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Date of these obituaries: 12-20-1999
Paul A. 'Colonel' Klette, 1986 Outstanding Kentuckian
Paul A. "Colonel" Klette, a former deputy jailer whose efforts to help hungry families in Eastern Kentucky gained statewide recognition, died Thursday at Rosedale Manor nursing home in Covington. He was 85.
Mr. Klette, of Independence, was named a Kentucky Colonel buy Gov. Ed Breathitt in 1966 and used the honorary title ever since. He was strong willed, compassionate and persistent, said his daughter, Aleathea Crozier of Cypress, Calif.
He quit school after the fourth grade, went to work and never stopped working. He was a handyman, he hung storm doors, he did carpentry. In the 1950s he became maintenance engineer for Rosedale Manor nursing home, where he worked for 22 years. He was active in the Democratic party and was named a special deputy for the Kenton County Jail in the 1960s.
He was a member of Nicholson Church of Christ.
Throughout his life, if he saw a problem, he worked to fix it. In 1972, as finance trustee for the Oak Ridge volunteer fire department in Taylor Mill, he spearheaded the successful drive to buy a new fire truck. He was a longtime board member of the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, and worked on the programs to help pay residents' heating bills.< p> In 1984, when Col. Klette was almost 70, he saw a story in The Kentucky Post about poverty in Mud Creek in Eastern Kentucky. He and then Taylor Mill Police Chief David Wells launched a rescue effort that poured truckloads of food and clothing into that community for years. Col. Klette wrote letters, called companies, collected food and clothes and drove the truck through the mountain roads to distribute the help.
"He taught us all persistence," said his daughter. "If he wanted to get something done, he kept trying. If something didn't work one way, he'd find another way."
He received the Governor's Outstanding Kentuckian Award in 1986 from Gov. Martha Layne Collins, and the Carl D. Perkins Award for outstanding volunteer service in the area of human services from the federal government in 1984.
His wife, Christina Chapman Klette, died in 1987. His health started failing in 1995.
Other survivors include a daughter, Trevia Cooke of Independence; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 4 p.m. Thursday at Church of Christ Nicholson, Independence. Burial will be in Independence Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Church of Christ Nicholson, 1970 Walton-Nicholson Pike, Independence, Ky. 41051. Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence, is handling arrangements.
Patricia Dammert, chaired panel that restored Suspension Bridge
Patricia A. Dammert, former executive director of Senior Citizens of Northern Ke ntucky and one of the forces behind the restoration of the Roebling Suspension Bridge, died Thursday in Jacksonville, Fla., of an apparent heart attack. She was 67.
Mrs. Dammert and her husband, Donald, had moved to Ellenton, Fla., in 1991, after Donald Dammert retired. They had lived in Elsmere.
"She was a doer," said her son, Mike Dammert of Fort Mitchell. "She was Irish, with a bubbly personality. She was full of life."
When someone wanted something done, they called Mrs. Dammert, her son said.
"She was very particular and made sure of all the details," he said.
"She was not shy. If she wanted you to do something, she'd call you up and talk you into it and keep after you to make sure you did it," he said. "And she made you feel good about it."
Mrs. Dammert was past president of the Bettie Carter Morgan Women's Club of Erlanger, member of the Louisa Women's Club and state president of the Kentucky Federation of Women's Clubs from 1974 to 1976. The job took her across the state and she struck up friend ships with governors and senators.
She chaired the Bicentennial Bridge Committee, which worked to restore the Roebling Suspension Bridge. "The color blue is nautical blue - the closest they could come to the red, white and blue they were looking for," said Mike Dammert. The gold cupolas atop the bridge were part of the restoration that the committee led.
Mrs. Dammert enjoyed cooking for family and friends. She loved life and family and her children and grandchildren, said her son.
Other survivors include her husband; a daughter, Mindy Salierno of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; a son, Charles E. Dammert of Fort Myers, Fla.; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Griffith-Cline Funeral Home, Mansion Chapel, Ellenton, Fla. Visitation will begin there at noon Tuesday. Burial will be in Mansion Memorial Park, Ellenton. A Northern Kentucky memorial service will be scheduled at Erlanger Christian Church next week. Friends can call the church at 606-727-2076 for details.
