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Date of these obituaries: 09-09-2002
Amber Johnson waged long battle with cancer
In May 2000, shortly after her surgery for a cancerous brain tumor, Amber Johnson journeyed to Lourdes, France, on a trip sponsored by the Knights of Malta.
"There she found healing - spiritual, emotional and, for a time, physical, " said her aunt, Nancy Tretter, who accompanied her on the pilgrimage.
"We visited the holy grotto, bathed in the healing spring water and took part in candlelight processions. There, Amber found a special way to confront her illness."
On Saturday, however, the 26-year-old woman lost her battle with cancer. She beat the odds, however, living for 2 1/2 years after she was diagnosed with the deadly disease - a full year longer than average.
Ms. Johnson was a senior accountant with Omnicare in Fort Wright. Prior to that, she was a project accountant with Corporex in Covington.
Ms. Johnson attended Thomas More College, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting in May 1997.
In her junior year, she received all-conference and most valuable player honors when the Thomas More women's tennis team captured its first Association of Mideast Colleges championship.
From 1987-92, Amber played for the NKSL-Erlanger Lions girls soccer team, traveling to Washington, D.C., Minnesota, Kansas, Nebraska and Ohio. In 1992, the team competed in a one-month, four-nation tour of Europe.
Even as she battled the cancer, and the effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, Ms. Johnson was a volunteer on the parade committees for the Florence Y'All celebration and the Burlington Hometown Christmas.
"She was great at making sure those floats were in order and got moving on time, " said her aunt. "Amber was an absolute joy to be around - everyone adored her. During her final two months, family and friends became her caregivers. We all considered it a privilege and honor to be able to do what we could for her. Helping Amber when we knew her days were numbered has certainly enriched our lives."
Survivors include her parents, Jack and Diane Johnson of Fort Mitchell; brothers, Shane Johnson of Union, and Lance Johnson of Fort Mitchell; a sister, Cortney Johnson of Fort Mitchell; and grandparents, Jane Tretter of Lakeside Park, and Florence Johnson of Taylor Mill.
A Mass celebrating Amber's life will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell. No other visitation is planned.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests making a contribution in Amber's name to St. Elizabeth Cancer Care Center, 1 Medical Village Drive, Edgewood, Ky. 41017.
Debra Askins, 34, of Falmouth, died Friday at her home.
Arrangements are pending at Peoples Funeral Home, Falmouth.
Timothy Butts, 39, of Falmouth, died Saturday at his home.
Arrangements are pending at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth.
Cecilia F. Huser, 88, of Fort Wright, died at 3:45 p.m. Saturday at Rosedale Manor, Latonia. She was a retired sales clerk with Mabley Carew, and a member of Mother of God Church in Covington and the Fort Wright Civic Club. Her husband, George A. Huser Sr., died in 1973.
Survivors include a son, George A. Huser Jr. of Edgewood; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at noon Tuesday at Mother of God Church, Covington. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Anna Louise LaPradd, 62, of Hebron, died Friday at St. Charles Care Center, Covington. She was former employee of Grant County Foods in Dry Ridge, and a member of Big Bone Baptist Church, Union.
Survivors include a son, Kenneth Lee LaPradd of Central City; a daughter, Lavonne LaPradd of Hebron; a brother, Willie Ferrell of Hebron; and three grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Eckler-Hudson Funeral Home, Dry Ridge. Burial will be in Mount Zion Cemetery, Dry Ridge.
Charles Edgar Mardis, 71, of Cynthiana, died Saturday at Harrison Memorial Hospital in Cynthiana. He was a former owner of Kentucky Grill in Cynthiana and an Army veteran of the Korean War.
Survivors include daughters, Sally Ann Mullins of Paris and Lorie Kay Miller of Louisville; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Ware Funeral Home, Cynthiana. Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Battle Grove Cemetery, Cynthiana. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 508 E. Pike St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031.
Catherine Mary Clapp Markey, 90, of Villa Hills, died at 2:20 p.m. Sunday at Madonna Manor, Villa Hills. She was a retired executive secretary with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a member of Sts. Boniface and James Church in Ludlow Senior Citizens. Her husband, Thomas D. Markey, died in 1969.
