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Date of these obituaries: 09-12-2002
John McDermott, 74, priest, educator, father
John E. McDermott filled the role of "father" in two very different capacities during his 74 years.
As a Catholic priest, he taught at Covington Catholic High School, put on crowd-pleasing theatrical productions and started the school's swim team, which he guided to a state championship in 1962.
After he left the priesthood, he acquired a ready-made family when he married
a woman with five children.
"He adjusted pretty well, " said Mr. McDermott's wife, Gerry Mayleben McDermott. "He loved them all dearly and they loved him."
Mr. McDermott, of Fort Thomas, died Aug. 31 in Brooksville, Fla.
Raised in Newport, he graduated from Newport High School and the University of Arkansas, and was one of the first seminarians sent by the Diocese of Covington overseas to study, at Maynooth Seminary in Ireland.
He was a well-known figure in his 13 years at Covington Catholic, teaching values, coaching the swim team and directing plays that he opened to all comers.
"He kept hundreds of young men and women busy doing something they really enjoyed, " said his wife. The two met while both were working at the school.
Later, after leaving the priesthood, Mr. McDermott went back to school at Xavier to get certified as an administrator and served as a counselor, assistant principal and principal in 18 years with the Newport city schools.
He retired in 1990, but not for long, becoming principal at St. Joseph School in Camp Springs for two years.
When he retired again and for good, he spent his time reading, traveling, playing with his grandchildren and taking care of the pool at the condominium complex where he and his wife lived.
"He loved being the center of attention, he was a lot of fun, " said his daughter, Carol Owens, of Cincinnati. "He was a strict father, but he did a great job with us. He showed us individual attention, something we hadn't had a lot of before he and Mom married."
Mr. McDermott was a past member of the Newport Rotary Club and the Diocese of Covington Pastoral Council.
Also surviving are daughters Pam Gongola of Edgewood and Barb Lautz of Cincinnati; sons, Edward "Chip" Chamberlain and Jay Chamberlain, both of Cincinnati; sisters, Nancy Rodau of Brooksville, Fla., Janet Lense of Fort Thomas and Dorothy Muegel of Cincinnati; a brother, Jim McDermott of Southgate; and 10 grandchildren.
Memorial Mass of Christian burial will be at noon Saturday at Mother of God Church, Covington. A reception in the church undercroft will follow Mass. Memorials are suggested to Covington Catholic High School, 1600 Dixie Highway, Park Hills, Ky. 41011; or Hernando Pasco Hospice, 12107 Majestic Blvd., Hudson, Fla. 34667. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport, is handling arrangements.
William W. Beyersdorfer, 86, of Fort Thomas, died Wednesday at his home. He was a retired machinist with Cincinnati Milacron and a member of First Baptist Church of Fort Thomas, Fort Thomas Masonic Lodge No. 808, Scottish Rite, Fort Thomas Chapter No. 177 Royal Arch Masons, Newport Commandery No. 13 and Jefferies Council No. 22 R&AM;, Dayton.
Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Beyersdorfer; sons, Rodney Beyersdorfer of Louisville and Terry Beyersdorfer of Fort Thomas; daughters, Page Block of Amelia, Ohio, and Sandy Tolle of Erlanger; a brother, John Beyersdorfer of Foster; a sister, Ada Browning of Paris; six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Lenoxburg Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to New Hope United Methodist Church, 22 Blatt Ave., Southgate, Ky. 41071; or First Baptist Church, 600 N. Fort Thomas Ave., Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Mary Bisceglia, 72, of Burlington, died Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Dominick Bisceglia, died in 1980.
Survivors include daughters, Caroline Dombrowski of Burlington and Phyllis Ruchalski of Slidell, La.; a sister, Dora Chinni of Barnegate, N.J.; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial services will be at the convenience of the family. Stith Funeral Home, Florence, is handling arrangements.
Alfred L. Brown, 77, of Dry Ridge, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington. He was a retired chairman of the Ford Truck Division in Wayne, Mich., a member of Disabled American Veterans and the Boone County American Legion and an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include sons, Marc A. Brown of Georgia and Clayton D. Brown of Dry Ridge; a daughter, Katrina L. Rambadt of Chelsea, Mich.; and a sister, Mary Marlini of Cincinnati.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Eckler-Hudson Funeral Home, Dry Ridge. Visitation will begin there at noon Friday. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge.
