Search Archived Marriage Records
Date of these obituaries: 03-29-2002
Michael J. Wilson, 55, jeweler
When Michael J. Wilson was younger, he taught his children how to live.
During his final years, Mr. Wilson taught them a more difficult lesson: how to die.
Rather than surrendering to the cancer that forced him to quit working as a jeweler and eventually led to his death, Mr. Wilson soldiered on with tough chemotherapy and radiation treatments for his family's sake.
When his illness made him a virtual prisoner in his home, he invited people to come see him. Those who came quickly learned that he was an expert at steering conversation from his illness to how they were doing.
Mr. Wilson stayed strong in his faith and kept his sense of humor.
"Even when he was dying, he was telling jokes and entertaining us, " said Mr. Wilson's wife, Kathy.
"There'd be a room full of people crying, telling him how much we loved him, and he would be humoring us."
Mr. Wilson died Thursday at St. Eliza beth Medical Center South in Edgewood. He was 55.
The Covington native worked as a jeweler about 23 years at R.J. Schaffield in Crescent Springs and about a dozen years as a self-employed artisan operating out of Boyle Jewelers in Erlanger.
Mr. Wilson loved watching his children play sports and coached his daughter's soft ball team. He was a big fan of the Cincinnati Reds and UK basketball.
Mr. Wilson also loved yard work, but that kind of exertion became increasingly diffi cult after he was diagnosed with colon can cer in 1994.
Over the years, the deadly disease spread to his liver, lungs and esophagus.
Mr. Wilson would eventually suffer a stomach aneurism that put him into a coma for two months. He'd be hooked up to dialy sis machines and ventilators.
"There was many a time he would sit in the parking lot, looking at the oncologist's office, and thinking he couldn't go in there, " Mrs. Wilson said.
"Then he started thinking about his wife and kids and he would hang in there because he loved us."
That perseverance earned him the name of "Miracle Man" among his relatives and fans.
Mr. Wilson was a member of St. Joseph Church in Crescent Springs and prayed of ten to St. Jude, patron of impossible causes.
"God was very important to him, " said Mrs. Wilson. "I think his faith in God, sense of humor, love of life and his family were really what kept him going."
In addition to his wife, Mr. Wilson is survived by a daughter, Laura Wilson of Vil la Hills; a son, Michael Wilson of Villa Hills; brothers, Tom Wilson of Covington, Ray Wilson of Taylor Mill, David Wilson and Jim Wilson, both of Latonia; sisters, Martha Ma son of Mount Carmel, Ohio, and Rosemary Santel of Fairfield, Ohio.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Church in Crescent Springs. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in St. Mary Ceme tery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society, 6612 Dixie Highway, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Virginia Dare Arnold, 89, of Worthville, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a homemaker and a farmer, and a member of Dallasburg Baptist Church.
Survivors include her husband, Charles R. Arnold; a son, Charles R. Arnold of Union; a daughter, Shirley Ann McCabe of Walton; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Dallasburg Baptist Church. Visitation will begin there at noon Saturday. Burial will be in Wheatley Masonic Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Dallasburg Baptist Church, 4740 Highway 227 North, Owenton, Ky. 40359.
J. Thomas Fangman, 68, of Bagdad, died Tuesday at Hospice of Louisville. He was a former secondary science supervisor at New Providence High School and Hunterdon High School in New Jersey, formerly taught chemistry at Thomas More College and for the Diocese of Covington. He was a member of Church of the Annunciation, Shelbyville, where he was treasurer of the Men's Club and the church choir. He was a treasurer of the Institute on Religion in the Age of Science and the National Science Leadership Association and was chairman of the Federation of Christian Ministry.
Survivors include his wife, Paula Hunt Fangman; a brother, David Fangman of Park Hills; and a sister, Marilyn Hoffman of Lutz, Fla.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Church of the Annunciation, Shelbyville. Visitation will be from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday at the church, followed by a reception at 7 p.m. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Louisville. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Louisville, 3532 Ephraim McDowell Drive, Louisville, Ky. 40205; Church of the Annunciation Organ Fund, 105 Main St., Shelbyville, Ky. 40065; or American Cancer Society, 6612 Dixie Highway, Suite 2A, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Mary Belle Foley, 72, of Maysville, died at 5:05 p.m. March 13 at her home. She was a lab technician with Dr. William H. Cartmell in Maysville and Dr. Charles Miller in Maysville.
Survivors include cousins.
Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Patrick cemetery Chapel, Maysville. Brell Funeral Home, Maysville, is handling arrangements.
Robert G. Friedhoff, 80, of Florence, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
Arrangements are pending at Stith Funeral Home, Florence.
