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Date of these obituaries: 05-06-1999
Ft. Wright's Rosemary Vetter Westling, co-owned Covington's Heidel's Hall Cafe
Rosemary Vetter Westling and her husband, William, ran a Covington saloon for more than 30 years.
Heidel's Hall Cafe also was a restaurant and a gathering hall before it closed in the early 1980s. Mrs. Westling cooked and tended bar for many years.
"She was just a beautiful person who never met a person who didn't like her," said a son, Michael W. Westling of Fort Wright.
Mrs. Westling died at 2:10 a.m. Wednesday at her home. The Fort Wright resident was 79.
Her husband bought the building at 21st and Russell streets after he returned from serving in World War II. "There weren't many jobs available then, and my dad was looking to make a livelihood. He had the opportunity to buy the building, and he took it," Michael Westling said.
The restaurant closed in the 1960s, but the bar stayed open until the early 1980s. The Westling family still owns the building.
"At one time, it was a pretty well-known spot," Mrs. Westling's son said.
Mrs. Westling grew up in Covington and Fort Mitchell. She went to beauty school and often cut hair for family and neighbors.
During the war, she worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. In 1945, she married, and the couple had two children.
The young family lived in an apartment above their cafe for about eight years before moving to Fort Wright, where Mr. and Mrs. Westling lived the rest of their lives. Mr. Westling died in 1997.
After the business closed, Mrs. Westling began helping her daughter, who owns Graeter's ice cream parlors in Northern Kentucky. Mrs. Westling packaged the candy sold at the stores for more than 10 years.
"It was like a cottage industry for her," her son said.
Other survivors include a daughter, Rosemarie Brumfield of Fort Thomas; a brother, Charles Vetter of Crestivew Hills; and three grandchildren.
Private services will be at the convenience of the family. Entombment will be in St. John Mausoleum, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 7730 U. S. 42, Suite C6, Florence, Ky. 41042. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Sandra Lee Bailey Brown, 47, of Parksville, S.C., formerly of Northern Kentucky, died Monday at her home. She was a homemaker and a retired employee of the Ford Motor Co. in Saline, Mich.
Survivors include her husband, Alfred L. Brown; sons, Clayton Dwayne Brown and Marc Allen Brown, both of Parksville, S.C.; her mother and stepfather, Evelyn Bailey Blackburn and Lyman Blackburn, both of Union; a brother, Timothy E. Bailey of Cincinnati; and a sister, Barbara J. Ledbetter of Cincinnati.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight at Eckler-Hudson Funeral Home, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to American Heart Association, 2936 Vernon Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219; or American Lung Association, 11113 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242.
James J. D'Ambrosio, 75, of Edgewood, died Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a retired salesman with Zenith and Fisher Electronics, both in Cincinnati, and a Marine Corps veteran. A son, Jimmy D'Ambrosio, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Marion Hacker D'Ambrosio; daughters, Toni D'Ambrosio of Fort Mitchell and Gina Cooper of Florence; a son, Mark D'Ambrosio of Fort Mitchell; a sister, Therese Daunt of Albuquerque, N.M.; six grandchildren; and one great-grandson.
Memorial Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested in the form of Masses or to American Heart Association, 2936 Vernon Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Charlotte J. Grant, 75, of Independence, died at 2 a.m. Wednesday at Unity Court Nursing Home, Cincinnati. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include a son, Douglas Grant of Newport; a brother, Gordon Swank of Cincinnati; sisters, Gwendolyn Dill of Dayton, Rebecca Matt of Independence and Myrtle Romito of Alexandria; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside services were this morning at Alexandria Cemetery. Catchen Funeral Home, Covington, handled arrangements.
Donald H. Henry, 62, of Woodlawn, died Monday at St. Luke Hospital East in Fort Thomas. He was a salesman for Terrell and Nobis and a former professional musician.
