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Date of these obituaries: 08-16-2003
Maj. Goetz, veteran, lawyer
Maj. David Joseph Goetz's death Monday at the age of 34 cost his family more than its loved one and his friends more than an engaging, witty colleague, said Florence lawyer John S. "Brook" Brooking.
It also cost Kentucky a likely future office-holder.
"He always said he wanted to get involved in politics and I think he would have come back to Kentucky to do it, " said Brooking, who met Maj. Goetz in college and was best man at his wedding.
Maj. Goetz, an Edgewood native and a graduate of Covington Catholic High School, died at his home in Arlington, Va., after a battle with cancer.
Even though he never realized his hope of running for elected office, Maj. Goetz devoted much of his life to public service.
He was in the ROTC program at Xavier University and completed Army Airborne training in 1988. He was commissioned an officer after graduating in 1991, but deferred active duty to earn a degree from the Salmon P. Chase School of Law at Northern Kentucky University. After being admitted to the Ohio bar, he completed the Army Judge Advocate Officer Basic Training School and began active duty in the JAG Corps in 1995, with a promotion to captain.
He was posted to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., where he met his future wife, Tori, and then to Vilsek, Germany, where he served as chief prosecutor for the base. He finished his active duty career with the Contracts Appeals Division of the U.S. Army Litigation Center in Arlington.
He resigned his commission in May 2001 to become staff attorney to Sen. Arlen Specter in the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs.
"When he got out of the Army, what did he do but find another way to keep on working for veterans, " Brooking said.
After the 9-11 terrorist attacks, Maj. Goetz was recalled to a National Guard posting for another seven months of active duty at the Pentagon in Operation Noble Eagle. It was in that position he was promoted to major.
"It's a tragedy when anyone dies at 34, but Dave made more of a mark in 34 years than most people do in a full lifetime, " Brooking said. "He was motivated, intelligent, driven and dedicated to public service, as his life shows."
Maj. Goetz was a Christian, a longtime member of the Covington-Kenton County Jaycees, a Kentucky Colonel, a Republican, a horse-racing fan and an avid golfer.
Survivors in addition to his wife Tori include a daughter, Kendall Goetz, at home; his parents, Mary and Dave Goetz of Edgewood; a sister, Mary Kay Goetz of Edgewood; and grandfather, Tommy Reis of Edgewood.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Paul Episcopal Church, Alexandria. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Demaine Funeral Home, Alexandria. Burial will be in Quantico Marine Corps Base Cemetery, Triangle, Va. Memorials are suggested to Melanoma Research Foundation, 23704-5 El Toro Road, Suite 206, Lake Forest, Calif. 92630.
Florence Wassman Bleser, 100, of Erlanger, died at 5:25 a.m. Friday at Villaspring of Erlanger Health Care Center. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring, and the Ladies Auxiliary Knights of St. John and the 55 Club of St. Thomas Church, Fort Thomas. Her husband, Martin "Bud" Bleser, died in 1967.
Survivors include a daughter, Mary Lou Baute of Edgewood; five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph Church, Cold Spring. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in St. Stephen Cemetery, Fort Thomas. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
Elizabeth Burbrink, 97, of Fort Thomas, died Friday at Carmel Manor Nursing Home, Fort Thomas. She was a former self-employed bowling instructor, a member of the Bowlers Hall of Fame of Northern Kentucky and a volunteer with Carmel Manor. Her husband, Albert Burbrink, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Albert Burbrink of Anaheim, Calif.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 9:30 a.m. Monday at Carmel Manor Chapel, Fort Thomas. Visitation will begin there at 8:30 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in New St. Joseph Cemetery, Cincinnati. Memorials are suggested to Carmel Manor, 100 Carmel Manor Road, Fort Thomas, Ky. 41075. A.C. Dobbling and Son Funeral Home, Fort Thomas, is handling arrangements.
Danny R. Fryman, 45, of Silver Grove, died Friday at his home. He was disabled.
Survivors include a daughter, Michelle Berkmeier of Bellevue; a son, Michael Fryman of Williamstown; his parents, Shirley Fryman Sr. of Foster and Lorena Best of Cincinnati; brothers, Gary Fryman and Shirley Fryman Jr., both of Cincinnati; and four grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at A.C. Dobbling and Son Funeral Home, Bellevue. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mount Zion Cemetery, Augusta.
Dova Lee Eades, 80, of Florence, died Thursday at St. Elizabeth Hospice Unit, Covington. She was a retired laborer and a member of Beaver Lick Baptist Church, Union. Her husband, Walter A. Eades, died in 1996.
Survivors include a sister, Lucille Eades of Florence, and a brother, John Miller of Florence.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in Rice Cemetery, Union. Memorials are suggested to Beaver Lick Baptist Church, 11460 U.S. 42, Union, Ky. 41091.
James O'Banion, 78, of Erlanger, died Friday at St. Elizabeth Medical Center North, Covington. He was a truck driver, a member of Teamsters Union Local No. 100, Cincinnati, the Elsmere American Legion post and Ralph Fulton VFW Post No. 6423, Elsmere. He was an Army veteran of World War II. Two sons, Gary O'Banion and Jimmy O'Banion, preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Clara O'Banion; a son, Jesse O'Banion of Erlanger; daughters, Kathy Terrell of Florence, Peggy Barnes of Fort Mitchell, Angie Hagedorn of Crittenden, Penny Scott of Edgewood and Margie Kinney of Cincinnati; a sister, Eartha Montgomery of Cincinnati; seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati. Memorials are suggested to Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter No. 10, 8418 Reading Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45215.
Robert M. Schulte, 77, of Dry Ridge, died Thursday at his home. He was an electrician with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Union Local No. 212, a member of St. Henry Church in Elsmere, the National Rifle Association and the USS Yorktown CV-10 Association. He was a Navy veteran of World War II.
Survivors include his wife, Jewel Burgess Schulte, nieces and nephews.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Ellison-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown. Visitation will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright. Memorials are suggested to USS Yorktown CV-10 Association, in care of Elliston-Stanley, P.O. Box 130, Williamstown, Ky. 41097.