Memorials are suggested to Beechwood Education Foundation, 50 Beechwood Road, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017.
Anna Brandenburg, 94, of Augusta, died Friday at Augusta Health Care Center. She was a homemaker and a member of Highland Park Baptist Church in Williamsburg. Her husband, Millard Brandenburg; a son, Willard Brandenburg; and a daughter, Norma Jewell Mack, all preceded her in death.
Survivors include sons, O. C. Brandenburg of Longview, Texas, Robert J. Brandenburg of Newport, Ted Brandenburg of Clarksburg, Pa., and Ronnie Brandenburg of Dayton, Ohio; daughters, Robalee Lawson of Fort Thomas and Darlene Lawson of Brownsburg, Ind.; a sister, Lydia Lawson of Indianapolis; 33 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Crosley Funeral Home, Williamsburg. Visitation will begin there at 1 p.m. today. Burial will be in Whitley Memorial Garden Cemetery.
Wilma Louise Byrd, 65, of Grants Lick, died Sunday at her residence. She was a homemaker and a member of Alexandria Church of God.
Survivors include her husband, Elzie Byrd; daughters, Kimberly Byrd of Alexandria, Mary Perry of Independence, Bonnie Gundling of Cincinnati, Susan Byrd of Independence, Judy Faulbush of Fort Thomas, Vanessa Sebastian of Cold Spring and Melissa Turner of Erlanger; sons, Eric Byrd and Jeffery Byrd, both of Alexandria; and 11 grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Alexandria Church of God. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Cooper Funeral Home, Grants Lick. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, Grants Lick.
Nellie Kathryn Link Cole, 91, of Palos Verdes Peninsula, Calif., formerly of Corinth, died Sunday at Woodspoint Nursing Home, Florence. She was a retired employee of RCA in California. A son, Gene Cole, and a daughter, Lois Mosley, both preceded her in death.
Survivors include a brother, Howard Link of Covington; a sister, Mendola Lightner of Burlington; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Rogers Funeral Home, Corinth. Visitation will begin there at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Burial will be in Antioch Church Cemetery, Corinth.
Raymond B. Cole, 87, of Maysville, died at 5:30 a.m. Saturday at Meadowview Regional Medical Center in Maysville. He was a farmer, a former employee of the Mason County Road Department and a night watchman. He was an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Ruby Jean Cole; a daughter, Linda Miller of Maysville; a sister, Trella Caudill of Maysville; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Brell and Son Funeral Home, Maysville. Visitation will be after 6 p.m. today at the funeral home. Burial will be in Washington Baptist Cemetery, Maysville.
George William "Bud" Fisher, 88, of Fort Thomas, died Sunday at his home. He was a roofer with Charles Grote Roofing Co. of Cincinnati, a past master and treasurer of Fort Thomas Masonic Lodge No. 808 and past high priest of the lodge's Royal Arch Chapter. He was a past master of Jeffries Council No. 33 of Dayton, a past commander of the Newport Commandery No. 13, and a member of Scottish Rite of Covington.
Survivors include a nephew, Wayne E. Rogers of Alexandria; and a niece, Jo Ann Weaver of Richmond.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, with a Masonic service afterward. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to Fort Thomas Masonic Lodge No. 808 Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 75094, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Alberta Gains, 86, formerly of Corinth, died Sunday at Garrard Convalescent Home in Covington.
Arrangements are pending at Rogers Funeral Home, Corinth.
Wendell R. Hart, 77, of Erlanger, died at 8:33 a.m. Wednesday at Baptist Convalescent Center, Newport. He was a retired architectural draftsman, a member of Amazing Grace Lutheran Church in Florence and a Marine Corps veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Bobbi Hart; sons, Michael B. Hart of Elsmere and Greg Hart of Lexington; a brother, William Hart of Lawrenceburg, Ind.; and one granddaughter.
