.m.
Burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Peach Grove Cemetery.
Cooper Funeral Home, Grants Lick, is handling arrangements.