Survivors include daughters, Marianne M. Long of Cincinnati, Jane E. DeLong of Villa Hills, Mary Catherine Markey of Portland, Ore., and Mary Margaret Market of Lexington; sons, Thomas R. Markey of Corpus Christi, Texas, James N. Markey of Panama City, Fla., Michael F. Markey of Florence, Daniel J. Markey of Portland and William A. Markey of Beaver Island, Mich.; 20 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Sts. Boniface and James Church, Ludlow. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Ludlow. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Madonna Manor, 2344 Amsterdam Road, Villa Hills, Ky. 41017.
Helen Marie McCormick, 74, of Sanders, died Saturday at Carroll County Memorial Hospital in Carrollton. She was a homemaker and a member of Bramlett Baptist Church. Her husband, Jess Howard McCormick, died in 1970. A daughter, Georgia Mae McCormick, and son, Jimmy McCormick, also preceded her in death.
Survivors include daughters, Carol Sachleben of Milton, Judy Stacy of Carrollton, Betty McGlennen of Worthville; sons, Eugene McCormick, Jerry McCormick and Raymond McCormick, all of Ghent, and Roger McCormick of Sanders; brothers, Roy McIntyre of Louisville, George Robert and Gus McIntyre, both of Owenton; a sister, Doris Jean Martin of Salem, Ind.; 35 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Ghent Masonic Cemetery.
Linda Joy Long Profitt, 49, of Hamilton, Ohio, died Friday at Mercy Franciscan Hospital, Mount Airy campus in Cincinnati. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include daughters, Mary Garrett of Hamilton, Christine Marcum of Middletown, Ohio, and Patricia Moreland of Satsuma, Fla.; her parents, Joyce and Charles Edward Profitt of Highland Heights; a sister, Susan Miller of Cold Spring; brothers, Charles Profitt of Hamilton and John Profitt of Indian Springs, Ohio; grandmother, Bernadine McDaniel of Bellevue; and nine grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to Linda Long Profitt Memorial Fund, in care of Charles Profitt, 3247 Morgan Ross Road, Hamilton, Ohio 45013.
J.B. Raisor, 73, of Williamstown, died Friday at Villa Spring of Erlanger. He was a mechanic with T&W; Ford and a member of Williamstown Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Thelma West Raisor; daughters, Janis Bowers of Burlington and Pam Henry of Cincinnati; his mother, Lena Kinman Raisor of Williamstown; a brother, Ronald Raisor of Florence; sisters, Norma Jean Baxter of Dry Ridge, Doris Ann Robb, Betty Magee and Donna Beckett, all of Florence, and Judy Wainscott of Williamstown; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Williamstown Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer's Research Center, 231 Bethesda Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45229.
Phyllis Ann Freeman Raver, 72, of Burlington, died Friday at her home. She was a airline ticket agent.
Survivors include her husband, Keith Raver.
Graveside service be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Craft-Graceland Memorial Park, New Albany, Ind.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Burlington.
Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 6612 Dixie Hwy., Florence, Ky. 41042.
Leslie Robbins, 62, of Milton, died Saturday at her home.
She was a laborer with Ameriform Co., Carrollton.
Survivors include a brother, James Robbins of Milton.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Lutheran Church Cemetery, Milton.
Ralph Smith, 56, of Falmouth, died Friday at his home. He was a retired real estate broker.
Survivors include sons, Victor R. Smith of Erlanger and Roy Allen Smith of Florence; brothers, David H. Smith of Elsmere and Frankie D. Smith of West Virginia; and a sister, Janet Sue Smith of Williamson, W.Va.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Peoples Funeral Home, Falmouth. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery, Falmouth.
Willard Lynn Stephens, 86, of Florence, died Saturday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. He was a mail clerk with Union Terminal in Cincinnati, a member of Florence Baptist Church and Florence Masonic Lodge No. 949 F&AM, and an Army veteran of World War II. A daughter, Stephanie Busher, died in 1998.
Survivors include his wife, Roxie F. Stephens; a daughter, Lynette Stephens Dean of Cincinnati; sons, Edward Clifton Stephens of Lakeside Park and Vernon Lynn Stephens of Louisville; stepsons, Herbert Thomas McCown of Wharton, Texas, and Michael Ray McCown of Norwood, Ohio; a sister, Violet Rose Smith of Florence; 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at noon. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to Florence Baptist Church, 283 Main St., Florence, Ky. 41042.