Services will be at the convenience of the family. Mr. Hart bequeathed his body to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Memorials are suggested to Veterans Administration Medical Center, 3200 Vine St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45220. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Charles H. Hitter Jr., 64, of Fort Mitchell, died at 1 p.m. Saturday at his home. He was president and owner of the C. Hitter Co. painting business and a member of Covington-Kenton County Lions Club and Summit Hills Country Club.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara J. Cox Hitter; a son, Charles H. Hitter III of Verona; daughters, Paula K. Spicer of Covington, Christine M. Davis of Glencoe and Michelle A. Svec of Union; a brother, Eugene P. Hitter Sr. of Fort Mitchell; and eight grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014; Diocesan Catholic Children's Home, 75 Orphanage Road, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017; or Blessed Sacrament Church, 2415 Dixie Highway, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017.
Irma M. MacDonald, 80, of Ludlow, died Friday at her home. She was a retired waitress with the former Shillito's coffee shop in Cincinnati, a former manager of Four Seasons Restaurant in Cincinnati and a member of Sts. Boniface and James Church, Ludlow. Her husband, Harry MacDonald, died in 1951.
Survivors include a son, David MacDonald of Villa Hills; a sister, Evelyn Scherder of Fort Mitchell; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in St. John Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
Rodney Robinson, 46, of Alexandria, died Saturday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a steelworker with Newport Steel, a member of the Plum Creek Christian Church in Campbell County and Walton Masonic Lodge, and an Air Force veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Sharon K. Shields Robinson; a son, Clifton Robinson of Alexandria; a daughter, Ashley Robinson of Falmouth; a stepdaughter, Jennifer Reed of Alexandria; and brothers, Jim Robinson of Fort Thomas and Harold Robinson of Jacksonville, Fla.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Walton. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in New Bethel Cemetery, Verona. Memorials are suggested to Walton Masonic Lodge, Walton, Ky. 41094.
Leonard J. Ruedebusch, 88, of Fort Thomas, died at 5:20 p.m. Friday at Carmel Manor Nursing Home in Fort Thomas. He was superintendent of St. Mary cemetery in Fort Mitchell for 55 years, while working at Korzenborn's Sunoco in Fort Mitchell, Michael Art Bronze and Swan Florist. His wife, Gertrude Wagner Ruedebusch, died in 1995. Sons James A. Ruedebusch and Leonard G. Ruedebusch died in 1967 and 1984 respectively.
Survivors include daughters, Judy Rolfsen of Burlington, Trudy Bezold of Taylor Mill and Marietta Ruedebusch of Cincinnati; sons, Bill Ruedebusch of Dry Ridge, Ray Ruedebusch of Villa Hills, Terry Ruedebusch of Tucson, Ariz., Lou Ruedebusch of Erlanger, Tom Ruedebusch of Athens, Ohio, and Bob Ruedebusch of Southgate; a brother, Lawrence Ruedebusch of Minneapolis; 28 grandchildren, 30 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Diocesan Catholic Children's Home, 75 Orphanage Road, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017.
Alphonse Joseph Schreiber, 83, of Camp Springs, died at 6:35 a.m. Saturday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a retired warehouseman with Dennert Distributing Co. in Cincinnati and a former mechanic with Neltner Oil Co. in Newport.
Survivors include his wife, Marjorie Marie Schreiber; a son, Larry Schreiber of Alexandria; a daughter, Janice Weaver of Cold Spring; a sister, Marie Enzweiler of Camp Springs; two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Church, Camp Springs. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Camp Springs. Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph Church, 225 Four Mile Pike, Camp Springs, Ky. 41059.
Virginia Ruth Simmons, 73, of Carrollton, died Saturday at Carroll County Memorial Hospital in Carrollton. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Orville J. Simmons; a daughter, Theresa Lewellyn of Carrollton; a sister, Judy Kirchoff of Yucca Valley, Calif.; two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. today at Tandy-Ecler-Riley Funeral Home, Carrollton. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery, Carrollton.
Sally Jump Webster, 70, of Dry Ridge, died Saturday at Grant Manor Health Care Center, Williamstown. She was a homemaker, a retired employee of Saalfed Paper Co. and a member of Clark's Creek Baptist Church in Dry Ridge.
Survivors include her husband, Charles Webster; a son, Jimmy Webster of Independence; a daughter, Sandy Pate-Tique of Odessa, Fla.; a brother, Adrian Jump of Independence; and two grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at Eckler-Hudson Funeral Home, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to Clark's Creek Baptist Church, Dry Ridge, Ky. 41035.
