Search Archived Marriage Records
Date of these obituaries: 08-08-2003
Celestine Wilson, church organist
On Sundays, Celestine H. Wilson played the organ for Sts. Boniface and James Church in Ludlow. Later in life she played for the West Covington Baptist Church.
But outside the church, the minister's daughter became the life of any party that had a piano, said her son, Thomas Schrage of Villa Hills.
"She would play a lot of upbeat, ragtime piano, and everyone would join in and sing, " her son said. "She just had that ability to get everyone singing."
Mrs. Wilson, 81, who died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit in Covington, was a retired executive secretary for the Cincinnati YWCA and a former city clerk for the city of Ludlow, where she lived.
She was born in Lincoln, Ill., but her family moved around the Midwest.
She went to Moberly Junior College in Missouri, where she ran the high hurdles.
She met her first husband while she was working in Cleveland, and they moved to his home in Ludlow after World War II.
She was beautiful as a young woman, her son said, almost like a Hollywood star or model.
She always had a very pleasant disposition, he said, which she retained later in life when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.
She never became frustrated or angry as some patients do, but always had a smile for everyone.
Other survivors include her husband, Clifford E. Wilson; sons, David Schrage of Villa Hills and Robert Schrage of Burlington; a daughter, Janet Bush of Millersport, Ohio; stepdaughters, Dara Wilson of Bromley, Karen Long of Goshen, Ohio, and Connie Wallace of Carmichael, Calif.; a sister, Estalene Schultz of Henrietta, Texas; 16 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow.
Visitation will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
Memorials are suggested to YWCA of Cincinnati, 898 Walnut St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202.
Margaret Leland Armstrong, 89, of Cincinnati, formerly of Butler, died Wednesday at Mount Washington Care Center, Cincinnati.
Arrangements are pending at Peoples Funeral Home, Butler.
James E. Beacom, 76, of Hebron, died at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington. He was a retired operating engineer with Fred B. Debra Co., Cincinnati, and a member of Disabled American Veterans and Kelly Furnish VFW Post No. 7099, Covington. A daughter, Dale Ann Beacom, died in 1952.
Survivors include his wife, Lavinia "Dee" Beacom; sons, Edward Lee Beacom of Henderson, Daniel Ray Beacom of Cold Spring and David Bruce Beacom of Florence; daughters, Donna Jean Gabbard and Karen Sue Beacom, both of Florence; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Hebron. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Hebron Lutheran Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014.
Edward G. "Ned" Biedenharn, 61, of Grove City, Ohio, died Wednesday at his home. He was a retired employee of Pennsylvania Railroad and ConRail, and was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Grove City.
Survivors include his wife, Judy Hinel Biedenharn; sons, Robert A. Biedenharn of Cincinnati, Michael A. Biedenharn of Grove City and Elizabeth G. Blust of San Diego; a sister, Alberta B. Courter of Xenia, Ohio; and a brother, Bruce J. Biedenharn of Erlanger; and six grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Grove City. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Schoedinger-Norris Funeral Home, Grove City. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Grove City. Memorials are suggested to Vanderbilt Shy-Drager Research Fund, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, AA-3228 Medical Center North, Nashville, Tenn. 37232; or SDS/MSA Support Group, 2004 Howard Lane, Austin, Texas 78728.
Thomas Hemingway, 73, of Covington, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington.
Arrangements are pending at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia.
Jodena Bird Kelley, 75, of Latonia, died at 10:08 p.m. Wednesday at her daughter's home in Covington. She was a retired employee of St. Elizabeth Medical Center North patient account department, Covington, and a member of Madison Avenue Christian Church, Covington, and Covington Moose Lodge No. 1469. Her husband, Donald J. Kelley, died in 1970.
Survivors include daughters, Brenda Kelley and Donna Jo Kelley, both of Latonia, Patricia A. Johnson of Covington and Colleen Mooney of Cincinnati; a sister, Rosaleen Delaney of Latonia; and six grandchildren.
