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Date of these obituaries: 11-27-2002
Musician R.C. Vance guided Florence Y'All festival
With a harmonica and a good ear, R.C. Vance took to music by age 7 and never let it go.
Mr. Vance became a fine fiddler and bluegrass music fan who spread his love of music through operating a music hall and organizing performances at Florence Y'All festivals.
With his wife of 50 years, Helen Vance, Mr. Vance owned Boone County Bluegrass Jamboree music hall in Burlington. He also served as emcee of many Florence Y'All festivals.
Mr. Vance, 75, died Monday at his home in Florence.
He was born on his parents' farm in Stamping Ground.
Mr. Vance and his wife met in Lexington and moved to Northern Kentucky in 1955.
He worked as a special agent for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad for 30 years before retiring in 1985.
He filled those years with music, hosting bluegrass bands at the Bluegrass Jamboree on Saturdays and country music on Friday.
"He loved his music. He spent the biggest part of his life playing his music, " Mrs. Vance said.
"We had bands. He and I ran it, and I helped him."
Mr. Vance played fiddle and, occasionally, electric guitar. He was a member of the Tri-State Old Time Fiddlers Association and the Midwest Bluegrass Association.
He was also a devoted father, grandfather and great-grandfather.
"He always looked after the other person and wanted to help them. He'd do anything for you. He was great with the kids, and he worshipped those grandkids, " Mrs. Vance said.
Other survivors include sons, Andrew Vance of Florence, Byron Vance of Burlington, Brad Vance of Florence; daughters, Sandra Vance and Monica Williamson, both of Florence; and brother William Allen Vance Jr. of Scott County.
He was preceded in death by two brothers and five sisters.
Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Services will be at noon Saturday at the funeral home. Burial will be at Burlington Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Kidney Foundation of Kentucky, 250 E. Liberty St., Suite 710, Louisville, Ky. 40202-1537; or St. Elizabeth Home Health Hospice, 401 E. 20th St., Covington, Ky, .41014-9988, or the charity of the donor's choice.
Elsie E. Bagby, 97, of Newport, died at 6:10 a.m. Monday at her home. She was a retired cook with Dot's Boat Harbor in Bellevue. Her husband, Ralph Bagby, died in 1950.
Survivors include daughters, Virginia Pangallo and Edith Hensley, both of Newport; sisters, Florine Dunbar of Bloomington, Ind., and Marie Harris of Dayton; six grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 29 great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport. Visitation will begin there at 11 a.m. Friday. Cremation will be at Southwest Ohio Crematory, Milford, Ohio. Memorials are suggested to Elsie Bagby Memorial Fund, in care of Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral home, 835 York St., Newport, Ky. 41071.
Mildred C. Blair, 90, of Williamstown, died Tuesday at Owenton Manor nursing home. She was homemaker and a member of St. William Church, Williamstown. Her husband, James Parker Blair, preceded her in death.
Survivors include a daughter, Toy Elaine Ballard of Williamstown; three grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. William Church, Williamstown. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown. Burial will be in Hill Crest Cemetery, Dry Ridge. Memorials are suggested to Grant County Hospital Auxiliary Fund, Barnes Road, Williamstown, Ky. 41097.
Serelda Jane Duncan, 97, of Elsmere, died Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital West, Florence. She was a mattress factory worker and a member of Florence United Methodist Church. Her husband, Cloyd Peyton Duncan, died in 1978. Daughters, Dorothea Penn (1998) and Catherine Sublett (1999), also preceded her in death.
Survivors include a son, Earl R. White of Florence; a sister, Rita J. Henderson of Villa Hills; a sister, Alberta Baker of Burlington; 14 grandchildren, 32 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren.
Services will be at noon Friday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at 10 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Floral Hills Cemetery, Taylor Mill. Memorials are suggested to Florence United Methodist Church, 8585 Old Toll Road, Florence, Ky. 41042.
Wayne Morgan Ellison, 60, of Robertson County, died Monday at Harrison Memorial Hospital, Cynthiana. He was a retired construction worker and a Navy veteran.
Survivors include brothers, Noel Ellison of Robertson County and Wendell Ellison of Longmont, Colo.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ware Funeral Home, Harrison County. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Ellis Family Cemetery, Robertson County.
June F. Henke, 76, of Newport, died at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday at Baptist Convalescent Center, Newport. She was a homemaker.
