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Date of these obituaries: 05-07-1999
Indiana lawyer Harry L. Zerbe, fought KKK, served family, law
Harry L. Zerbe Jr., a prominent Lawrenceburg, Ind., lawyer and devoted husband and father, died Thursday at his Villa Hills home. He was 76.
A lawyer for 43 years, Mr. Zerbe considered himself an advocate for the common people.
He was twice elected prosecutor of Dearborne and Ohio counties in Indiana, and he was widely known for his efforts on behalf of the Democratic Party.
In 1965, his successful argument of the state's anti-hate laws kept the Ku Klux Klan from being permitted to stage a rally in Dearborne County. The House of Representatives' Committee on Un-American Activities, which was investigating the KKK, called on Mr. Zerbe to testify as a result of his successful prosecution.
He was a member of a commission that authorized the revised Indiana criminal code, and he served several years on the board of directors for the Indiana Trial Lawyers Association.
"Dad thought he was more for the people, and he didn't like to go by 'attorney,' " said a daughter, Pamela Zerbe, of Cincinnati. "He called himself a 'lawyer,' which is less formal."
Mr. Zerbe grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from high school in 1940. He served in the Navy as chief petty officer.
He earned his bachelor's degree in political science from Ohio State University in 1948, graduating in just 22 months.
He married
his wife of 50 years, Betsy Kirwin Zerbe, the same year he graduated. They moved to Lawrenceburg, where Mr. Zerbe began an 11-year career with Seagram's. While working as a line supervisor for the distiller, he attended night classes at Salmon P. Chase College of Law in Cincinnati. He earned his law degree in 1955, the year he and his wife had their first child.
In his late 20s, Mr. Zerbe contracted polio. He went through months of painful treatment to regain his ability to walk.
Mr. Zerbe instilled in his children his work ethic. Three of his children became lawyers; the others went into medicine, transportation and education.
"He was truly an inspiration to his children," his daughter said. He had "totally unconditional love for all of his children and grandchildren and wife. He loved everyone equally."
Mr. Zerbe moved to Villa Hills about 10 years ago. His law office remained in Lawrenceburg. On his 70th birthday, the mayor of Lawrenceburg proclaimed the day "Harry Leland Zerbe Law Day."
In July, he and his wife renewed their vows in celebration of their 50th anniversary.
He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer late last year.
In addition to his daughter and wife, survivors include a daughter, Angela Strohmeier of Nicosia, Cyprus; sons, Hank L. Zerbe III, John Zerbe and David Zerbe, all of Cincinnati; and Matthew Zerbe of Lawrenceburg; and 13 grandchildren.
Memorial Mass will be at noon EDT Saturday at St. Lawrence Church, Lawrenceburg, Ind. Memorials are suggested to St. Xavier Harry L. Zerbe Jr. Scholarship Fund, 600 W. North Bend Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45224. Radel Funeral Home, Cincinnati, is handling arrangements.
Bernard "Buddy" Banks, 84, of Carrollton, died Wednesday at Tri-County Baptist Hospital, LaGrange. He was owner of Buddy's Men Shop in Carrollton and was a member of Carrollton Christian Church.
Survivors include his wife, Virginia Gentry Banks; a daughter, Sandra Lee Hainz of Columbus, Ind.; a son, William Banks of Centerville, Ohio; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery, Carrollton. Memorials are suggested to Carrollton Christian Church, Carrollton, Ky. 41008.
Marie Banks, 78, of Covington, died Wednesday at Bethesda Oak Hospital, Cincinnati.
Arrangements are pending at Jones & Simpson Funeral Home, Covington.
Rev. Charles E. Bays, 75, of Science Hill, died Wednesday in Science Hill. He was a retired foreman with Formica Corp. in Cincinnati, a member of Glenwood Baptist Church in Eubank and an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Telitha Mae Godbey Bays; daughters, Jeanette Braun and Carol Docter, both of Cincinnati, Barbara Partin and Joyce Maiden, both of Science Hill; sons, Charles Roger Bays of Harrison, Ohio, Leonard Ray Bays of Bellevue and Archie Bays of Cincinnati; a sister, Emma Jean Brown of Aurora, Ind.; brothers, Lawrence Bays of Cincinnati and Wade Albert Bays of Oxford, Ohio; 20 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Glenwood Baptist Church. visitation will begin there at 6 p.m. today. Burial will be in Glenwood Cemetery, Eubank. Morris and Hislope Funeral Home, Science Hill, is handling arrangements.
Thomas "Pops" Brooks, 93, of Circleville, Ohio, formerly of Bromley, died Sunday at his home. He was the retired owner of Fred's Mini Market and Felingo's Lounge, both in Bromley. His wife, Hazel Brook, and a daughter, Betty Bailey, both preceded him in death.
Survivors include a son, Fred Brooks of Ludlow; daughters, Margaret Lee of Florence and Barb Ott, Tracie Dumm and Janet Herron, all of Circleville, Ohio, Jean Brown of Jonesboro, Ark., and Ethel Reed of Syracuse, N.Y.; 20 grandchildren and many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Services have already been held. Memorials are suggested to Pickaway County Hands for the Disabled, P. O. Box 243, 210 Lancaster Pike, Circleville, Ohio 43113. Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow, handled local arrangements.
Ida Mae Coghill, 73, of Turners Station, died Thursday at her home. She was a homemaker and a member of Mount Hermon Baptist Church, Carrollton. Her husband, Wheeler Coghill, died in 1973.