Survivors include his wife, Rosella Henry; a son, Donald H. Henry Jr. of Covington; a sister, Dianne Carroll of Covington; his mother, Nellie Henry of Covington; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Fredrick Earl Keeney, 62, of Williamstown, died Tuesday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington. He was a retired truck driver with Green Trucking Co., Covington. His wife, Ernestine Boshiers Keeney, preceded him in death.
Survivors include a brother, Michael G. Keeney of Dayton.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Alexandria Cemetery.
Freda A. Kendall, 72, of Elsmere, died at 8:45 a.m. Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was a homemaker, and a member of Madison Avenue Christian Church in Covington; Senior Citizens of Northern Kentucky; Loyal Order of Covington Moose; and the Rosie Reds. Her husband, Herman Kendall, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a daughter, Connie Brinkman of Covington; sisters, Evelyn Colley of Union, Joann Lenhof of Erlanger and Charline Hunt of Surprise, Ariz.; and two grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. today at Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Madison Avenue Christian Church, 1530 Madison Ave., Covington, Ky. 41011. Catchen Funeral Home, Elsmere, is handling arrangements.
Rena Brooks Mason, 92, of Hebron, died at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. She was a retired inspector with Bendix Co., Cincinnati, and a member of Sand Run Baptist Church, Hebron. Her husband, James Mason, preceded her in death.
Survivors include several cousins.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Hebron Lutheran Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Sand Run Baptist Church, 1327 North Bend Road, Hebron, Ky. 41048.
Camilla T. Meese, 93, of Covington, died Sunday at Covington Ladies Home. She was a housekeeper and a member of St. Mary Ladies Society at Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington.
Survivors include a sister, Gabriella Hergott of Cincinnati.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Cathedral Basilica. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 tonight at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington. Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright. Memorials are suggested to Covington Ladies Home, 702 Garrard St., Covington, Ky. 41011.
Florene Ogletree Smith, 87, of Atlanta, died Tuesday at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include daughters, Kitty K. Salter of Fort Mitchell and Felice Smith of Atlanta; two grandchildren; and four great- grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Arlington Memorial Cemetery, Atlanta. Memorials are suggested to Northern Kentucky Montessori Center Library Fund, 232 Beechwood Road, Fort Mitchell, Ky. 41017. Sandy Springs Funeral Home, Atlanta, is handling arrangements.
Virginia Mae Thompson, 73, of Maysville, died at 5:19 p.m. Tuesday at Meadowview Regional Medical Center in Maysville. She was a laborer with Parker Tobacco Co. in Maysville. Her husband, William Thomas Thompson, died in 1985. A son, Garney Lewis Thompson, died in 1995.
Survivors include sons, William Lee Thompson, Robert Thompson, Jerry Thompson and Joe Thompson, all of Maysville; daughters, Peggy Rose of Vanceburg, Judy French and Wilma Beckett, both of Maysville; a sister, Katheryn Presley of Maysville; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Brell and Son Funeral Home, Maysville. Visitation will begin there at 6 tonight. Burial will be in Maysville Cemetery.
Joanne Marie Todd, 34, of Florence, died Wednesday at her home.
Arrangements are pending at Stith Funeral Home, Florence.
Margaret A. Wolf, 72, of Vero Beach, Fla., formerly of Ludlow, died Saturday at her residence. She was the former owner of Buffalo Cafe, Ludlow. She was a member of Immanuel United Church of Christ, Bromley. Her husband, Donald S. Wolf, died in 1990.
Survivors include a son, Albert Wolf of Vero Beach; daughters, Donna Wolfstong of Newberg, Ore., and Carol Marik of Charlotte, N.C.; a brother, James Hemphill of Hollywood, Fla.; sisters, Jeanette Pitts of Mount Airy, Ohio, and Irene Steele of Covington; 12 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Gardnersville Cemetery, Pendleton County. Memorials are suggested to Arthritis Foundation, 7811 Laurel Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45243.
