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Date of these obituaries: 12-03-2003
Don Smith, coached Special Olympians
F. Don Smith loved young people.
He coached them in basketball, softball and soccer in Special Olympics.
He helped run and judge junior karate competitions for them.
And he took them into his home when they had no place else to go.
"I can think of six right off the top of my head, " said his wife, Susan McLaughlin Smith. "They were friends of my sons. My husband would help them get back on their feet."
Mr. Smith, 67, of Florence, died Monday in his home.
His open, outgoing personality was in contrast to the classified work he did for 26 years for the U.S. Department of Defense.
He was an industrial specialist in locales that included Pittsburgh, Dallas and Oklahoma, Susan Smith said.
Prior to that, he spent 22 years in the U.S. Navy as a jet mechanic. He served on aircraft carriers in both the Korean and Vietnam wars.
A brown belt in karate, he became a scorekeeper and stager for various competitions, including the nationals and the Junior Olympics.
He volunteered for about eight years as a Special Olympics coach.
"He loved the enthusiasm of the kids and how much they appreciated what he was doing for them, " Susan Smith said.
He had to curtail that and most of his other volunteer work about three years ago when he was diagnosed with colon cancer. The disease later spread to his liver.
Mr. Smith also was a member of Florence United Methodist Church.
Besides his wife, survivors include: daughters, Lynette Seifert of Aurora, Colo., and Deborah Handy of Florence; sons, Bill Smith of Elsmere, and Donnie Smith and Joshua Smith, both of Florence; sisters, Nancy Wilcox of Sterling, Va., and Florence Smith of Moundsville, W.Va.; brothers, John Smith of Moundsville and Ernie Smith of Rento, Wash.; and 10 grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at 8 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Camp Nelson National Cemetery, Nicholasville.
Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society, 6612 Dixie Highway, Suite 2A, Florence, Ky. 41042 or to Special Olympics of Northern Kentucky, P.O. Box 393, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Jeffrey Acree, 47, of Verona, died Tuesday in Florence after a long illness. Arrangements are pending at Hamilton-Stanley Funeral Home, Verona
Melvin C. Aylor, 84, of Hebron, died at 7:05 p.m. Friday at Woodspoint Health Care Center, Florence. He was a manager and customer relations worker with TWA and an Army Air Corps veteran of World War II. His wife, Ellen Mayree Holladay Aylor, died in 1999.
Survivors include a son, Dr. Melvyn K. Aylor of Bell, Fla.; a daughter, Charlene Aylor Struve of Hebron; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Bullittsburg Baptist Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to Hebron Baptist Church, 1488 Petersburg Road, Hebron, Ky. 41048; or American Heart Association, 2936 Vernon Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45219. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron, is handling arrangements.
Bernard Lee Boone, 81, of Taylor Mill, died at 4:45 a.m. Monday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was retired, and was a member of Hilltop Church of Christ and American Legion Post No. 203, Latonia.
Survivors include his wife, Rosie Amanda Crowder Boone; sons, Bernard Lee Boone and Mark Gerald Boone, both of Taylor Mill; and a sister, Arleen Fay of Florence.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at Swindler and Currin Funeral Home, Latonia. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Joseph B. "Bernie" Bremke Sr., 76, of Cold Spring, died at 8 a.m. Tuesday at his home. He was a retired carpenter with Carpenters Union Local No. 126, Cincinnati, and Lazarus Department Store, downtown Cincinnati. He was a member of Bluegrass Seniors and Silver Belles and Beaus. His wife, Jo Ann Schwope Bremke, died in 1996.
Survivors include a son, Joseph B. Bremke Jr. of Alexandria; daughters, Paulette Ann Harp of Collierville, Tenn., and Claudette Peters of Dayton; a sister, Pauline Crabtree of Pittsburg, Calif.; five grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring. Visitation will begin there at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to St. Bernard Church Pantry, 401 Berry St., Dayton, Ky. 41074; or St. Vincent DePaul Society, 2655 Crescent Springs Road, Erlanger, Ky. 41018. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
Virginia J. Delaney, 90, of Highland Heights, died at 12:05 a.m. Tuesday at Northern Kentucky Care and Rehabilitation Center, Highland Heights. She was a retired bookkeeper with Cas-Ker Co., Cincinnati, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Crestview Hills and Edgewood Homemakers. Her husband, Thomas Delaney, died in 1980.
Survivors include a son, Don Delaney of Hebron; a grandchild and a great-grandchild.
Services will be at the convenience of the family. Entombment will be in Highland Mausoleum, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer's Disease Association, 644 Linn St., Suite 1026, Cincinnati, Ohio 45203. Swindler and Currin Funeral Home, Latonia, is handling arrangements.
Mary Lee Hill Ernspiker, 59, of Walton, died Friday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. She was a former home health care aide with Life Line Home Care. Her husband, David L. Robertson, died in 1994.