Survivors include daughters, Sharlene Shephard of Turners Station, Christine Hon of Madison, Ind., and Mary Jane Martin of Carrollton; a son, Larry Coghill of Milton; brothers, Raymond Preston of New Castle and Alvin Preston of Erie, Pa.; 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Graham-Dunn Funeral Home, Carrollton. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in IOOF Cemetery, Carrollton.
Albert M. Denham, 88, of Villa Hills, died at 3:35 a.m. Thursday at Madonna Manor in Villa Hills. He was a retired engineer with Southern Railroad and a member of Main Street United Methodist Church, Covington. His wife, Ruth Wall Denham, died in 1996. A daughter, Margie Keene, also preceded him in death.
Survivors include a daughter, Sue Young of Ohio; a son, Alan R. Denham of Erlanger; sisters, Virginia Sweet of Boca Raton, Fla., Mae Denham and Jeanette Highhouse, both of Ludlow; and Doris Daley of Fort Thomas; brothers, Earl Denham of Florence, Harry Denham of Erlanger and Tommy Denham of Boca Raton; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to Main Street United Methodist Church, Eighth and Main streets, Covington, Ky. 41011; American Diabetes Association, 8899 Brookside Ave., West Chester, Ohio 45069; or Madonna Manor, 2344 Amsterdam Road, Villa Hills, Ky. 41017.
Jeanne G. Gray, 74, of Fort Mitchell, died at 5:01 p.m. Thursday at Christ Hospital in Cincinnati.
Arrangements are pending at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington.
Adelaide Henry, 85, of Fort Thomas, died Thursday at her home. She was a retired treasurer of the Seventh Ward Savings and Loan Association, Cincinnati.
Survivors include nieces and nephews.
Services will be at the convenience of the family. Entombment will be in Spring Grove Mausoleum, Cincinnati. Radel Funeral Home, Newport, is handling arrangements.
Robert Holsclaw, 53, of Florence, died Thursday at his home.
Arrangements are pending at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Covington.
Rosalee Marksberry Laswell, 57, of Villa Hills, died at 10:39 a.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a retired cook and bartender with Twin Oaks Golf Course in Latonia.
Survivors include her husband, William Laswell of Villa Hills; sons, Rodney Laswell of Danville and Jay Laswell of Villa Hills; a daughter, Brandi Dixon of Covington; brothers, Donald Marksberry of Hutto, Texas, Billy Marksberry of Taylor Mill and Ronald Marksberry of Visalia; sisters, Connie Harris of Latonia and Angela Reis of Alexandria; and three grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Allison and Rose Funer al Home, Covington. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Wesley United Methodist Church, 319 Oak St., Ludlow, Ky. 41016; or American Lung Association, 11113 Kenwood Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242.
Lorene G. Mink, 83, of Williamstown, died at 6:48 p.m. Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center-Grant County in Williamstown.
Arrangements are pending at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown.
Barbara Norris, 68, of Asheville, N.C., formerly of Burlington, died April 30 at St. Joseph Hospital in Asheville. She was a retired missionary teacher with the United Methodist Church, having taught in Zaire from 1955-72.
Survivors include a sister, Helen Wilson of Edgewood.
Memorial services will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Erlanger United Methodist Church. Burial will be in Lennoxburg Chapel Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Brooks Howell Home, 266 Merrimon Ave., Asheville, N.C. 28801; or Asbury College, 1 Macklem Drive, Wilmore, Ky. 40390. Penland Funeral Home, Swannanoa, N.C., is handling arrangements.
Felix E. Reams, 83, of Alexandria, died Wednesday at his home. He was a a retired supervisor with Interlake Steel, Newport, and was a deacon with Flat Rock Baptist Church, Orlando.
Survivors include his wife, Irene Reams; daughters, Emily Barton of Orlando, Helen Sakkinen of Southgate, Mildred Vanlandingham of Falmouth and Linda Miller of Elsmere; sons, Marlon Reams of Cold Spring and Dennis Reams of Orlando; 22 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Dowell-Martin Funeral Home, Mount Vernon. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Flat Rock Baptist Church, Orlando, Ky. 40460.
James Robert Shay, 46, of Newport, died at 12:30 a.m. Thursday at Good Samaritan Hospital, Cincinnati. He was a self-employed maintenance man.
Survivors include daughters, Jessica Saylor, Tanya Clause, Belinda Clause and Kimberly Hensley, all of Newport; sons, James Tomlinson, Timothy Tomlinson, James Hensley and Dakota Shay, all of Newport; sisters, Rita Usleaman of Newport and Connie Fey of Hebron; brothers, William Shay and Ronald Shay, both of Pendleton County, and Gary Shay and Mike Shay, both of Newport; and 10 grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Len noxburg Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to James Shay Fund, in care of Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, 835 York St., Newport, Ky. 41071.
Joanne Marie Todd, 34, of Florence, died Wednesday at her home.
She was a homemaker and a member of Faith Community United Methodist Church, Independence.
Survivors include sons, Brandon L. Haskett, Cory N. Haskett and Adam J. France, all of Florence; her parents, George and Bea Evans of Florence; a brother, George D. Evans Jr. of Cypress, Texas; sisters, Debbie Elliott of Appleton, Wis., Liz Wright of Verona and Barb Ivey of Independence; and grandparents, Edward J. and Beatrice Hamman of Dayton, Ohio, and David and Ruth Evans of Springfield, Ohio.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Independence Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Faith Community United Methodist Church, 4310 Richardson Road, Independence, Ky. 41051.