Survivors include daughters, Diana Jackson and Colleen Sohnlein, both of Newport; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Services will be at the convenience of the family. Cremation will be at Southwest Ohio Crematory, Milford, Ohio. Muehlenkamp-Erschell Funeral Home, Newport, is handling arrangements.
Anthony James Hunt, 54, of Crescent Springs, died Thursday at his home. He was president and founder of Welding Alloys (USA) Inc. in Florence.
Survivors include his wife, Irene Hunt, and his mother, Peggy Hunt of England.
Memorial services will be at 3 p.m. Dec. 5 at Hilton of Florence. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice. Cremation Society of Greater Cincinnati is handling arrangements.
Regina McKinley, 78, of Union, died Tuesday at Gallatin Health Care Center, Warsaw. She was a homemaker and a member of Florence Christian Church.
Survivors include her husband, Bernard McKinley of Union; sons, Bud McKinley of Dry Ridge and Bobby McKinley of Florence; daughters, Donna Fite of Tampa, Fla., and Jill Smith of Florence; a brother, Joe Shotwell of Burlington; a sister, Wanda Walston of Petersburg; 10 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Rice Cemetery, Union. Memorials are suggested to American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 2680, North Canton, Ohio 44720, or Florence Christian Church, 300 Main St., Florence, Ky. 41042.
Teddy Morgan, 98, of Williamstown, died at 5:30 a.m. today at Grant Manor Health Care Center, Williamstown.
Arrangements are pending at Elliston-Stanley Funeral Home, Williamstown.
Isabella C. Rizzardi, 95, of Fort Wright, died Sunday at St. Charles Care Center, Covington. She was a homemaker and a member of St. Agnes Church, Fort Wright, and the church Altar Society. Her husband, Peter J. Rizzardi, died in 1968.
Survivors include a daughter, Peggy Nienaber of Fort Wright; sisters, Alice Hoskins of Huntington, W.Va., and Lena Brannon of Fort Thomas; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Agnes Church, Fort Wright. Mrs. Rizzardi bequeathed her body to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Memorials are suggested to St. Charles Care Center, 500 Farrell Drive, Covington, Ky. 41011. Ronald B. Jones Funeral Home, Ludlow, is handling arrangements.
Sammy W. Stevens, 58, of Petersburg, died Tuesday at his home. He was a blacktopper with Paul Michels and Sons Co.
Survivors include a daughter, Samantha Stevens of Florence; a brother, Earl Stevens of Petersburg; and a sister, Sharon Stevens of Jonesboro, Ga.
Services will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at Stith Funeral Home, Florence. Visitation will begin there at 5 p.m. Saturday. Cremation will be at Baxter Cremation Service, Cincinnati. Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice.
Helen Emma Stewart, 68, of Newport, died Tuesday at St. Luke Hospital East, Fort Thomas. She was a homemaker. A son, Michael Stewart, died in 1987.
Survivors include her husband, Monty B. Stewart Sr.; a son, Monty B. Stewart Jr. of Cincinnati; a daughter, Debra Prewitt of Newport; 13 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Friday at Radel Funeral Home, Newport. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery, Fort Mitchell.
Troy D. Upthegrove Sr., 77, of Covington, died Sunday at his home. He was a retired lineman with Cincinnati Bell, a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America and a member of the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame for his days starring in football at Holmes High School. He was an Army veteran of World War II. A daughter, Kim Hellings, died in 2001.
Survivors include a son, Troy D. Upthegrove Jr. of Memphis, Tenn.; daughters, Tara Orth of Alexandria and Tammy Schweitzer of Cynthiana; a brother, Ernest Upthegrove of Miami Shores, Fla.; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Connley Brothers Funeral Home, Latonia. Visitation will begin there at 9 a.m. Saturday. Burial will be in Mother of God Cemetery, Fort Wright.
Glenna Wright, 78, of Batavia, Ohio, died at 1:27 a.m. Monday in Milford, Ohio. She was a homemaker. Her husband, Jesse James Wright, died in 1998.
Survivors include daughters, Joyce Patterson of Fort Wright, Vickie Berwanger of Georgetown, Cynthia Dorsey of Amelia, Ohio, and Jill Wright of Blanchester, Ohio; sons, Wendall Wright of Ripley, Ohio, David Wright of Cincinnati, Daniel Wright of Lebanon, Ohio, and Paul Wright of Batavia, Ohio; 22 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Catchen Funeral Home, Elsmere. Visitation will begin there at 9:30 a.m. Friday. Burial will be in Wright Family Cemetery, Whitley County.
