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Date of these obituaries: 03-17-1999
NKU prof Dr. Doris Brett, devoted grandmother, gardener
Doris Brett was unable to complete an autobiography for the benefit of her only grandchild, but she nevertheless left him a legacy of commitment, accomplishment and dedication to others.
Memorial observances will be held later this month for Dr. Brett, a retired Northern Kentucky University professor of German, who died March 4 in her Newport home. Dr. Brett was 76.
'She was a very colorful person, who was always able to make people feel good,' said her sister, Ruth Cornelius of Columbus, Ohio.
Dr. Brett's early years were spent in her native Germany. She majored in foreign languages in school, her sister said, and worked as an interpreter for the press corps in her hometown of Nuremberg, during the war crimes trials held there in the late 1940s.
During this time she met her future husband, Bill Brett, who was the American Army officer in charge of the press headquarters. American soldiers were forbidden from fraternizing with German citizens, but the couple persevered, and were secretly married
by German authorities.
After the war years, Dr. Brett and the couple's son, Roger, were re-united with her husband in the United States.
Both Bretts went on to earn doctorates, and Bill Brett taught at Wilmington College in Ohio. Dr. Brett joined the NKU faculty in 1976. She taught German, and sometimes, world literature, until her retirement a few years ago, her sister said.
Dr. Brett's husband died about 20 years ago, and she also lost her son to leukemia.
A grandchild, Noah Brett, now 12, of Stoneybrook, N.Y., continued to visit her each summer, and she built a tree house for him in the yard of her Newport home, said a friend, Virginia Stallings.
Dr. Brett had prepared a booklet for Noah about German Christmas traditions, and she had also been compiling an autobiography for him, so he would know of her early life, Mrs. Stallings said.
Dr. Brett took great delight in gardening and renovating her home, Mrs. Cornelius said. 'She was an expert on trees and remodeled a 140-year-old house. She carried the stones with her own hands,' Dr. Brett's sister said.
In addition to her grandson and sister, Dr. Brett leaves a daughter-in-law, Claire Mettewie of Stoneybrook, N.Y.; sisters, Maria Thomson of New Zealand, and Mary Daniels of Philadelphia; and a brother, Werner Nolte of Germany.
A memorial concert for Dr. Brett will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 27, at St. Paul Episcopal Church, Newport, and a memorial service at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, March 28, at Friends Meeting House, on Keller Road, Cincinnati.
Burial was in the Friends Cemetery, Wilmington, Ohio.
Melvin Hershel Brock, 79, of Erlanger, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a bus driver with Greenline and Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky for 40 years and a Navy veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Margaret Hagedorn Brock; sons, Ron Brock of Fort Wright, Rick Brock of Cincinnati and Randy Brock of Norwood, Ohio; a daughter, Donna Jean Thomas of Indianapolis; sisters, Peggy Francis and Nora Sims, both of Muncie, Ind.; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial Mass will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at Mary Queen of Heaven Church, Erlanger. A reception will follow services in the church hall. Memorials are suggested to American Red Cross, 59 Carothers Road, Newport, Ky. 41071; Mary Queen of Heaven Church, 1150 Donaldson Highway, Erlanger, Ky. 41018; or the charity of the donor's choice. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Max Brownfield, 89, of Pendleton County, died Thursday at St. Luke Hospital East in in Fort Thomas.
Arrangements are pending at Peoples Funeral Home, Falmouth.
Franklin E. Courtney, 58, of Brooksville, died Monday at St. Claire Medical Center, Morehead.
Survivors include a son, Donnie Courtney of Cincinnati; a sister, Pat Tucker of Brooksville; and a brother, Hubert Courtney of Ray City, Ga.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Moore and Parker Funeral Home, Brooksville. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Brooksville Cemetery.
Helen P. Haas Crowder, 87, of California, died at 7:03 p.m. Monday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Raymond C. Crowder, died in 1991.
Survivors include sons, Melvin Crowder of Silver Grove, Gerald Crowder of Conyers, Ga., and Charles Gary Crowder of California; daughters, Joye Nelson of Silver Grove, Donna Burkhardt of Cold Spring and Linda Govan of California; a sister, Ruth Bertline of Cincinnati; 16 grandchildren; and 17 great- grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Alexandria Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mount Gilead Cemetery, Carthage. Memorials are suggested to St. Luke Hospice Unit, 85 N. Grand Ave., Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
Ronnie 'Pappy' Havink, 65, of Newport, died Sunday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a mail carrier with the U.S. Postal Service for 25 years in the Dayton area, and was a longtime Knothole baseball coach in Newport.
Survivors include a nephew, Rick Beck of Erlanger; and nieces, Kimberly Hume of Southgate and Pam Seibert of Newport.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. Therese Church, Southgate. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas.
