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Date of these obituaries: 09-17-1999
William E. Gants 'lived a beautiful life'
William E. Gants used his imagination to bring happiness to family, friends and customers.
Whether producing a 50th-wedding-anniversary video for friends or restoring a Victorian house, the retired engineer had an an easygoing spirit and a generous heart.
"He lived a beautiful life," said his wife, Judith A. Gants. "I refer to him as a gentle man. There wasn't anybody who didn't like Bill,"
Mr. Gants, 60, of Florence, died at 9:20 p.m. Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital West in Florence. He was a retired engineer with Cincinnati Bell Telephone and a member of Cincinnati Bell Pioneers and the Divers Alert Network.
In 1987, Mr. and Mrs. Gants opened the Baker House bed and breakfast in Carrollton in a Victorian home built in 1882, his wife said.
"We had a good time doing it," Mrs. Gants said. "It was strictly a mom-and-pop operation. He did most of the restoration."
Mr. Gants was a third-generation telephone company worker, his wife said. He was a tele phone engineer for 32 years, as well as a scuba diver for 30 years.
A member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Florence, Mr. Gants preferred to let his actions speak louder than words about his faith.
"Bill lived his spirituality," Mrs. Gants said. "He was the epitome of what a good Christian should be."
A son, Matthew Thomas Gants, died in 1994.
Survivors include daughters, Jennifer L. Gants of St. Paul, Minn., and Julia E. Gants-Minniti of Florence; sisters, Catherine Tuck of Cincinnati and Patricia Smith of Vero Beach, Fla.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 12:10 p.m. Monday at St. Paul Church. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
Roxie Ethyl Robertson Buckler, 92, of Berry, died Thursday at Harrison Memorial Hospital, Cynthiana. She was a homemaker. Her husband, William Alford Buckler, died in 1968.
Survivors include daughters, Gladys Edwards of Cumming, Ga., Evelyn Rolph of Burlington, Violet Stone of Berry and Gwendolyn Mayers of Frenchburg; sons, Raymond Buckler of Loveland, Ohio, James M. Buckler of Falmouth, Donald Buckler of Knoxville, Tenn., and Everett Buckler of Berry; sisters, Goldie Osborne of Independence, Hazel Fite and Velma Phillippe, both of Kings Mountain, and Ruth Barchus of Williamstown; a brother, Hubert Robertson of Kings Mountain; and many grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth. Visitation will begin there at noon Saturday. Burial will be in Pythian Grove Cemetery, Harrison County.
Dewey Combs, 75, of Latonia, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a retired mechanic with Sieve Pontiac, Cincinnati, and an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include a daughter, Vicki Mastin of Latonia; sisters, Mimia Raleigh of Union and Nancy Frazier of Dayton, Ohio; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Radel Funeral Home, Newport. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Oakland Cemetery, Grants Lick.
Norma J. Devine, 65, of Carrollton, died at 10:25 a.m. Thursday at her home. She was a retired custodian with the Carroll County Board of Education and a member of Faith Community Church, Carrollton.
Survivors include sons, Ricky Devine and Jerry Devine, both of Carrollton; a daughter, Kay Keel of Carrollton; three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in English Cemetery, Carroll County.
Michael R. Dye, 57, of Hebron, died at 2:44 p.m. Wednesday at Jewish Hospital Kenwood, Cincinnati. He was an underwriter, a member of the Certified Property Casualty Association, and a member of Hebron Lutheran Church, singing in its choir for 40 years. He also served on its council, the stewardship committee and the worship committee. Mr. Dye also was an Army Reserve veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Debbie Ball Dye; daughters, Kathy Dye of Covington, Angie Burnett of Dry Ridge and Tammy Greis of Bellevue; his mother, Barbara Dye of Burlington; a sister, Barbara Jo Kuhns of Lebanon, Ohio; brothers, John Dye and Robert Dye, both of He bron; Harold Dye of Alexandria, and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Hebron Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday at the church. Burial will be in Hebron Lutheran Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to American Heart Association, 2936 Vernon Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219; or Hebron Lutheran Church, 3140 Limaburg Road, Hebron, Ky. 41048.
Ernest Greer, 70, of Latonia, died at 2:12 p.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington. He was a retired employee of General Motors, Cincinnati.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia Sue Greer; a daughter, Linda Gail Greer of Latonia; sons, Stephen Ray Greer of Fort Thomas and Jerry Wayne Greer of Elsmere; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 7730 U.S. 42, Suite C6, Florence, Ky. 41042.
John "Bud" Habermehl, 67, of Foster, died Thursday at his home.
Arrangements are pending at Metcalfe-Hennessey Funeral Home, Augusta.
Francis Edward O'Donnell, 82, of Ludlow, died at 2:45 a.m. Thursday at Wesley Hall Extended Care Center, Cincinnati. He was a retired employee of Berke Electric Co. in Cincinnati, and was a member of Sts. Boniface and James Church, Ludlow, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Local No. 212, Cincinnati.
Survivors include his wife, May Measner O'Donnell; daughters, Nancy Lauterwasser of Ludlow and Stephanie Susan Baker of Union; sons, Charles O'Donnell of Los Angeles, James O'Donnell of Omaha, Neb., and Thomas O'Donnell of Erlanger; 12 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Private services will be at the convenience of the family. Entombment will be in St. Mary Mausoleum, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Ludlow Volunteer Fire Department, 234 Oak St., Ludlow, Ky. 41016. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Ludlow, is handling arrangements.
Freida M. Smith, 77, of Bellevue, died Thursday at Lakeside Place Nursing Home, Highland Heights. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include a brother, Clarence White of Dayton.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Southgate. Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer's Disease Association, 644 Linn St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45203.
Charles L. Thompson, 85, of Falmouth, died Thursday at Lakeside Park Nursing Home, Highland Heights.
Arrangements are pending at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth.
Bernard "Ben" L. Zerhusen, 79, of Tifton, Ga., formerly of Covington, died Wednesday at Tift General Hospital, Tifton. He was a retired postal worker with the U.S. Postal Service and a railway worker with Cincinnati Union Terminal. He was a member of Our Divine Saviour Church in Tifton, where he was an usher and a member of the parish council. He was an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia Norman Zerhusen; daughters, Diann Donaldson and Jackie Martin, both of Tifton; brothers, Paul Zerhusen of Latonia and George "Tag" Zerhusen of Covington; sisters, Laura Reimer of Covington and Angela Krebs of Edgewood; four grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Our Divine Saviour Church. Visitation will be from 7 to 9 tonight at the church. Burial will be in Oakridge Cemetery, Tifton. Memorials are suggested to Our Divine Saviour Church, 1205 Love Ave., Tifton, Ga. 31794. Bowen-Donaldson Funeral Home, Tifton, is handling arrangements.