Ruthie McGarr Browning, 49, of Fort Wright, died at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday at University Hospital, Cincinnati. She was owner of It's a Dog's World in Fort Wright. A son, Christopher Richard Browning, died in 1987.
Survivors include her mother, Helen M. McGarr of Covington; a brother, James Robert McGarr Jr. of Lakeside Park; a sister, Jacklyn Clark of Covington; and fianc�e, Charles H. Lay of Fort Wright.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Covington. Visitation will begin there at noon Friday. Cremation will be at Cincinnati Cremation Co.
Ralph Colvin, 94, of Falmouth, died Wednesday at River Valley Nursing Home, Butler.
Arrangements are pending at Peoples Funeral Home, Falmouth.
Gary Wayne Delph, 57, of Burlington, died Tuesday at University Hospital, Cincinnati. He was a logistics controller with UPS Honeywell in Hebron and a retired industrial engineer with General Motors. He was a member of Community Pentecostal Church in Independence and the National Rifle Association, and was a Navy veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Diana Delph; a daughter, Rhonda Delagarza of Florence; a son, Gary Michael Delph of Kansas City, Mo.; sisters, Judith Brown of Crittenden and Joyce Dixon of Dry Ridge; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Community Pentecostal Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the church. Burial will be in Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to Community Pentecostal Church, 11875 Taylor Mill Road, Independence, Ky. 41051.
Helen Jeannine Hughes Dwelly, 72, of Maysville, died Tuesday at her home. She was a retired Mason County treasurer and a former employee of Wald Manufacturing Co. and Queen's Chevrolet. She was a member of Seddon United Methodist Church and Rebecca Circle. Her husband, Millard Newton Dwelly, preceded her in death.
Survivors include daughters, Judy Curtis and Jeanne Combess, both of Maysville, and Janice Hunt of Ewing; a son, Jackie Dwelly of Lewisburg; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Brell Funeral Home, Maysville. Burial will be in Maysville Cemetery.
Winfred Earl "Pete" Harper, 60, of Florence, died Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. He was a ladle repairman with Caterpillar, a former Erlanger police officer, and a former chief of police and volunteer fireman in Green Valley, Ill. He was a member of Masonic Lodge No. 29 in Pekin, Ill., a union steward with International Printing Pressmen and Associates Local No. 68 and a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War.
Survivors include his wife, Kathleen Mullikin Harper; sons, Michael Harper of Creve Coeur, Ill., David E. Harper of Pekin, Ill., and Tim Harper of Washington, Ill.; brothers, L.C. Harper of Louisville, Billy Joe Harper of Hamilton, Ohio, and Carson Harper of Beaver Falls, Pa.; a sister, Viva Hinthorne of Creve Coeur; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to the family, in care of Kathleen Harper, 1090 Tamarack Circle, Apt. G, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Lorean Hayes, 83, of Crittenden, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center Grant County, Williamstown. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Arthur Hayes, preceded her in death.
Survivors include daughters, Brenda Banks of Crittenden and Vera Puller of Trivoli, Texas; brothers, Henry Lee Mosbey of Verona, Clifford Mosbey of Fisk, Mo., Kenneth Mosbey of Dexter, Mo., and W.V. Mosbey of Poplar Bluff, Mo.; sisters, Auda Bland of Rancho Margarita, Calif., and Mary Lee Berry of Poplar Bluff; four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at White-Sanders Funeral Home, Fisk, Mo. Visitation will be from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Ash Hill Cemetery, Mo. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice. Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Crittenden, is handling local arrangements.
Charlena Chapman King, 69, of Independence, died Tuesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was owner of King Family Hair Styling in Covington, a member of Goshen Christian Church and a worthy matron with Order of the Eastern Star, Bradford Star No. 493.
Survivors include her husband, Charles R. King; daughters, Brenda K. King of Florence, Terry King Faulkner of Elsmere and Tonya King Larkins of Akron, Ohio; sons, Charles E. King of Batavia, Ohio, Michael R. King of Independence and Thomas M. King of Covington; a brother, Gerald Chapman of Independence; nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Independence Cemetery.
Mary Mildred Koehler, 80, of Newport, died Friday in Lawton, Okla. She was a retired secretary with the U.S. Postal Service, Cincinnati.
