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Date of these obituaries: 11-01-2003
Amos Lunsford, 81, candidate's father
A series of struggles with cancer, a bout with heart disease and the sudden loss of his wife failed to diminish Amos Lunsford's appreciation for life and his optimistic nature.
Mr. Lunsford, father of Louisville businessman and former gubernatorial candidate W. Bruce Lunsford, died Friday at his home in Union. He was 81.
Bruce Lunsford described his father this way:
"He was a guy who enjoyed life. He'd been through World War II, battled cancer three times and underwent open-heart surgery -- but even with all that, he had a positive outlook. He lived life young until his last couple years."
He said his father's most devastating blow came when his wife, Billie C. Lunsford, was killed 31 years ago in a head-on collision with a drunk driver.
The accident occurred on Ky. 17 between Independence and the 125-acre Lunsford farm in Piner.
"It took years for him, yet he weathered it, " Lunsford said of his father. "I always felt that, if he could deal with something like that, I could do likewise.
"In that way, my father was a great mentor. I've had both ups and downs, and I've learned to accept both because of the example my dad set for me."
The elder Lunsford was among a group of five cancer patients a decade ago to undergo an experimental treatment at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
His son said that treatment gained him an extra 10 years.
"And he made the most of it, " Bruce Lunsford said. "You could see it in the smile on his face when any of his grandkids would enter the room."
The elder Lunsford made his living raising tobacco and buying and selling cattle. He also was interested in thoroughbred racing. During racing meets, he met with a group of friends on Saturdays at Turfway Park.
"His last trip there was to see the Jim Beam Stakes (the Lanes End Stakes in March), " Lunsford said. "He went on his own. That was his last outing. Since then, he was bedridden."
Mr. Lunsford was a member of Piner Baptist Church; a former board of directors president of Crittenden Bank, now Integra Bank; a former Kenton County Farm Bureau board member and a Mason.
Surviving in addition to his son are his wife, Thelma Jean Hogan Lunsford; two stepsons, Michael Garvey of Hanover, Ind., and Matthew Garvey of Leesburg, Ga.; a brother, John Lunsford of Crittenden; a sister, Joetta Arnold of southern Ohio, three grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be at 1:30 p.m. Monday at Chambers & Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence.
Visitation will be from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday there.
Burial will be in Independence Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014, or Piner Baptist Church, 15044 Madison Pike, Morning View, Ky. 41063.
Christy Lynne Brashear, 29, of Glencoe, died Wednesday at New Horizons Medical Center, Owenton.
Survivors include her fianc�e, Jimmy Henry of Glencoe; her mother, Hazel Gullion Brashear of Erlanger; her father and stepmother, Don and Adria Brashear of Warsaw; a brother, Pete Haynes of Gainesville, Fla.; sisters, Terry Moore of Langley, Va., Leslie Holloway of Clearwater, Fla., and Missy Candiano of Westfield, Mass.; a stepsister, Rachel Rassman of Warsaw; and step-grandmother, Louise Wilson of Warsaw.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Carlton-Lowder Funeral Home, Warsaw.
Visitation will be from 5 to 9 tonight at the funeral home. Burial will be in Warsaw Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105; or Shriners Burns Institute, 3229 Burnet Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45229.
Helen E. Meyer Elmore, 83, of Latonia, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood.
She was a member of Holy Cross Church, Latonia.
Survivors include sons, Robert E. Meyer of Flatwoods and Ron Meyer of Burlington; a daughter, Christina Smith of Taylor Mill; sisters, Evelyn Middendorf of Fort Mitchell and Catherine Williams of Latonia; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Holy Cross Church, Latonia.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until time of service Monday at the church.
Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright.
Memorials are suggested to Holy Cross Church, 3612 Church St., Latonia, Ky. 41015 or Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 10901 Reed Hartman Highway, Blue Ash, Ohio 45242.
Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia, is in charge of arrangements.
Earl Preston Fields, 74, of Silver Grove, died Thursday at Highland Heights Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.
He was a design engineer for Kees Surgical in Wilder, a member of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Highland Heights and an Army veteran of the Korean War.
Survivors include sisters, Ethel Mae Bauer of Melbourne; Mary Bauer and Ruth Daniels, both of Florida, and Wilma Deaton of Edgewood; brothers, Walter Allen Fields of Melbourne, Arthur Guy of Alexandria, Dave Guy of Holden Beach, N.C., and William Guy of Catlettsburg.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Alexandria Funeral Home.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.
Diane K. Nienaber, 56, of Erlanger, died Thursday at her home.
She was a customer service representative for Connecter Manufacturing Co., Cincinnati, for more than 26 years.
Survivors include her husband, Greg T. Nienaber of Erlanger; daughters, Kelly Sharpshear of Florence, Christine Brashear and Amy Carroll, both of Cincinnati, Kimberly Rains of Alexandria and Saundra Saylor of Fort Thomas; a brother, Daryl Mueller of Cincinnati; a sister, Donna Hillman of Cincinnati; and 10 grandchildren.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held privately for the family at Blessed Sacrament Church, Fort Mitchell.
Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Linnemann Funeral Home, Erlanger.
Burial will be in Southwest Ohio Crematory. Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society 6612 Dixie Hwy. Florence, Ky. 41042.
Beverly Upton Renaker, 62, of Erlanger, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center in Edgewood.
Her husband, Jack Renaker, preceded her in death.
Survivors include her mother, Becky Upton of Independence; sons, Jack Renaker of Covington and Bob Renaker of Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; daughters, Donna Feder of Erlanger, Becky Pitcher of Elsmere and Amy Wimer of Fort Lauderdale; brothers, Billy and Mike Upton, both of Independence; a sister, Karen White of Independence; and three grandchildren.
Services will be at noon Monday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until time of service Monday at the funeral home.
Burial will be in Florence Cemetery.
