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Date of these obituaries: 08-15-2003
Bill Liebschutz, Post photographer
You may not know the name of Bill Liebschutz, but if you read The Post regularly, you've probably seen his work.
Mr. Liebschutz, who died Thursday morning of cancer at Hospice of Cincinnati, did freelance photography for The Post and other local publications such as the Catholic Telegraph, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
He also owned his own photography business, and was a noted wedding photographer.
Taking pictures was a second career for the 55-year-old, North Avondale resident.
He had attended Woodward High School, and then graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in psychology. He managed the former In Cahoots restaurant in Clifton in the 1970s and '80s, said his cousin, Donna Levine of Blue Ash.
Once he decided to leave the restaurant business, he studied photography in Dayton and with noted Hyde Park photographer Kazik Pazovski.
"He was a perfectionist, " Levine said. He often worked late at The Post, she said, picking out just the right images to submit.
His photos for The Post included those of celebrities George Clooney, Carly Simon, Tina Turner and Paul Anka, his cousin said.
"He was a meticulous photographer who worked tirelessly for hours and did beautiful work, " said Joyce Rosencrans, food editor for The Post.
She recalled an assignment to photograph noted glass artist Stephen Powell in Danville, Ky. "Bill looked at Powell's house and said, 'To do justice to this, I need to stay for sunset, ' " Rosencrans said. "So we did and didn't get back until midnight."
The result was a photo so striking that Powell -- the artist -- later asked for copies of it.
"He was about as dedicated as any photographer I've ever known, " said Dorothy Johnston, a Post freelancer.
Mr. Liebschutz's artistic talent may have come from his late mother, Elaine Freedman. She was an artist who worked in wood, alabaster, batik and other media, said Mr. Liebschutz's brother, Harry Liebschutz, of Hyde Park.
Mr. Liebschutz collected art and antiques, and in recent years had bought his boyhood home in North Avondale and moved in there.
He was a member of the Cincinnati Art Museum and the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center.
He was a quiet, generous, easygoing person and an excellent listener, Levine said, "the kind of person you could tell anything to."
There will be no funeral. Mr. Liebschutz's body was cremated, and the family plans to scatter his ashes in Lake Michigan, his brother said.
Joseph Rettig, leader in banking, community
Joseph M. Rettig Jr., 95, of Park Hills, who was a fixture in the business community for years, died at 9:45 p.m. Sunday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington.
From 1956 to 1980, he served as president, general manager and chairman of the board of Acme Federal Savings and Loan Association, which was founded by his father in 1908. After the company merged with the Kentucky Enterprise Federal Savings and Loan Association in 1980, Mr. Rettig served as vice president of Kentucky Enterprise.
He also was a director of the Kenton County Building and Loan League, Kentucky Building Savings and Loan League and Southeastern Conference of U.S. League of Savings and Loan.
"One thing that I think a lot of people knew Joe for was how he dressed, " said Paul Theissen, a Covington attorney who handled the family's affairs. "He dressed very sharply all the time. He had a lot of slacks and sport coats that were very colorful -- . He was well-liked by all the people who knew him."
Mr. Rettig was a former member of the Kenton County Fiscal Court Civil Service Commission, chairman of the Park Hills Equalization Board and Park Hills Planning and Zoning Commission. He and other business associates founded Tours Travel Agency.
His wife, Alma Murphy Retting, died June 6, 2003. There are no immediate survivors.
Mr. Rettig seemed to give up after his wife died, Mr. Theissen said. The couple had been married
68 years.
Mass of Christian burial will be at noon Monday at Mother of God Church, Covington.
Visitation will be from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday at Allison and Rose Funeral Home, Covington. Burial will be in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Erlanger. Memorials are suggested to Mother of God Church, 119 W. Sixth St., Covington, Ky. 41011.
Cynthia Pecoraro Bowlin, 39, of Walton, died Wednesday at University Hospital, Cincinnati. She was a hairstylist with Illusions, Crestview Hills, and a member of New Bethel Baptist Church in Verona and the Walton-Verona PTSA.