Survivors include a son, Barry Koehler of Fletcher, Okla.; a sister, Virginia Banzhaf of Fort Thomas; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services were this morning at Floral Hills cemetery Chapel, Taylor Mill. Burial was in Floral Hills Cemetery. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport, is handling arrangements.
Betty J. Muench, 79, of Alexandria, died at 10:11 a.m. Sunday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was a former secretary with Au-Ve-Co and a member of St. Mary Kings and Queens. Her husband, Wilbert Muench, died in 2001.
Survivors include sons, Gary Muench of Florence, Tim Muench of Alexandria and Tom Muench of Taylor Mill; a brother, Leroy "Bud" Glindmeyer of Florence; and sisters, Marilyn "Pudd" Dwyer, Sarasota, Fla., and Grace Wigger of Covington.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Mary Church, Alexandria. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at Alexandria Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Alexandria. Memorials are suggested to St. Mary Adopt-a-Student, 121 W. Main St., Alexandria, Ky. 41001.
Emmett "Babe" Puckett, 72, of Covington, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a retired mechanic with the Southern Railroad and a member of Kelly Furnish VFW Post No. 7099 in Covington and Brotherhood of Railway Carmen. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War.
Survivors include a daughter, Karen Puckett of Florence; sons, Allan Puckett of Independence and David Puckett of Ludlow; and brothers, John A. Puckett of Covington and Orville Puckett of Danville.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Juanita Rodamer, 81, of Hebron, died Wednesday at Woodspoint Nursing Home, Florence.
Arrangements are pending at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron.
Jeffrey Thomas Schwartz, 41, of Florence, died Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. He was a horse groomer.
Survivors include his wife, Linda Henry Schwartz; sons, Brian Schwartz and P.J. Schwartz, both of Florence; his mother and stepfather, Shirley and David Bryant of Harrodsburg; sisters, Rhonda Heaton of Erlanger and Tammy Mahan of Covington; and brothers, Jason Wayne Schuller of Crittenden, Jerry Schuller of Florence, Joseph John Schuller of Wilmore and Victor Collins Schwartz of Harrodsburg.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
Ronald Lee Shelton, 58, of Williamstown, died at 4 a.m. today at his home.
Arrangements are pending at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown.
Hazel Staten, 82, of Morehead, formerly of Newport, died at 4:35 a.m. Wednesday at Life Care Center, Morehead. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Allen Staten, died in 1987.
Survivors include nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Fares J. Radel Funeral Home, Newport. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate.
Anna Mae Walz, 89, of Highland Heights, died at 9:52 p.m. Tuesday at Highlands of Fort Thomas nursing home in Fort Thomas. She was a retired cook with Daughters of Charity in Covington, a foster mother and a past president of the Lakeside Terrace Senior Citizens. She was a member of St. Mary's Ladies Society at St. Joseph Church in Cold Spring. Her husband, Herbert Walz, died in 1959. A daughter, Marcella Ziegler, died in 1994.
Survivors include a daughter, Carol Adkins of Alexandria; a son, Donald Walz of Highland Heights; 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring.
Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas.
Norma Olene Martin Wilson, 81, of California, died at 3:45 a.m. Wednesday at her home. She was a cafeteria worker with Campbell County Schools and a member of Order of the Eastern Star Chapter No. 337, Alexandria. Her first husband, Earl Martin, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her husband, Paul Wilson; daughters, Diane Burns of Camp Springs, Linda Hoskins of Peach Grove and Glenda Molloy and Sharon McCormick, both of California; sons, Allen Martin of Cynthiana, Melvin Martin of Grants Lick and Ralph Martin of California; a sister, Virginia Lucas of Newport; 22 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Carthage Church of the Nazarene. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Burial will be in Mount Gilead Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Carthage Church of the Nazarene, in care of Ken McCormick, Box 27A, Washington Trace Road, California, Ky. 41001.
Daisy M. Ziegler, 77, of Newport, died at 9:32 a.m. Monday at her home. She was a retired factory worker with the Kroger Co., Cincinnati.
Her husband, William B. Ziegler Sr., died in 1976.
Survivors include a daughter, Betty Iacobucci of Fort Thomas; a son, Dale Ziegler of Newport; a brother, Robert Chenault of Covington; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport.
Visitation will begin there at noon Friday.
Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