Services will be at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Saturday.
Ronald Joe Lee, 54, of Newport, died Monday at his home.
Survivors include sisters, Vickie Applegate of Newport, Kim Ridney of Sulpher Springs, Texas, Kathy Smith of Monticello and Donna Lovelace of Somerset; and a brother, Bill Lee of Somerset.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Pulaski Funeral Home, Somerset. Visitation will begin there at 6 p.m. today. Burial will be in Mize Cemetery, Stab.
Dennis C. Morrissey, 51, of Cincinnati, formerly of Covington, died July 21 at his home. He was an information processor with Cincinnati Gas & Electric/Cinergy, and attended Mother of God Church, Covington.
Survivors include his mother, Laura Costello Morrissey of Covington; and sisters, Sharon Riesenberg of Memphis, Patricia McCrocklin of Georgetown, Ind., and Linda Murrell of Louisville.
Mass of Christian burial will be at noon Wednesday at Mother of God Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Covington. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell. Memorials are suggested to American Diabetes Association, 8899 Brookside Ave., Suite 102, West Chester, Ohio 45069.
Gerald "Jerry" Murray, 68, of Fort Thomas, died at 9:20 p.m. Wednesday at his home. He was a retired printer with McDonald Printing Co., Cincinnati, and Amko Plastics, Cincinnati.
Survivors include his wife, Shirley Groh Murray; daughters, Linda Cahill of Newport, Kimberly Cremeans of Cincinnati and Patricia Dill of Fort Thomas; a son, David Murray of Cold Spring; nine grandchildren and a great-grandchild.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Thomas Church, Fort Thomas. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas. Prayers will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Memorials are suggested to American Cancer Society, 6612 Dixie Highway, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Charles Thomas Ramsey, 38, of Falmouth, died Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. He was a member of Falmouth Wesleyan Church.
Survivors include sisters, Joyce Laverne Sowder of Falmouth and Hilda Fay Clifford of Butler; and brothers, Calvin Ramsey of Bellevue and Kenneth Ramsey of Falmouth.
Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Woodhead Funeral Home, Falmouth. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Mount Vernon Cemetery, Pendleton County. Memorials are suggested to Charles Thomas Ramsey Burial Fund, in care of US Bank, 303 Ridgeway Ave., Falmouth, Ky. 41040.
Evelyn Irene Reuter, 91, of Highland Heights, died Wednesday at Northern Kentucky Care and Rehabilitation Center, Highland Heights. She was a homemaker. Her husband, William Reuter, died in 1984.
Survivors include a daughter, Carol Dupont of New Port Richey, Fla.; four grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. A.C. Dobbling and Son Funeral Home, Bellevue, is handling arrangements.
Lillian Beatrice Scherff, 77, of Shelbyville, formerly of Erlanger, died Wednesday at Hospice of Louisville. She was a waitress. Her husband, Luther Scherff, preceded her in death.
Survivors include daughters, Cyndi Workman of Shelbyville and Jennifer Stamper of Burlington; sons, Dan Scherff of Crestview Hills, Paul Scherff of Hebron, Steve Scherff of Shelbyville and Jon Scherff of Smithfield; 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to Shelby County Community Charities Lily Fund, Gary Walls, 1212 Augusta Drive, Shelbyville, Ky. 40065.
Emma Mason Williams, 84, of Cynthiana, died Monday at her home. She was a retired employee of 3M Co., and a member of Leesburg Methodist Church, Cynthiana. Her husband, George H. Williams, preceded her in death.
Survivors include daughters, Charlesetta Williams and Carrie B. Williams, both of Cynthiana; three grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ebeneezer United Methodist Church, Cynthiana.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the church. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery, Bourbon County. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Bluegrass, 508 E. Pike St., Cynthiana, Ky. 41031.
Paul Wyatt, 80, of Independence, died Wednesday at Florence Care Center.
Arrangements are pending at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Taylor Mill.