Robert Leonard Lehmkuhl, 74, of Bellevue, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was owner of K&K Cafe in Bellevue, and a member of Sacred Heart Church, Bellevue. He was a member of the St. Vincent DePaul Society, the Holy Name Society at the church and a Marine Corps veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Mary Louise 'Pat' Lehmkuhl; daughters, Nancy Henry of Independence and Sharon Hudson of Alexandria; sons, Kenneth Lehmkuhl of Florence and Robert Lehmkuhl of Newport; nine grandchildren; and five great- grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Dobbling Funeral Home, Bellevue. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to St. Vincent DePaul Society, 2655 Crescent Springs Road, Erlanger, Ky. 41018; or Sacred Heart Church, 318 Division St., Bellevue, Ky. 41073.
Audrey Ohmer, 61, of Dry Ridge, died Sunday at Personal Care Nursing Home in Dry Ridge.
Survivors include a brother, Charles Ohmer of Newport; a sister, Pauline Hunninghake of Covington; and a half-sister, Jane Henry.
Graveside services will be at 10 am. Thursday at St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown, is handling arrangements.
Freda J. Olberding, 102, of Cincinnati, formerly of Newport, died Tuesday at Arbors of Milford Nursing Home, Cincinnati. Her husband, Henry B. Olberding, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Harold L. Price of Cincinnati; a stepson, James Olberding of Memphis; a sister, Sadie McLaughlin of Newport; two grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
No services are planned. T. P. White & Sons Funeral Home, Cincinnati, is handling arrangements.
Marguerite B. Rainone, 73, of Erlanger, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include her husband, Donato M. Rainone; a son, Donald A. Rainone of Erlanger; a sister, Jean Hayes of Arizona; a brother, James Santomauro of Queens, N.Y.; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at the convenience of the family. Cremation will be at Baxter Cremation Co., Cincinnati. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Charlotte Richards, of Edgewood, died Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence.
Arrangements are pending at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Covington.
Gerri F. Ruccio, 44, of Louisville, died Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington. She was a retired cake decorator with Busken Bakery.
Survivors include sons, John Ward, Michael Ward and Charles Ward, all of Union; sisters, Mary Jo Ruccio of Union and Judy Morse of Louisville; brothers, Michael Ruccio of Kodiak, Alaska, William Ruccio of New Bern, N.C., and James Ruccio of Charlotte, N.C.; and one grandchild.
Services will be at noon Thursday at Arch L. Heady & Son Funeral Home, Louisville. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 tonight, and 10 a.m. to noon Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Louisville Memorial Gardens West. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014.
Shirley Beiting Sayers, 58, of Alexandria, died Tuesday at her home. She was a homemaker, a member of St. Mary Church in Alexandria and an avid volunteer with the Point.
Survivors include sisters, Sylvia Bruno of Cincinnati and Judy Sanzenbacher of Southgate; and a brother, Jack Beiting of Highland Heights.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Prayers will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to the Point, 104 Pike St., Covington, Ky. 41011.
Dorothy Mary Schneider, 78, of Fort Thomas, died Saturday at Highlands of Fort Thomas. She was a legal secretary with George Kaufman Law Office.
Survivors include a sister, Mildred Frede of Fort Thomas.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Catherine of Siena Church, Fort Thomas. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice. Dobbling Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
Michael A. Spreder, 71, of Florence, died Tuesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
Arrangements are pending at Stith Funeral Home, Florence.
Jerri L. Terrell, 40, of Covington, died Friday. Ms. Terrell was a homemaker.
Survivors include her mother, Anna Meeks, of Cincinnati; stepfather, Rudolph Meeks of Covington; brothers, George Englemon, Charles Marshall, Rudolph Englemon and Rudell Englemon, all of Cincinnati, and Darrell Englemon, Covington; sisters, Mary Marshall, Latoya Englemon, Alaih Englemon, Shameelah Englemon, Jameelah Englemon, Khadijah Englemon, all of Cincinnati, and Rashamia Englemon and Darlene Englemon of Covington.
Services are at 7 tonight at Lane Chapel Church in Cincinnati's West End. Visitation begins at 6 p.m. at the church. Thompson, Hall and Jordan Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
Laura Mae Hardin Wethington, 75, of Walton, died Tuesday at her home. She was a homemaker and a member of All Saints Church, Walton. Her husband, James Murray Wethington, died in 1989.
Survivors include sons, Joseph G. Wethington of Crittenden, Michael W. Wethington of Demossville, William M. Wethington of Verona, Anthony L. Wethington of Cincinnati, M. Keith Wethington of Frankfort, and James T. Wethington and David E. Wethington, both of Walton; daughters, Barbara J. Hopperton of Verona, and Edith M. Trzop and Victoria L. Wethington, both of Walton; a sister, Hazel Redman of Erlanger; a brother, Jim Hardin of Crescent Springs; 22 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Friday at All Saints Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Walton. Burial will be in St. Bernard Cemetery, Casey County. Memorials are suggested to St. Joseph Academy, 1 St. Joseph Lane, Walton, Ky. 41094.
