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Date of these obituaries: 04-22-2002
Greg Fields, respected Hollywood TV, film writer
Greg Fields once suggested this caption to his life: "You can take the boy out of Newport, but you can't take Newport out of the boy."
As a student at Newport High School, he worked as a stand-up comic at local nightclubs and later became one of the most respected writers in Hollywood.
Mr. Fields died April 15 at his home in Woodland Hills, Calif.
After finishing high school and while attending Southwestern College in Memphis on a basketball scholarship, he opened throughout the Southeast for musical acts like Jerry Lee Lewis, Brook Benton and Chuck Berry.
Mr. Fields, 46, moved to Los Angeles in 1977, found a job as a liquor delivery boy and began writing jokes for Tom Dreesen, Slappy White and Sammy Shore. From there, he embarked on a career as a TV writer, first for "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, " and later for "Solid Gold, " "In Living Color, " and "The Parenthood."
His credits ran the gamut from variety specials for Dean Martin and the movie, "Back to School" for Rodney Dangerfield to material for President Gerald Ford, Jay Leno, Jim Carey, Bob Hope and Rich Little. Most recently, he was working on a series for the animators of "The Simpsons" based on an accumulation of dysfunctional families he knew growing up.
"He was also the only guy in Hollywood who would meet with Michael Eisner in dirty sweats and a T-shirt and not care - and Eisner loved him, " said Jesse Collins, a writer working with Mr. Fields on the animated series.
"Greg was on the Hollywood 'A' list, one of the most respected writers in the business."
Collins said Mr. Fields also had a habit of paying other people's bills:
"He'd hear about a writer who hadn't worked for a while. Without letting that person know, he'd send an envelope of cash - $1, 000 here, $5, 000 there, another $2, 000 there. It didn't have to be a close friend, just someone he might have worked with."
Said Mr. Fields' father, long time Newport School Board mem ber Ken Fields, "That's the part that makes a guy most proud. You make a little money and all the trappings that go with it, and it never changed him, never affected him."
Fields also had an eccentric streak. For instance, he could never tolerate wearing new clothin g, complaining it was "scratchy." On trips home to Newport from L.A., he would buy his father a dozen new boxer shorts and take the old ones, which were softened by numerous washings.
"You'd think that when a guy gets to be 46, he'd get over it, " his father said.
"On the other hand, it was kind of a bond between us."
Other survivors include his wife, Xiomara, a son, Michael, and a daughter, Michele, all of Los An geles; a sister, Cathy Wecker of Al exandria; brothers Steve Fields of Dallas, Gary Fields of Bowling Green, Ky., and Doug Fields of Lakeside Park. Greg was preceded in death by his mother, Joann Fields.
Visitation was Saturday at Gates Kingsley Gates Praiswater Mortuary, Canoga Park, Calif. Fu neral services were Sunday at St. Bernardine of Sienna Church, Woodland Hills.
Clyde E. Armstrong, 82, of Walton, died Sunday at Woodcrest Manor, Elsmere. He was a retired carpenter with E.T. Elmore Builders, a member of First Baptist Church of Walton and an Army veteran of World War II. A son, Kenny Armstrong, died in 1998.
Survivors include his wife, Laura E. Armstrong; a daughter, Midge Elmore of Walton; sons, Tom Armstrong of Burlington and Cecil Armstrong of Henderson; 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Robert Graham Barnard, 53, of Augusta, died at 5:20 a.m. Saturday at his home. He was a truck driver with Bulk Transit Trucking Co. and a member of Antioch Mills Christian Church, Bracken County.
Survivors include his wife, Betty Lou Woods Barnard; daughters, Betty J. Edgington of Lancaster, Susie Snapp of Cynthiana and Kay Snowden of Cynthiana; sons, Dale Colemire of Milford and Lynn Colemire of Cynthiana; sisters, Janet Bruin and April Gillispie, both of Falmouth, and Dianna Wilson of Alexandria; a brother, Gary Barnard of Falmouth; 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Moore and Parker Funeral Home, Brooksville. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Owens Cemetery, Bracken County. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Donnie Brandenburg, 48, of Cynthiana, died Sunday at his home.
Arrangements are pending at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth.
Rev. Higa Collins, 81, of Williamstown, died Sunday at his home. He was a mechanic's helper with Cincinnati Gas & Electric, a minister and a farmer. He was founder of White Dove Regular Baptist Church in Corinth, and a member of Grant Lodge No. 85 F&AM, Williamstown, and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union, Cincinnati.
Survivors include his wife, Sally Collins; sons, Arthur Collins and David Collins, both of Williamstown; brothers, Pearl Collins and Woodrow Collins, both of Williamstown; sisters, Oma Wright of Williamstown and Gracie Neace of Scottsburg, Ind.; five grandchildren and 15 great- grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.
Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery, Corinth. Memorials are suggested to White Dove Regular Baptist Church, 255 Lusby Mill Road, Corinth, Ky. 41010.
Dorothy Truesdell Dishon, 75, of Union, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a secretary with the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Fort Thomas, and a member of the Kentucky Polled Hereford Association.
Survivors include her husband, Edward K. Dishon; nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Burial will be in Richwood Presbyterian Cemetery, Walton. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014; or American Lung Association, P. O. Box 9067, Louisville, Ky. 40209.