Survivors include a daughter, Cheryl Cassidy of Elsmere; a son, Bobby Joe Ernspiker of Louisville; her mother, Edith Mae Hill of Louisville; sisters, Barbara Kaiser and Judy Riley, both of Louisville; a brother, Gary Hill of Louisville; and three grandchildren.
Memorial services were Tuesday night at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence.
Phyllis M. Farissier, 55, of Geneva, Ill., died Friday at St. Alexius Hospital, Geneva.
Survivors include her husband, Maurice Farissier; a son, Maurice D. Farissier of Arizona; a daughter, Sharon Darpel of Kentucky; her mother, Mary Rodia of Geneva; and four grandchildren.
Services were this morning at Malone Funeral Home, Geneva. Burial will be in St. Mary Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
Harry L. Free, 64, of Florence, died Monday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. He was a warehouse receiver with Schawnee Systems in Cincinnati and a member of Florence Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, Bonnie Free; a son, David Free of Dayton, Ohio; a daughter, Kim Pelle of Independence; and five grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075.
James Charles Key, 82, of Newport, died Nov. 26 at his home. He was a retired vice president of sales with Enerfab Co. and an Army veteran of World War II.
Survivors include sons, Gary Key and David Key, both of Cincinnati; stepdaughters, Sarah Johnson of Cincinnati and Glenna Adkins of Newport; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Memorial services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Cincinnati. A reception will follow in the church hall. Cremation will be at Fares J. Radel Crematory, Cincinnati. Memorials are suggested to Jim Key Memorial Music Scholarship Fund, in care of Northern Kentucky University, Office of Development, Highland Heights, Ky. 41099. Fares J. Radel Funeral Home, Newport, is handling arrangements.
Ervin R. Knapp Jr., 73, of Fairfield, Ohio, died at 11:55 p.m. Monday at Westview Hospital, Indianapolis. He was a retired fabrication supervisor with CTL Aerospace Dynamics in Cincinnati, and was a member of the 1947 Kentucky state champion Maysville Bulldogs basketball team.
Survivors include daughters, April Hess of Avon, Ind., and Brenda Bussell of Brooksville; a brother, James Knapp of Columbus, Ohio; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Brell and Son Funeral Home, Maysville. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Goddard Church Cemetery, Flemingsburg.
Sister Theresa Landry, O.S.B., 80, of Villa Hills, died Sunday at St. Walburg Monastery Infirmary, Villa Hills. She was a teacher and cook, and a 56-year member of the Benedictine order.
Survivors include nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 5:20 p.m. today at St. Walburg Monastery, Villa Hills. Burial will be in St. Walburg Cemetery, Villa Hills. Memorials are suggested to St. Walburg Monastery, 2500 Amsterdam Road, Villa Hills, Ky. 41017. Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger, is handling arrangements.
Florence Mendell, 84, of Fort Thomas, died Sunday at her home. She was a homemaker and a member of Holy Spirit Church in Newport and the Hilltoppers Club. Her husband, John G. Mendell, died in 1963.
Survivors include sons, Bill Mendell of Dayton, Mike Mendell of San Diego and John Mendell of Alexandria; daughters, Diane Snowball Mendell of Cold Spring and Kathi Mendell of Fort Thomas; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 6:30 p.m. today at Holy Spirit Church, Newport. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of Northern Kentucky, 1403 Alexandria Pike, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075; or Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, 10901 Reed Hartman Highway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45242.
Eva Miller, 74, of Newport, died Nov. 26 at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Burton Miller, died in 1968.
Survivors include a grandchild and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 7 tonight at Second Baptist Church, Newport. Visitation will begin there at 6 p.m. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Mary Smith Cemetery, Elsmere. Jones, Simpson and Gee Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
Arthur A. Rothenberger, 74, of Ryland Heights, died at 4:22 p.m. Sunday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. He was a retired electrical engineer with Cincinnati Gas & Electric and a member of the Shriners and Scottish Rite.
Survivors include his wife, Edna M. Rothenberger; a stepdaughter, Opal Dingeldine of Hamilton, Ohio; a sister, Helen Restle of Finneytown, Ohio; and a step-grandchild.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Erlanger. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Shriners Burns Institute, 3229 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45229; or St. Rita School for the Deaf, 1720 Glendale-Milford Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45215.
Rev. Joseph T. Smith, 72, of Erlanger, died Sunday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence.
He was a minister with Dayton Church of the Nazarene, a former manager with Rinks Department Store in Florence and a former employee of Equitable Bag Co. He was a member of Florence Community Church of the Nazarene.
Survivors include his wife, Barbara Brooks Smith; sons, Mark Smith of Dayton and Jeffrey Smith of Middletown, Ohio; daughters, Diana Hesson and Miriam Addis, both of Hamilton, Ohio; brothers, Arthur Smith Jr. of Hamilton and Edward Smith of Springfield, Ohio; a sister, Ruth Prather of Trenton, Ohio; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Florence Community Church of the Nazarene Building Fund, 199 Richardson Road, Independence, Ky. 41051.
