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Date of these obituaries: 02-17-2001
Ray Modlin, lived life with zest, courage
Ray Modlin pursued life with a never-ending zest and a courage born of love.
Even after Alzheimer's disease robbed him of speech and made excursions frightening, he took an active role in his family, stretching beyond his comfort level to attend events with his grandchildren and children.
Mr. Modlin, 70, died at 2:45 a.m. Friday in the Village Care Center in Erlanger.
Mr. Modlin lived in Ludlow most of his life and began a railroad career as a call boy when he was 12. He ended his career as an engineer for the Norfolk Southern Railway, retiring at age 62.
Mr. Modlin and his wife, Verda Houp Modlin, met at the First Baptist Church in Ludlow.
"They were the kind of couple that always held hands. He would kiss her before he left for work and kiss her first thing when he got home. That's normal to us, " said his daughter, Kacey Hoff man of Union. "The best gift he ever gave me was how to be a parent. He lived by example.
"He was always there for you. And he always told me as long as you do your best, don't worry about what anyone else is doing, " Mrs. Hoffman said.
Mr. Modlin was never afraid to try something new. He learned Morse Code. He took up tennis as an adult. He learned to snorkel.
He was in his 50s when he took up painting and studied at the Baker-Hunt Foundation and Cincinnati Art Academy.
When he was 61, he took snow-skiing lessons with his daughter. By then he had been diagnosed with the beginnings of Alzheimer's disease.
Eventually, the disease affected his speech. When he could no longer talk, he communicated through his paintings, said his son, trial consultant Mark Modlin of Crestview Hills.
"He couldn't speak, but he always knew us, " said Mark Modlin. "You could see the recognition in his eyes and in his smile."
Mr. Modlin's paintings became family treasures. His painting "Sunburst" was selected as one of 12 in the nation for the National Alzheimer's Association calendar in 1998.
Mr. Modlin was a member of First Baptist Church, Ludlow, Unity Lodge No. 478 F&AM, and Brotherhood of Railroad Engineers.
He lived at home in Ludlow with his wife until October. He died of complications from pneumonia.
In addition to his wife, daughter and son, other survivors include a daughter, Carrie Rae Modlin of Ludlow; a brother, Jim Modlin of Ludlow; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 12:30 p.m. MondayF19 at First Baptist Church, Ludlow. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. SundayF18 and from 11:30 a.m. until the time of services Monday at the church. Entombment will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Memorials are suggested to First Baptist Church, 400 Linden St., Ludlow, Ky. 41016.
Arrangements are being handled by Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Ludlow.
Mirzda E. Bringis, 91, of Newport, died at 8:17 p.m. Jan. 31 at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas.
She was an operating room technician at the former Booth Hospital, Florence.
Survivors include several nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 10 a.m. today at Evergreen cemetery Chapel, Southgate. No visitation is planned. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate.
Arrangements are being handled by Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport.
Charles Needham Brown, 68, of Crittenden, died Thursday at his home.
He was a farmer, member of Crittenden Baptist Church and an Army veteran of the Korean War.
Survivors include his wife, Doris Brown; son, Charles Daryl Brown of Crittenden; daughters, Donna Davis and Kimberly Denise Brown, both of Crittenden; and brother, Fred G. Brown of Crittenden.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday in Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Visitation will be from noon until the time of services Sunday at Eckler-Hudson Funeral Home, Dry Ridge.
Memorials are suggested to Charles Brown Family, 490 Case Lane, Crittenden, Ky. 41030.
Herbert "Hootie" Cress, 71, of Burlington, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
He was self-employed as a farm implement dealer. He was a member of Lakeside Presbyterian Church, Lakeside Park and Masonic Lodge No. 264 F&AM, Burlington.
Survivors include his wife, Suzanne Squair Cress; son, Herbert Cress of Florence; daughters, Louise Buckner Bush and Elizabeth Ann Wilder, both of Marietta, Ga.; brother, Calvin "Buck" Cress of Owenton; sisters, Catherine Aylor of Florida, Helen Viel of Harrison, Ohio, Deanie Bullock of Hebron and Ruth Gompf and Lilian Stimson, both of Phoenix, Ariz.; and five grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Lexington Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to a charity of the donor's choice or to Masonic Lodge No. 264 F&AM, P.O. Box 62, Burlington, Ky. 41005.
Jasper Downard, 84, of Falmouth, died at 6:11 p.m. Friday at University Hospital, Cincinnati.
Arrangements are pending at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth.
Ethel R. Haney, 89, of Edgewood, died at 3:05 a.m. Feb. 10 at Baptist Convalescent Center, Newport. She was a homemaker. Her husband, James R. Haney, died in 1981.
Survivors include her daughter, Dolores Cliff of Edgewood; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday in the chapel at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. There will be no visitation. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Nancy Ishmael, 71, of Villa Hills and formerly of Harrison County, died Friday at University Hospital, Cincinnati.
Arrangements are pending at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth.
Vickie Jett, 66, of Crescent Springs, died at 12:35 a.m. Thursday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence.
She was a retired nurse. A son, William Jett, died in 1958.
Survivors include her sons, Kent Jett of Vandalia, Ohio, and Mark Jett of Crescent Springs; daughter, Nancy Jett of Covington; stepson, Alexander Mackie of England; stepdaughter, Kim Rowe of Taylor Mill; sister, Clora Woods of Cleveland, Tenn.; 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at St. Luke Methodist Church, Covington. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the time of services Monday at the church. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger.
Arrangements are being handled by Catchen and Son Funeral Home, Covington.
William Lockhorn, 86, of Fort Mitchell, died at 7:45 a.m. Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
Arrangements are pending at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Erlanger.
Robert "Bob" Melton, 86, formerly of Erlanger, died at 11:23 p.m. Thursday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas.
He was employed by the former Covington Wrecker Co.
Services will be private. There will be no visitation. Burial will be in Alexandria Cemetery.
Arrangements are being handled by Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Taylor Mill.
Edward Joseph "Monsignor" Meyer, 81, of Dayton, died Friday at his home.
He was a car loader for Railway Express, Cincinnati, an Army veteran of World War II and a member of St. Bernard Church, Dayton.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia Meyer; daughters, Kathy Krieg of Fort Thomas and Cheryl Reckers and Linda Shoemaker, both of Dayton; sisters, Rita Hoffstedder of Dayton and Dorothy Lusher of Cincinnati; brother, Ralph "Skeeter" Meyer of Bellevue; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Bernard Church, Dayton. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas.
Memorials are suggested to St. Bernard Church, Fifth and Berry Street, Dayton, Ky. 41074 or to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Edith Marie Mosby, 94, of Latonia, died at 1 p.m. Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North Hospice Unit, Covington.
She was a retired seamstress for Gidding Ginney Inc. in Cincinnati, a member of Runyan Memorial Christian Church in Latonia, and a former president of Women's Christian Fellowship Guild, now called the Edith Mosby Guild. Her husband, Ben Mosby, preceded her in death.