Harold "Dean" Hansel, 43, of Dayton, died Friday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas.
He was disabled.
Survivors include his wife, Dawn Hansel; sons, Bob Richie of Alexandria and Michael Richie of Dayton; his mother, Helen Hansel of Dayton; a sister, Margaret Blanchet, Dorothy Pentz and Martha Stevenson, all of Dayton, and Carol Sue McFadden of Newport; brothers, Ken Hansel of Independence, Mike Hansel of Bellevue, Rick Hansel and Tom Hansel, both of Dayton; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at noon Tuesday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate.
Elbert Herald, 77, of Independence, died Sunday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a retired employee of Interlake Steel, Newport, a real estate agent and a musician, vocalist and songwriter. He recorded several albums and tapes, and was also known locally for singing at Bluegrass festivals. He penned the songs "The Night I Got Saved" and "Jonah Got Swallowed by the Whale."
Survivors include his wife, Ruth Herald; sons, Ronald Herald of Erlanger, Glen Herald of Independence and David Herald of Hebron; daughters, Shirley Bailey of Independence, Joyce Eversole of Butler and Melissa Worline of Covington; sisters, Tilda Johnson of Garden City, Mich., and Wilma Jean Baird of Lincoln Park, Mich.; 13 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Fowler Creek Free Will Baptist Church, Covington. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Cooper Funeral Home, Grants Lick. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill.
Virginia Lee Hoppenjans, 76, of Covington, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
Arrangements are pending at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia.
Gladys Johnson, 75, of Newport, died at 12:43 a.m. Sunday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was a homemaker and a member of New Macedonia Old Regular Baptist Church, Newport.
Survivors include her husband, William Johnson; daughters, Wanda Griffith of Fort Thomas, Betty Turner and Kimberly Johnson, both of Newport, and Wilma Mays of Taylor Mill; a brother, Bill Turner of Walton; sisters, Evelyn Turner of Walton, Maude Thompson and Martha Neace, both of Newport; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at New Macedonia Old Regular Baptist Church. Visitation will be from 3 to 9 tonight at the church. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Cooper Funeral Home, Grants Lick, is handling arrangements.
Harry W. Laye, 76, of Verona, died Sunday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence.
Arrangements are pending at Hamilton-Stanley Funeral Home, Verona.
Henry Lee Mullins, 88, of Edgewood, died Friday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence.
Arrangements are pending at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Erlanger.
Jill Rix Pickett, 46, of Hebron, died Saturday at Jewish Hospital, Cincinnati. She was a supervisor with the Cabinet for Families and Children in Covington.
Survivors include her husband, William Allen "Buddy" Pickett Jr.; her mother, Elizabeth Burdette Cruse of Lexington; a brother, Hal Cruse of Lexington; a half-sister, Rosemary Lucas of Versailles; and a half-brother, Mark Hobbs of Louisiana.
Services will be at 1 p.m. CST Wednesday at Cowherd and Parrott Funeral Home, Greensburg. Visitation will begin there at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Burial will be in Ebenezer Cemetery.
Elizabeth "Betsy" Price, 89, of Independence, died Friday at Highlands of Fort Thomas nursing home. She was a self-employed beautician and a member of St. Therese Church, Southgate. Her husband, Charles Price, died in 1971.
There are no immediate survivors.
Services will be at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Therese Church. Visitation will begin there at noon Tuesday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to St. Therese Church, 11 Temple Place, Southgate, Ky. 41071.
Elizabeth Neiser Raible, 87, of Pasadena, Fla., formerly of Fort Thomas, died Friday at Fountains at Boca Ciega Bay, South Pasadena, Fla. She was an actress, having appeared in several plays at the Village Players Theater in Fort Thomas, the 1980 Lee Majors and Art Carney movie "Steel" and several commercials that aired in Cincinnati. She was a member of Grace Bible Church in St. Petersburg, Fla., and a former member of Highland Hills Baptist Church. Her husband, Henry Raible, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Richard Neiser of St. Petersburg; a brother, Gayle Marz of Albuquerque, N.M.; a sister, Carol Morgan of Lansing, Ill.; three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to Grace Bible Church Building Fund, 555 61st St. South, St. Petersburg, Fla. 33707.
Joyce Sturgeon, 63, of Covington, died Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Covington.
Arrangements are pending at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia.
Mary A. Townsley, 65, of Dayton, died Saturday at her home.
She was a homemaker and a member of St. Bernard Church, Dayton. She was a volunteer with Community Action Center in Dayton, and helped start the first teen center in Dayton. She helped organize the Welfare Rights Organization, was a past president of the Dayton Civic League, and served and chaired both the PTA at Lincoln School in Dayton and the Speers Court Board.
Survivors include her husband, Donald Townsley; daughters, Connie Lancaster and Judy Matthews, both of Dayton, Nancy Long of Newport and Karen Townsley of Cincinnati; a son, Steve Townsley of Dayton; sisters, Carolyn Berkemeier, Irene Lowe and Linda Berkemeier, all of Dayton, Pauline Black of Vevay, Ind.; a brother, Richard Berkemeier of Orlando, Fla.; and four grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Bernard Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075; or American Cancer Society, 6612 Dixie Highway, Suite 2A, Florence, Ky. 41042.