Survivors include her husband, Kerry S. Bowlin; daughters, Jessica Morse, Brittany Bowlin and Bailey Bowlin, all of Walton; sons, Ricky Morse of Hammond, La., and Brandon Bowlin of Walton; her parents, Anthony C. Pecoraro and Jeanie Domingus, both of Hammond; sisters, Tracy Johnson of Baton Rouge, La., and Lisa Pecoraro of Hammond; a brother, Anthony Pecoraro of Hammond; and a grandchild.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church, Walton. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence. Burial will be in New Bethel Cemetery, Verona. Memorials are suggested to Barrett Center for Breast Cancer Prevention, Treatment and Research, 234 Goodman Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio 45267.
Helen Katherine Burke, 94, of Covington, died at 12:55 p.m. Wednesday at 12:55 p.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington.
She was a retired secretary with Uniroyal Tire Co., and a member of Ladies Altar Society at Mother of God Church, Covington, and Senior Citizens of Northern Kentucky.
Survivors include nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Cecilia Church, Independence. Visitation will begin there at 9:30 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in St. Cecilia Cemetery, Independence. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
A. Lynn Gaugh, 72, of Elsmere, died at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center South, Edgewood. She was a retired secretary with Lakeside Christian Church, Lakeside Park.
She was a Sunday school teacher at the church, a member of the church choir, and a member of Lakeside Travelers.
She was also a volunteer with the Aronoff Center, Cincinnati, and the Cincinnati Flower Show. Her husband, John K. Gaugh, died in 1969.
Survivors include daughters, Robin Lynn Gaugh of Elsmere and Joni Kelley Seta of Cincinnati; and two grandchildren.
Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at Lakeside Christian Church. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 tonight at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Lakeside Christian Church, 195 Buttermilk Pike, Lakeside Park, Ky. 41017.
William Ernest McNeely, 72, of Florence, died Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. He was a retired assembler and inspector with Signode Corp., a member of Greenview Baptist Church and Union Masonic Lodge, and an Air Force veteran.
Survivors include his wife, Dora E. Reinhart McNeely, and a brother, Robert S. McNeely of Belleview Bottoms.
Services will be at 1 p.m. today at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Hopeful Lutheran Cemetery, Florence. Memorials are suggested to Greenview Baptist Church, 1050 Burlington Pike, Florence, Ky. 41042; American Heart Association, 333 Guthrie St., Suite 207, Louisville, Ky. 40202; or American Diabetes Association, 745 W. Main St., Suite 150, Louisville, Ky. 40202.
Patricia Ann Queor, 64, of Florence, died at 3:35 a.m. Thursday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington.
She was a homemaker.
Her husband, Fred Queor, died in 1977.
Survivors include her parents, Franklin and Margaret Lockwood of Daytona Beach, Fla., and a sister, Starr Lockwood of Lakeside Park.
Memorial services have already been held. Memorials are suggested to St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky. 41014.
Fares J. Radel Funeral Home, Newport, is handling arrangements.
Robert Leo "P.W." Scherder, 58, of Independence, died Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence.
He was a retired engineer with C&O; Railroad and a former member of the Independence Volunteer Fire Department.
Survivors include a son, George R. Scherder of Independence; daughters, Geneva Marie Shay and Sherry Lynn Deters, both of Walton; sisters, Joanne Cobble of Independence and Alberta Bays of Morning View; and five grandchildren.
No services are planned. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 tonight at Chambers and Grubbs Funeral Home, Independence. Burial will be in Independence Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to City of Hope Foundation, 1055 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90017; or St. Jude Miracle Network, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn. 38105.
James Ellis Sparks, 69, of Fort Thomas, died at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas.
He was a retired self-employed recycler.
Survivors include daughters, Charla Messer of Covington and Kellie Tucker of Dover, Tenn.; a son, Gary Ratliff of Newport; a sister, Charla Sparks of Silver Springs, Md.; and 12 grandchildren.
No services are planned. Cremation will be at Southwest Ohio Cremation Co., Milford, Ohio. Middendorf-Bullock Funeral Home, Covington, is handling arrangements.
William C. Stottlebower, 87, of Covington, died Tuesday at Veterans Administration Medical Center, Cincinnati.
He was a retired electrician, a member of John R. Little VFW Post No. 3186, a 32nd degree Mason and an Army veteran of World War II. There are no immediate survivors.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday at St. Stephen cemetery Chapel, Fort Thomas.
Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice. Fares J. Radel Funeral Home, Highland Heights, is handling arrangements.