Joann Peters Goosman, 71, of Cold Spring, died at 5 p.m. Monday at her home. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Mary Church, Alexandria. Her husband, John K. Goosman, died in 1994.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary Perry of Burlington; sons, Gene Sand and Bob Sand, both of Union, Greg Sand and Ray Sand, both of California; a sister, June Neltner of Alexandria; and 14 grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary Church, Alexandria. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Alexandria.
Ronald Bernard Holcomb, 56, of Melbourne, died at 1:52 a.m. Monday at his home. He was a stone mason and owner of Five Star Stone Co., Melbourne, a member of Edward W. Boers American Legion Post No. 153 in Dayton and the Northern Kentucky Home Builders Association, and was an Army veteran of the Vietnam War.
Survivors include his wife, Margie Hartman Holcomb; a daughter, Cynthia Hyatt of Cincinnati; sons, Ed Holcomb of Covington, Jesse Holcomb and Todd Jenkins, both of Melbourne; his mother, Elizabeth "Betty" Holcomb of Newport; sisters, Cathy Heck of Chana, Ill., and Melissa Ackerson of Hebron; and three grandchildren.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Hillside Chapel, Cincinnati. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to Shriners Hospital, 3229 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45229; or Campbell Lodge Boys Home, 150 Skyline Drive, Cold Spring, Ky. 41076.
Dorman Inman, 69, of Stamping Ground, formerly of Owenton, died Wednesday at Owenton Manor, Owenton. He was a retired machinist with Dayton Walther Corp. and a member of Cedar Hill Baptist Church, Owen County.
Survivors include his wife, Kathryn Swigert Inman; sons, Jeff Inman of Carrollton, Greg Inman of Stamping Ground and Brett Inman of Owenton; a brother, Clyde Inman Jr. of Georgetown; a sister, Mary Donovan of Georgetown; and eight grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at McDonald Funeral Home, Main Street, Owenton. Visitation will be from 4 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Owenton Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 508 E. Pike St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031.
Frank E. Jochim, 58, of Covington, died at 4:20 p.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a customer service representative with Delta Airlines and a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Ann Meyer Jochim; sons, David Jochim of Las Vegas, Mark Walker of Tempe, Ariz., and Stephen Walker of Louisville; daughters, Sara Jochim of Las Vegas, Deborah Walker of Chandler, Ariz., Catherine Walls of Mesa, Ariz., and Karen Goldberg of Covington; a brother, Ken Jochim of Carson City, Ariz.; sisters, Judy Sisneros of Rocklin, Calif., and Earlene Burris of Peoria, Ariz.; and 11 grandchildren.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Swindler and Currin Funeral Home, Independence. Visitation will begin there at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Independence Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Children's Hospital Medical Center, Development Office, Elland and Bethesda avenues, Cincinnati, 45229.
William L. Lehn, 86, of Fort Thomas, died Thursday at his home. He was a farmer and a member of John R. Little VFW Post No. 3186, Southgate, and the Southgate Optimist Club. He was the former owner of Newport Coal and an Army veteran of World War II. His wife, Beverly Groh-Lehn, preceded him in death.
Survivors include a son, Dan Groh of Demossville; and daughters, Linda Groh of Cold Spring and Debbie Groh of Fort Thomas.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to Southgate Optimist Club.
Walter Ray McKinley, 77, of Independence, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington.
He was a retired pipefitter with General Electric and a member of Hickory Grove Baptist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Jean nine Requardt McKinley; sons, Danny McKinley of Independence, Richard McKinley of Morning View and Christopher McKinley of Piner; daughters, Karen Baker of Walton, Cindy Owens of Ryland Heights, RaeJean Weaver of Morning View and Melissa Boyers of Independence; brothers, Paul McKinley, Don McKinley and LeRoy McKinley, all of Independence, and James McKinley of Somerset; 22 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Hickory Grove Baptist Church, 11969 Taylor Mill Road, Independence, Ky. 41051.
Carol Anne Mersch, 71, of Edgewood, died Wednesday at her home.
She was an employee of Shillito's and Lazarus department stores in downtown Cincinnati.
Survivors include her husband, Robert Mersch; daughters, Melanie Cahill of Burlington and Cynthia Mersch of Covington; and a brother, Arthur Haack of Cincinnati.
Services will be at noon Saturday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
James W. Schmidt, 73, of Bellevue, died Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a lithographer with U.S. Playing Card Co., Cincinnati, and a member of St. Anthony Church, Bellevue, Catholic Order of Foresters, Kersten O'Day VFW Post No. 2899 in Dayton and the Newport American Legion. His wife, Theresa JoAnn Leonard Schmidt, preceded him in death.
Survivors include sons, Jim Schmidt of Bellevue and Mike Schmidt of Edgewood; and five grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Anthony Church, Bellevue. Visitation will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Monday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas.
